Telecommunication

The exchange of information in any form

(voice, data, text, images, audio, video)
over networks
Trends in Telecommunications
Telecom Network Components
Terminals – any input/output device that uses
telecommunications networks to transmit or
receive data
Telecommunications Processors – devices that
perform control and support functions
Telecommunications Channels – media over
which data are transmitted and received
Computers – all sizes and types
Telecommunications Control Software –
programs that control telecommunications
activities
Telecom Network Components
Telecommunications Processors
Modems – convert digital signals from a computer into
analog frequencies that can be transmitted over ordinary
telephone lines

Multiplexers – allows a single communications channel to

carry simultaneous data transmissions from many
terminals
 Bandwidth
• Information carrying capacity
• Measured in cycles per second/Hz.
• Indicates the difference between lowest and highest
frequencies.
• Higher the bandwidth, greater the volume of data that
can be transmitted per unit time.

Narrow-band – very low BW; e.g. telegraph links.

Voice Band- telephone line with a frequency range of 300-
3400 Hz.
Broadband – high-speed; high capacity. e.g. microwave,
cable, fibre optics
 Data Transfer Rate
• Amount of data that can be transmitted
through the channel.

•Expressed in number of bits per second or bit

rate (Bps).

• Baud rate - signal change from positive to

negative or vice versa.
- may not be always same as bit rate.
 Types of Signals: Analog and
Digital
Analog signal
• Continuous waveform
• Passes through communications medium
• Used for voice communications

Digital signal
• Discrete waveform
• Transmits data coded into two discrete states as 1-bits
and 0-bits
• Used for data communications
 Telecommunications Media
Twisted-Pair Wire – copper wire twisted into pairs. e.g.
telephone system (300bps-10Mbps)

Coaxial Cable – sturdy copper or aluminum wire wrapped

with spacers to insulate and protect it. e.g. Cable TV.
- faster data rate (56 Kbps-200 Mbps), larger BW.

Fiber Optics – one or more hair-thin filaments of glass

fiber wrapped in a protective jacket
- Data transmitted using light beams.
- Very high BW; high data transmission rate (500
Kbps- 25Tbps)
Telecommunications Media
 Wireless Technologies
Terrestrial Microwave – data transmitted with the
help of microwaves. Microwaves are
electromagnetic waves with frequency in the
range of 300,00 MHz to 3000MHz.

Radio Waves – also electromagnetic waves with

low frequency range of 3KHz to 30MHz.

Communications Satellites - high-earth orbit

communications satellites placed in stationary
geosynchronous orbits
 Wireless Technologies
Cellular and PCS Systems – a geographic
area divided into cells with one low-power
transmitter device per cell used to relay calls
from one cell to another

Wireless LANs –high- or low-frequency radio

technology installed in an office or building

Wireless Web – wireless, Web-enabled

information appliances accessing the Internet,
intranets and extranets
Wireless Application Protocol
(WAP)
 Communication Subnet
Switching devices- used for switching data
signals from source to destination point.
Telephone exchange- signals on incoming lines
are transmitted to appropriate outgoing lines.

Transmission lines- that carry data signals from

one host to another .
- also known as circuits or trunks.
- speed as well as efficiency depend on the
speed at which the transmission lines can
transmit the data.
- e.g. optical fibres, twisted pair, cable etc.
 Switching Alternatives
Circuit Switching – a switch opens a circuit to
establish a link between a sender and
receiver; it remains open until the
communication session is completed.

Packet Switching – messages are divided

into fixed or variable length packets, and
packets are sent across networks.
 Computer Networks
• Comprises of communication media, devices,
software to connect two or more computer
system.
• enable the companies to share H/W,
computer applications, and databases across
the organization.
• geographically dispersed employees and
workgroups can share documents
 Client and Server
Networking
Client- Machine that initiates the session with another
computer and request for information.
Server- computer that stores information and delivers the
requested information
 Network Topologies
Bus – all the networked devices share the
same communications channel and connected
to backbone by transceiver.

Ring – Ties local computer processors

together in a ring.

