The rapid development of wireless and mobile communications, that started in the 80's, mainly through WiFi and GSM, continues in our days with 4G and now with 5G mobile networks. The aim of this course is to describe the principles and architecture of modern wireless and mobile networks, focusing on their main functionalities. The course is divided into two parts: A) Wireless/mobile Internet access: - History, general principles of mobile communications - Problems of Internet Protocol (IP) over wireless networks - Wireless communications modulation and transmission - Wireless networks (local, personal, metropolitan) - IP mobility support. B) Mobile Networks: - 4G network architecture and operation - Quality of Service / Quality of Experience support in modern networks - Radio resource management - Interference mitigation/management - Mobility support in mobile networks - Introduction to 5G architecture and protocols.
The course also includes an individual assignment for the students, in the form of a 15-minute presentation on a relevant subject. A list of available subjects is proposed to the students around the middle of the semester, while they are also allowed to propose a subject of their own choice. The presentations are recorded and uploaded by the students through eclass by the end of the semester. The grade of the presentation is 30% of the final grade (70% is through the final examinations).