"Annabel Dodd has cogently untangled the wires and switches and technobabble of the telecommunications revolution and explained how the introduction of the word 'digital' into our legislative and regulatory lexicon will affect consumers, companies and society into the next millennium." - United States Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts; Member, U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet "Annabel Dodd has a unique knack for explaining complex technologies in understandable ways. This latest revision of her book covers the rapid changes in the fields of broadband, cellular, and streaming technologies; newly developing 5G networks; and the constant changes happening in both wired and wireless networks. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the rapidly evolving world of telecommunications in the 21st century!" - David Mash, Retired Senior Vice President for Innovation, Strategy, and Technology, Berklee College of Music Completely updated for current trends and technologies, The Essential Guide to Telecommunications, Sixth Edition, is the world's top-selling, accessible guide to the fast-changing global telecommunications industry. Writing in easy-to-understand language, Dodd demystifies today's most significant technologies, standards, architectures, and trends. She introduces leading providers worldwide, explains where they fit in the marketplace, and reveals their key strategies. New topics covered in this edition include: LTE Advanced and 5G wireless, modern security threats and countermeasures, emerging applications, and breakthrough techniques for building more scalable, manageable networks. Gain a practical understanding of modern cellular, Wi-Fi, Internet, cloud, and carrier technologies Discover how key technical, business, and regulatory innovations are changing the industry See how streaming video, social media, cloud computing, smartphones, and the Internet of Things are transforming networks Explore growing concerns about security and privacy, and review modern strategies for detecting and mitigating network breaches Learn how Software Defined Networks (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) add intelligence to networks, enabling automation, flexible configurations, and advanced networks Preview cutting-edge, telecom-enabled applications and gear-from mobile payments to drones Whether you're an aspiring network engineer looking for a broad understanding of the industry, or a salesperson, marketer, investor, or customer, this indispensable guide provides everything you need to know about telecommunications right now. This new edition is ideal for both self-study and classroom instruction. Register your product for convenient access to downloads, updates, and/or corrections as they become available.