Star – Ties end user computers to a central

computer.
Network Topologies
 Types of Telecom Networks
Point-to-point Communication
- point to point communication between two
computers for data transmission.
- e.g. computer networks in banks

Broadcast Communication
- All the machines on the network share a single
communication channel.
- message broadcasted for all receivers.

Peer-to-Peer – file-sharing software connects each PC to

a central server or to another online user’s PC
 Types of Telecom Networks
Peer-to-Peer Networks

• Type of client/server distributed processing that allows two

or more computers to share their resources.

• In a standard client/server networks, information stored in

centralized file server; Information stored across peer to
peer networks is decentralized.
Peer to Peer Networks
 Types of Telecom Networks
Local Area Network (LAN)

• Network that connect devices sharing a common

communication link and share resources within a limited
geographical area.
• Serves a local area like floor of a building, college or
university campus.
• Typical transmission speed is 100Mbps.
• Within the organization, provides fast and efficient
access to common bank of information.
Local Area Networks
 Local Area Networks

Wireless LANs

Wi-Fi (802.11b) standard: Up to 11 Mbps, low

cost, high-speed mobile Internet access, links
work groups

Bluetooth standard: Up to 720 Kbps, small

personal area networks
 Types of Telecom Networks
Wide Area Network (WAN)
–covers a large geographical area such
as a state or a country.
- May include large corporate networks,
military networks, banking networks,
airline reservation networks etc.
- Typical transmission rates are 2Mbps,
34Mbps, 45Mbps, 625Mbps etc.
- Often implemented in the form of VPN.
 Types of Telecom Networks
Virtual Private Network (VPN)

• Secure network that uses the Internet as its

main backbone network
• Relies on network firewalls, encryption, and
other security features.
• Effective for extranets and important for
international businesses.
 Types of Telecom Networks
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Network that interconnects users with
computer resources in a geographical area
larger than that covered by LAN but smaller
than a WAN.
• Covers an area between 5-50 Km diameter.
(an area the size of a city).
• Generally owned by either group of users or
a single network provider
 Types of Telecom Networks
Value Added Network (VAN)

• A private network that can be hired by

organization.
• Enable the users to more closely tailor
communication capabilities to their specific
business needs.
 Network Architectures &
Protocols
Protocol – standard set of rules and procedures for
the control of communications in a network

Network Architecture – the use of standard

protocols, standard communications hardware and
software interfaces; standard interface between end
users and computer systems
- the goal of promoting an open, simple,
flexible, and efficient telecommunications
environment
 OSI & TCP/IP Models

Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) - model is

a seven-layer model that serves as a standard
model for network architectures

Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol

(TCP/IP) – is a five layer telecommunications
protocol used by the Internet
OSI & TCP/IP Models
 Internet
A network made up of millions of smaller private
networks, each operate independent of, or in
harmony with, all the other millions of networks
• Surf
• E-mail
• Buy and sell
• Download
•Publish
 Business Value of
Telecommunications
 E- Commerce and E-Business
Technologies

Teleconferencing: Ability to confer with a

group of people simultaneously

Data conferencing: Two or more users can

edit and modify data files simultaneously

Videoconferencing: Participants are able to

see each other over video screens
 Electronic Commerce and
Electronic Business Technologies

Distance learning: Education or training

delivered over a distance to individuals in one
or more locations

E-learning: Instruction delivered online

using the Internet or private networks
 Summary
• Organizations are becoming networked
enterprises using the Internet, intranets, and
other telecommunications networks to
support business operations and
collaboration.

• Telecom technology is moving toward open,

inter-networked digital networks for voice,
data, video and multimedia
 Summary
• Open systems with unrestricted connectivity
using Internet technologies are the primary
telecommunications technology drivers in e-
business systems.

• Companies are deriving strategic business

value from the Internet, intranets etc. which
enables them to disseminate information
globally
 Summary
Businesses are installing and extending intranets
throughout their organizations to:
– Improve communications and collaboration among
individuals and teams within the enterprise

–Publish and share valuable business information easily,

inexpensively, and effectively via enterprise information
portals

– Develop and deploy critical applications to support

business operations and decision making
 Summary
The major generic components of any
telecommunications network are:
– Terminals
– Telecommunications processors
– Communications channels
– Computers
– Telecommunications software