Mobile communications are about to enter the third stage in their development, widely known as 3G. This will bring always-on internet access to mobile devices. This book investigates the history of mobile communications and explores the technological background to 3G in a user-friendly manner. It examines the licensing process throughout the world, and draws conclusions about the prospects for 3G through a comprehensive analysis of the issues that have been raised so far.

PETER CURWEN is Professor of Business at the Sheffield Business School Policy Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University. He has been a visiting professor at a number of American and European Universities, and regularly delivers papers at international conferences. He is the author of Restructuring Telecommunications.