ABSTRACT
Today’s wireless industry is built on a long and rich history of significant discoveries and innovations over many decades. While the existence of electromagnetic waves, the most fundamental ingredient of wireless communications, was discovered way back in 1880s, there was no specific commercial goal behind the discovery at the time. Since then, many significant developments have taken place, which made the wireless technology more affordable, effective, and reliable. This chapter first takes a chronological journey through the history of wireless networking highlighting the major milestones achieved including the launch of the first cellular networks, release of the first standards for Bluetooth and WiFi, introduction of digital TV, trial of the first packet radio network, and the new standards to facilitate connectivity at scale for the Internet of Things. Then the recent trends and growth forecast for the wireless industry is reviewed. Finally, this chapter provides a detailed outline of the contents covered by the rest of the book. [158 words]
