ABSTRACT
The cellular network is the underlying technology for mobile communications. It enables a mobile station to communicate with other fixed or mobile stations while stationary or on the move. This chapter aims to introduce the reader to the cellular systems fundamentals including different techniques that can be used to increase the system capacity. Traffic engineering concepts in cellular systems are also discussed and worked examples are given to reinforce the concepts. The chapter also presents the evolution of the cellular systems from 1G to 5G and beyond including the vision of 6G. The key enabling technologies of 5G are explored, such as AI-based resource allocation, network slicing, software defined networks, network function virtualization and multi-access edge computing. Additionally, practical use-case scenarios are introduced to study the 4G and 5G network planning in urban environments using Altair WinProp software.
