Mobile multimedia scenario using ATM and microcellular technologies

New technologies, such as personal communication systems (PCS) and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), hold the promise to usher in a new era of mobile multimedia communication. Switching networks have evolved from circuit switching to TDMA to packet switching. ATM is the next step in the evolution of switching systems, with the promise of carrying multimedia service on a single network. Cellular communications are evolving from an analog FM system to a digital system based on TDMA. CDMA technology has also been proposed as an alternative for digital cellular. At present, cellular business is driven by the voice market. But the lessons learned from the switching business indicate that cellular networks will evolve toward packet based technology, e.g., ALOHA, for adapting to multimedia service based on the ATM backbone network. The technology for building a multimedia terminal is already here. The challenge for industry is to design and standardize a packet based cellular network that can act as a wireless front end to the backbone ATM network