‘The wait is over’, said the Prime Minister in his Independence Day address to the Nation, welcoming the advent of 5G mobile service in the country. And ‘The National Book Trust’ has promptly brought out a reader-friendly title on telecommunications, with special focus on 5G technology, which promises faster speed and other benefits of broadband access to the Internet.

   This timely edition (Seventh) in the NBT’s Popular Science series explains in remarkably simple terms the main waves of innovation in telecommunications that have swept the world ending with the 5G technology. The chapter on mobile telecommunications decodes the transition from 1G to 5G generation, including inputs from Indian engineers in utilising the 5G technology in our country. The narrative is lucid and relevant, combining academic rigour with journalistic flair. Starting with the fascinating history of the telegraph and the telephone, the book....