 the end-to-end system; a detailed description of the 3GPP LTE Release 9 and 3GPP LTE-Advanced Release 10 systems is provided to allow readers to better understand the similarities and differences between the two systems by contrasting the protocols and functional elements. It can be concluded that, aside from the marketing propaganda and hype surrounding these technologies, the 3GPP LTE and mobile WiMAX systems are technically equivalent and a fair comparison of the two technologies and their evolutionary paths reveals a similar performance as far as user experience is concerned. In order to ensure the self-sufficiency of the material, the theoretical background and necessary definitions of all terms and topics has been provided either as footnotes or in separate sections to enable in-depth understanding of the subject under consideration without distracting the reader, and with no impact on the continuity of the subject matter. Additional technical references are cited in each chapter for further study. Each chapter in this book provides a top-down systematic description of the IEEE 802.16m entities and functional blocks, such as state transition models and corresponding procedures, protocol structures, etc., (including similarities and differences with the legacy mobile WiMAX systems to emphasize improvements) starting at the most general level and working toward the details or specifics of the protocols and procedures. The description of corresponding 3GPP LTE/LTE- Advanced protocols and procedures are further provided to enable readers to contrast the analogous terminal and base station behaviors, protocols, and functionalities. Such contrast is crucial in the design of inter-system interworking functions and to provide better understanding of the design strengths and weaknesses of each system. This page intentionally left blank Introduction International Mobile Telecommunications-Advanced systems are broadband mobile wireless access systems that include new capabilities and versatility that goes beyond thos