Evolving perspectives of 4th generation mobile communication systems

The last decade of the 20 century has been witness to remarkable technological developments in the area of wireless communication technologies. Following the commercial deployment – and subsequent worldwide success – of 2 generation mobile telecommunication systems, such as GSM, standardization bodies, industry partners and regulatory fora from around the globe joined forces in producing the standards for 3 generation mobile telecommunication systems. In parallel, the academic research community has been gradually shifting its focus in defining the scope of 4 generation systems. The present paper highlights fundamental concepts and presents key market developments in 4 generation mobile communication environments. It outlines their major high level requirements and identifies the fundamental building blocks of 4 generation system architectures in terms of technological solution sets. Finally, it proposes a set of priorities for the 4 generation research agenda.