Fast and Efficient Context-Aware Services gives a thorough explanation of the state-of-the-art in Context-Aware-Services (CAS). The authors describe all major terms and components of CAS, defining context and discussing the requirements of context-aware applications and their use in 3rd generation services. The text covers the service creation problem as well as the network technology alternatives to support these services and discusses active and programmable networks in detail. It gives an insight into the practical approach followed in the CONTEXT project, supplying concrete guidelines for building successful context-aware services. Fast and Efficient Context-Aware Services: * Provides comprehensive and in-depth information on state-of-the-art CAS technology. * Proposes a system architecture for CAS creation and delivery, discussing service management and active network layers. * Describes the service lifecycle functional architecture, covering service authoring, customization, invocation, and assurance. * Explains system design considerations and details, system evaluation criteria, test-bed requirements, and evaluation results. Fast and Efficient Context-Aware Services is an invaluable resource for telecommunications developers, researchers in academia and industry, advanced students in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, telecoms operators, as well as telecommunication management and operator personnel.