This unique resource offers you a thorough understanding of the convergence of mobile and data technology. It explains how the prospect of continuous connectivity adds a new dimension to e-business, moving it towards m-business, which promises to give users access to network services as they travel from one location to another.

The book examines the technology that enables true mobility for handheld devices, including GPRS, 3G, and the critical new protocol Mobile IP, which allows a computer to roam freely on the Internet while maintaining the same IP address. You get all the details you need to design a mobile data service, build a Mobile IP network, and develop mobile applications. An in-depth explanation of the routing and addressing options in IP networks is presented to complete the network picture. Both IPv4 and IPv6 are described and compared. What's more, the book explores the future emergence of m-business and the applications enabled by an information network that supports roaming.