Evolutionary paths in wireless communication systems

The paper contains a review and analysis of evolutionary paths of seven most important, from network development strategy point of view, wireless communication systems, especially the WLAN operating according to the IEEE 802.11 standard. With respect to WLAN, trends related to evolution toward mobile network and self organizing network as well as toward integration of WLAN and GSM using GPRS are presented. Concerning WLAN architecture development, evolution paths toward distributed controlled network as well as centrally coordinated and controlled network are described. Moreover, analysis includes cellular mobile radio systems, wireless personal networks, wide area wireless packet data systems, satellite-based mobile systems, paging/messaging systems and cordless telephones. With respect to these systems, general evolution process and trends associated with this process are described.