d what is needed to both give new planners a flying start and experienced planners a broader view. Anthony Crane Helsinki, Vice-President, Nokia Networks Finland As operators around the world are offering an ever-increasing variety of mobile services, the underlying networks require continuous, meticulous attention, to provide highest per- formance and asset utilization at lowest operating cost. Dealing with this technology, that literally is transforming our patterns of communication, if not the way we conduct our lives, is strongly driving our best and brightest young engineers. In this book Ajay R. Mishra, a highly accomplished network-planning engineer himself, has for the first time laid out the complete introduction for the engineer entering the prac- tical domain of mobile network design and optimisation. In a compact format Ajay goes beyond the beaten path of describing technology, and establishes the practise of conceiving and optimising radio, transmission and core subsystems of today's mobile networks. The concentration on GSM and its descendants allows him to create a coherent, dependable guide for both the beginner and the field proven, senior engineer who wants to gain insight into the neighbouring domains of network design. With operational efficiency being one of the key drivers of commercial success for mobile operators today, this compact guide's focus on proven process helps practitioners to hone their own skills. Its complete coverage of radio, transmission and core aspects allows the reader to gain full appreciation of end-to-end network performance. As mobile data services rapidly gain popularity, solid understanding of their demands on the underlying networks becomes a must for any mobile engineer. It is this broad perspective, combined with a very practical approach, which make this book stand out on its own. Klaus Goerke Helsinki, General Manager (OS) Finland Nokia Networks Preface The last few years have witnessed a phenomenal growth in the wireless industry, both in terms of mobile tech