This paper presents studies, carried out by Télécom Bretagne, concerning new radio technologies (mainly WiMAX, 802.16e) in the maritime environment. The aim of these studies is to reinforce the quality and the robustness of such transmissions. Several measurements were set up to characterize the propagation channel in maritime environment in order to study the communication performances of WiMAX. This characterization was obtained by specific experimental devices, developed and implemented by Télécom Bretagne. The experimentations were carried out at frequencies of 3.5 GHz (Licensed WiMAX Band in France) and 5.8 GHz (Free Band in France). Similar studies [1] and [2] were already carried out, but they did not take into account all the environment characteristics, namely tides and coast relief masking. Our study looks at these parameters for a better understanding of the propagation in operational transmission environments. In this paper, measurements were carried out by measuring the mean received power both for several distances over the sea and for a coastal point-to-point link during long periods. Part of the work presented in this paper has been obtained during the Ex'treme project.

This paper describes the evolution and architecture of the Stored Program Controlled (spc) Network. The critical role of common‐channel interoffice signaling (ccis) is discussed, both as an improved method for providing the traditional signaling functions, and as the key to a wide range of new service opportunities. These are made possible by the ability to interrupt call progress and, in real‐time, interrogate a distant data base and modify the subsequent call handling based on the information returned. The underlying architecture by which these services are implemented is based on the objectives of providing ubiquitous service with limited deployment of essential network capabilities and creating a structure which permits customized services by modifying the contents of a centralized data base.

In M a y of 1976, a new Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS) system linked together t h e last new N o . 4A toll crossbar office in M a d ison, Wisconsin a n d the first No. 4 ESS toll office in Chicago, Illinois. This was a major milestone in a long-range program t o achieve a nationwide Stored-Program Controlled (SPC) network of stored-program controlled switching offices interconnected by a new high-speed, high-capacity interoffice signaling system, CCIS. T h e SPC network will provide faster, m o r e reliable communications a n d will m a k e possible a myriad of new communication services. An evolutionary transition to t h e SPC network is in progress. CCIS is now being implemented in t h e toll or long-distance network. I t will s u b s e q u e n t l y be e x t e n d e d to Traffic Service Position S y s t e m (TSPS) u n i t s a n d to Electronic Switching System (ESS) local switching offices t o provide customer-to-customer CCIS service. T h i s issue of t h e Bell System Technical J o u r n a l is devoted to CCIS. T h i s overview a n d t h e following articles cover t h e inception a n d goals of t h e p r o g r a m a n d t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of CCIS in t h e toll network.In telephony, interoffice signaling has two functionally different c o m p o n e n t s : supervisory signaling, used t o initiate a n d t e r m i n a t e con nections, a n d t o indicate call status; a n d address or control signaling, used t o c o m m u n i c a t e t h e destination of a call. Supervisory signaling 221