Communications Engineer
Volume 3, Issue 2, April 2005
Volume 3, Issue 2
April 2005
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- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, page: 2 –2
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050210
- Type: Article
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- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, p. 4 –5
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050211
- Type: Article
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- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, page: 6 –6
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050212
- Type: Article
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- Author(s): S. Kennedy
- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, page: 8 –8
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050213
- Type: Article
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As WiMAX proponents greet the apparently imminent arrival of a new breed of wireless technology, some serious doubts remain. - Author(s): C. Kienzle
- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, page: 10 –10
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050214
- Type: Article
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The US telecoms market gets ready to embark on one of its most dramatic stages of consolidation. - Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, page: 11 –11
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050215
- Type: Article
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- Author(s): J. Walko
- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, p. 12 –15
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050201
- Type: Article
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The article suggests powerline communication is now becoming a reality and indeed could change the whole telecommunications landscape. The two parallel streams - i.e. for home distribution and for what is commonly known in Europe as powerline communications (PLC), more commonly known in North America as broadband over powerline - are necessarily closely intertwined. Both share a number of technical, economic and regulatory roadblocks that need to be ironed out before the technology can be considered mainstream. - Author(s): D. Wood
- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, page: 16 –16
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050202
- Type: Article
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High-definition television (HDTV) with multi-channel audio will be the next generation of TV broadcasting for Europe. There is no unique definition of what `high definition' means, but loosely it provides about four or five times the digital data per picture that we see with standard definition television (SD). Why do we need to upgrade television? One of our basic human needs is a limitless search for something better than we have now. The something better can mean different things to different people in different places, but this search in itself is one of our nature-given human instincts. (4 pages) - Author(s): K. Chow
- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, p. 21 –23
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050203
- Type: Article
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The article discusses advanced RF silicon modelling and its importance in the design of communications chips. While nanometre technology enables increasing functionality on a single chip, it is also presents the designer with significant challenges. Smaller feature sizes and greater functionality present a host of new physical effects that must be carefully modelled. With finer line widths, longer interconnects and the trend to design at higher frequencies, the significance of parasitic resistance and inductance grows. This is especially true when integrating radiofrequency (RF) circuitry on a single system-on-chip. RF has always been a complicated creature when it comes to operating to spec. Tight standards, the large number of respins required and difficulties in parasitic extraction make it difficult to achieve the goals of having a low-cost, low-power solution with a small form factor. Even though it is now typical for an RF project to have several respins built into the schedule, this only increases the time-to-market and the cost of the project. To increase efficiency and integration, RF designers must look to advanced methods of verification. - Author(s): V. Friderikos ; K. Papadaki ; M. Dohler ; A. Gkelias ; H. Agvhami
- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, p. 24 –27
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050204
- Type: Article
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A combination of WiMAX (the IEEE 802.16 standard) and mesh networking could bring broadband access to a ship on the Mediterranean Sea without the help of satellites. This would make it possible for passengers and crew to connect to the Internet via other vessels that act as relaying nodes to a specific shore Internet gateway point and exchange files, chat online or even take part in a video phone call. The article describes the potential of WiMAX and outlines the operation of such a network. - Author(s): E. Baissus
- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, p. 28 –31
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050205
- Type: Article
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It is axiomatic that user demand is driving mobile devices to higher and higher intelligence. Smartphones, PDAs and convergence devices require greater software content, constantly updated. Surely the only challenge is to think up useful, engaging applications that will slake users' thirst? Not quite. Integrating new features into a mobile phone - for example an MMS (multimedia messaging system) engine - is a difficult task that touches the whole development process - validation, integration, maintenance, as well as legal and commercial aspects. Fortunately, new approaches to mobile software development and deployment are making life easier for the developer. However, in order to provide solutions that are timely, robust and cost-effective, a plethora of technical issues needs to be addressed. The article looks at how the enterprise computing world can help inspire the design of future embedded applications for mobile phones. - Author(s): D. Sonnier
- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, p. 32 –35
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050206
- Type: Article
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The deployment of DSL (digital subscriber line) technologies worldwide has resulted in complex silicon integration challenges. These issues centre on whether it makes sense to integrate the digital signal processor (DSP) and network processor unit (NPU) in DSLAM (DSL access multiplexer) equipment into a single chip. So far, these two types of functions have not been typically combined on the same chip, and it is unlikely that such integration will be economically sensible in the near future. Memory-, processor- and bandwidth-intensive real-time multimedia are being delivered over IP connections, but standards for multimedia content and methods of delivering it reliably and with sufficient quality of service are in a state of transition. This means that, as soon as a single standard changes, a chip that integrates NPU and DSP functionalities must be replaced, even when the updated standard applies to only one of the functions. Rather than focusing on the integration of DSP and NPU functions onto the same integrated circuit, a more cost-effective solution is to add functions to the NPU that improve the quality and reliability of the services that are becoming more common (such as voice over IP, IP television and online gaming). - Author(s): J.D. Parsons and J.R. Gibson
- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, p. 36 –39
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050207
- Type: Article
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Researchers propose a telephone availability and awareness network (TAAN) that could help businesses save time and money. The telephone is a cornerstone of modern life, giving nearly instant connections between friends, families, businesses and nations. Yet even modern systems consistently fail to enable users to make contact at the first attempt. A substantial proportion of business calls fail because the called party is unavailable and by the time a call is returned, the original caller is often unavailable. This imposes both a time and financial burden on the international business community, causing frustration and stress. Some in-house systems show when a colleague is engaged on a call, making it obvious when an internal call to that person would be pointless. This 'on-hook/off-hook' information could distributed more widely. Thus the idea of a telephone availability and awareness network was born. TAAN provides a solution to the problem of pointless telephone calls. The system is capable of indicating to a telephone user, in real time or substantially real time, the status or availability of a remote telephone line anywhere in the world. If necessary, it can function independently of the network being used for voice calls. The article outlines the concept behind TAAN. - Author(s): D. Penn
- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, p. 40 –43
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050208
- Type: Article
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The author, who has been involved in seven major European installations, describes what systems integrators do for an operator. Systems integrators are an essential part of the telecommunications ecosystem. Both wireline and wireless operators, as well as large corporations, often rely heavily on these players in their efforts to increase capacity, deploy new services or upgrade their infrastructure. So it is not surprising that the variety of skills required by systems integrators is comprehensive. The areas that must be as, or even more, familiar to the system integrator as they are to the carriers themselves include: field and systems engineering; the provision of service analysis; network configuration; RF optimisation; overall resource management. In order to oversee such projects competently, systems integrators and field engineering companies need to be able to manage global operations round the clock. They must be able to guarantee rapid fault resolution for any site in the world to minimise downtime of any network element. The article describes the priorities of the systems integrator. - Author(s): I. Poole
- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, p. 44 –45
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050209
- Type: Article
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Voice over Internet Protocol (or VoIP) is on the verge of revolutionising the telecommunications industry. It is a totally new way of carrying voice traffic, and one that telecommunications companies will have no choice but to fully embrace if they are to remain competitive. Until recently, all voice traffic has been carried using what is called circuit switched technology in which a physical circuit is switched to provide a call for a user. The radically new approach owes much to the overwhelming success of the Internet, which paved the way for the adoption of packet data communications based on Internet Protocol (IP). The concept of voice over IP is quite straightforward. An endpoint - which may be a VoIP phone or a computer - consists of a few blocks. A vocoder converts the analogue audio to and from a digital format. The data generated is split into packets and sent, with the relevant protocol, into the outside world via a network interface card. Signalling and call control are also applied through this card. The article outlines the the basic operation of VoIP. - Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, p. 46 –47
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050216
- Type: Article
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- Source: Communications Engineer, Volume 3, Issue 2, page: 48 –48
- DOI: 10.1049/ce:20050217
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Editor's letter
News
Letters to the Editor
Not so fast
One-man VAN?
High-tech factory
Down the line [Powerline communications]
Why HDTV will flourish
Advanced RF silicon modelling
Linked waters [marine communication]
Copy & paste [embedded software]
The DSLAM dilemma
Guaranteed talk [telephony]
The rollout guys [telecommunications systems integrators]
What exactly is VoIP?
Just out... [book reviews]
Hot silicon from the oven
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