Towards 3rd-generation mobile systems

This paper reviews the current European Union research programmes in the area of personal mobile telecommunication systems and their position in the context of European Telecommunications R&D. Telecommunications development in Europe will not only be a basis for innovation and a key to competitiveness, but will also contribute to answering Europe's community needs. In the future, the telecommunications networks will be capable of instantly transporting and processing voice traffic, text and images between any locations, be they homes, offices or businesses, thanks to digitalisation techniques and electronic processing of information. These networks will therefore constitute the nervous system of the economy, and more generally of tomorrow's society. Advances in communications technologies and services represent a vital link between industry, the services sector and the market and in this context, mobile and personal communications are currently one of the most dynamic sectors of activity and growth in Europe and world-wide.