SoftCOM 2001

Development of the fixed network in the County of Split and Dalmatia, Juraj Buzolic, Croatian Telecom, Croatia
Improvement of a Modern European Data Network, Juergen Haag, Deutsche Telekom, Germany
Future Wireless Mobile Multimedia Communications, prof.dr.sc. Branka Zovko-Cihlar, University of Zagreb, Croatia
An Approach to Specification, Configuration and Implementation of Distributed Multimedia Applications with System Architect's Language, Algirdas Pakstas, University of North London, UK
High Altitude Platforms for Communication, Localisation and Surveillance Applications, Gorazd Kandus, Mihael Mohorčič, Institute Jožef Stefan, Slovenia

Development of the fixed network in the County of Split and Dalmatia

Juraj Buzolic, Croatian Telecom, Croatia

Improvement of a Modern European Data Network

Juergen Haag, Deutsche Telekom, Germany

Abstract: Deutsche Telekom is going to set up a next generation IP platform and has chosen Cisco as their strategic partner to be the supplier for this platform called IP2.
DT and Cisco signed a project (Feb 2000) that includes the delivery of hardware and software as well as service and support. Also planning, documentation, rollout and migration of the existing network onto the new network are part of this project.
A core network has now been installed in 10 locations throughout Germany using Cisco GSRs being connected via OC48 POS interfaces and DTs WDM transport platform. Additional 64 regional locations have been installed using Cisco GSRs too which are connected via WDM to the core network using OC3 and OC12 POS interfaces. DT and Cisco have agreed that features like MPLS, MPLS based VPNs, QoS etc. are part of the project.
The migration phase of the project covers the transfer of the existing service creation area and all of the connected customers onto the new IP2 Backbone. The IP2 network stability and traffic testing is now successfully completed.

Biography: Juergen Haag received the advanced graduate degree (Dip.-Ing.) in Communications Engineering from the University of DBP Berlin in 1959. He has had a long career with Deutsche Telekom AG carrying out major projects in wireless network and Internet. He was responsible for the first deployment of GSM wireless terrestrial system in Germany. Among his recent positions at Deutsche Telekom AG, he was Head of Division for Digital Switching (1992 to 1995), Head of the Network Security Center (1995 to 1998), and most recently he has been appointed as Vice President for Data Networks Operations Division. Previously, he was active in various regional and international standardization bodies. He served as Vice chair and subsequently as chair of the IEEE COMSOC Communications Switching and Routing Committee and has been active as a guest editor or co-editor for the IEEE COMSOC publications. He has played a major role in establishing relation between industry and academia.

Juergen Haag
Vice President of Technical Activities
Candidate’s Statement

With the rapidly changing and evolving field of communications we are faced with many challenges. These with technical roots encompass strategic and business aspect of our profession. As a Vice President for Technical Activities, I will make our society more relevant and lead this evolution. I will continue with a plan to improve the technical quality of our society by reaching every member. I will make every effort to expand the development of high quality and timely technical material through traditional, electronic dissemination of relevant articles, conferences, publications by whichever way we can reach our members. I will foster the spirit of cooperation among various standardization groups in the world and further increase the IEEE overseas activities, integrating efforts in Europe and Asia.

Future Wireless Mobile Multimedia Communications

prof.dr.sc. Branka Zovko-Cihlar, University of Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract: The rapid development in VLSI technology and rapid growth in demand for high-speed Internet/Web access together with customer’s wishes for video transmission has created a demand for wireless mobile multimedia communications.
The article will provide an overview of wireless mobile multimedia communications and the near future focusing on 3G wireless and 4G mobile. New technology enables wideband code-division multiple access, software-defined radio, wireless mobile Internet, 3G, UMTS, video compression and multimedia communication. Media services known as personal services like TV and audio broadcasting, Video on Demand, Interactive video services require wireless mobility.

Biography: Branka Zovko-Cihlar is currently a Professor in the Department of Radiocommunications and Microwave Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb. From 1959 to 1961, she was with Radio-Industry Zagreb (RIZ), and from 1970 to 1984, she worked intermittently at the LM Ericsson laboratories. She has more than 35 years experience in television, broadcasting systems, and noise in radiocommunications. She is the author of Noise in Radiocommunications (Zagreb, Croatia: Skolska knjiga, 1987). She has been the Principal Investigator of four scientific projects. Presently, she is the Principal Investigator of the project "Multimedia Communication Technologies," financed by the Ministry of Science and Technology. She is a Coordinator of the international COST-237 and COST-257 Projects in Croatia. She is a member of IEEE and member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Electrical Engineering.
Prof. Zovko-Cihlar is the president of Croatian Council for Radio and Television and the president of the Croatian Society of Electronics in Marine-ELMAR and a member of the Croatian Technical Academy.

An Approach to Specification, Configuration and Implementation of Distributed Multimedia Applications with System Architect's Language

Algirdas Pakstas, University of North London, UK

Abstract: Emerging technologies such as Distributed Multimedia Systems (DMS) are considered to play a vital role in our modern communication era, with the applications derived of them. Such applications are real-time applications, which combine a number of features like audio, video, images and text. Due to the nature of such applications, more resources are required in order for them to perform efficiently.
Unfortunately, the current technology is not adequate to meet the requirements of such applications. This paper presents an approach to the development, specification and configuration of DMS, which is believed that will contribute to the improvement of such complex systems.

Biography: Dr.Tech. Algirdas Pakstas received his M.Sc. in radiophysics and electronics in 1980 from the Irkutsk State University, Ph.D. in systems programming in 1987 from the Institute of Control Sciences and Professor title from the Agder College in 1998. Currently Algirdas with the University of North London where he is doing research in software engineering for distributed computer systems, communications engineering and real-time systems.
He is active in the IEEE Communications Society Technical Committees on Enterprise Networking, Communications Software and Multimedia. He has authored 2 research monographs and more than 140 other publications. He is a senior member of IEEE and member of ACM and the New York Academy of Sciences. His recent and future involvement into IEEE and related conferences in various capacities includes: ENM'97 (TPC), Globecom'97 (TPC), DB&IS'98 (TPC), ICC'98 (SAS Session organiser), ENCOM'98 (TPC), 1999 World Manufacturing Congress (International Steering Committee and Programme Committee), SoftComm'99 (TPC), Globecom'99 (TPC), DB&IS'00 (TPC), ICC'00 (TPC and Vice Chair for Workshops), IN'00 (TPC), Globecom'00 (TPC), ICC'01 (TPC), WMC'01 (International Steering Committee and Programme Committee). He is currently a member of the Editorial Board of the IEEE Communications Magazine, Communications Interactive and Associate Editor for the Global Communications Newsletter. Listed in the Marque's Who's Who in the world.