We thought that it would be out of keeping with the book’s style if the last word in it was a date in the last reference in the last chapter. Instead, we try to give our view on what the next step might be after the last page has been turned over.

The purpose of this book is to supply readers with a good text book for reference and lab use. What is possible to bundle with the book is limited of course to software and data. We have tried to demonstrate that most of the work can be done and often is done in a digital domain, and therefore in many cases such a digital lab will suffice.

The bundled software packages are free academic versions of the programs which are used in professional high-end applications. They are sufficient in many cases for academic purposes and for self-education. If a reader is engaged in R&D or testing, or is otherwise interested in more capabilities, these programs can be upgraded to professional versions. For those who are interested in development of their own models or algorithms, the development versions are the best solution. Development versions with an application programming interface (API) allow access to source code and use an already developed, optimized, and tested receiver and simulator framework to incorporate models or algorithms developed by the reader. That would eliminate a need to spend time and effort on developing the main receiver and simulator components and instead allow concentration on the subject of interest.