In the editors' previous work on traditional wired networks, we have observed that designing low cost, survivable telecommunication networks involves extremely complicated processes. Commercial products available to help with this task typically have been based on simulation and/or proprietary heuristics.  As demonstrated in this book, however, mathematical programming deserves a prominent place in the designer's toolkit. Convenient modeling languages and powerful optimization solvers have greatly facilitated the implementation of mathematical programming theory into the practice of commercial network design.

These points are equally relevant and applicable in today's world of wireless network technology and design. But there are new issues as well: many wireless network design decisions, such as routing and facility/element location, must be dealt with in innovative ways that are unique and distinct from wired (fiber optic) networks. The book specifically treats the recent research and the use of modeling languages and network optimization techniques that are playing particularly important and distinctive roles in the wireless domain.