This course introduces the components and operation of the networks that provide telecommunications services. These include those providing fixed and mobile telephone services, as well as those providing data communications including the Internet. As well as discussing the technologies that underpin telecoms services, the course introduces the commercial aspects of providing telecoms services and describes the role of the various regulatory and standardisation bodies.
Course prerequisites:
General secondary school education.
Course objectives:
By the end of this course you will be able to:
- describe the basic infrastructure and services provided by telecommunications networks.
- describe the role of the various telecoms standards and regulatory bodies.
- describe the features, capabilities and components of copper and optical fibre based transmission links.
- describe the applications and capabilities of terrestrial radio links used in modern telecommunications networks.
- describe the applications and capabilities of geostationary and low earth orbit satellite systems.
- describe the capabilities, functional components and facilities of systems that provide fixed line national and international telephone services.
- describe the capabilities of the various generations of mobile communications systems in terms of the services and facilities they provide.
- describe the technical and commercial issues relating to mobile service delivery.
- describe the philosophy behind the Internet, its infrastructure and basic operation, and the role of the various organisations that administer and operate the Internet.
- describe the capabilities of modern data services, the role of service level agreements and the different ways of accessing communications services.
- describe the role, structure, components, and capabilities of a national transmission network.
- describe the benefits of employing a next generation network and the role of its main components.
Course Content
Module 1: Introduction
Module aim: To summarise the aims of each module and introduce the navigation and learning facilities provided by the course.
Module 2: Telecoms systems
Module aim: To introduce the basic infrastructure a nd services provided by telecommunications networks, and the role of the various telecoms standards and regulatory bodies.
After completing this module, a trainee will be able to:
- describe the role of the main elements of a public switched telephone network (PSTN).
- explain that an Intelligent Network allows a PSTN to provide additional services such as call forwarding.
- explain the basic role of a billing system and a network management system.
- explain that a PSTN provides fixed bandwidth connections for the duration of a call.
- explain the concept of cells in a mobile network.
- explain the basic role of the main elements of a mobile network.
- explain that most data services use packet switched networks to provide permanent connections between the offices of business customers.
- explain that most telecoms operators currently use separate networks for telephone and data services though with some sharing of network resources.
- give examples of the uses of data services by businesses.
- explain that the Internet consists of a large number of interconnected networks that all use the same transmission protocols.
- explain that the Internet does not provide performance guarantees for data transfer and provides less security than private networks.
- describe the role and benefits of next generation networks.
- explain the benefits of the adoption of telecoms standards.
- describe the role of the various telecoms standards and regulatory bodies.
Module 3: Line transmission
Module Aim: To describe the features, capabilities and functions of the components of copper and optical fibre based transmission links.
By the end of this module a trainee will be able to:
- describe the structure, capabilities, and limitations of cables containing copper twisted pairs.
- describe the structure, capabilities and limitations of coaxial cables describe the structure, capabilities and limitations of optical fibre cables.
- explain that the physical structure of a cable depends on the physical environment in which it is to be installed.
- describe the structure of a local access network with reference to the role of the main distribution frame, primary cross-connect points, street cabinets, multipair cables and distribution points.
- compare the structure and relative advantages of fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) and fibre to the home (FTTH) systems.
- describe the functions of the basic components of an optical link including OLTE and repeaters.
- describe the traffic carrying capacity of optical links and explain that WDM can increase that capacity.
- describe the basic functions of the main components of a cable TV system and describe its capabilities.
- describe the functions of the basic components of a submarine cable system.
- describe the features of examples of submarine cable systems in terms of total capacity, countries served, repeater spacing and system length.
Module 4: Radio transmission
Module aim: To describe the applications and capabilities of various types of radio link used in modern telecommunications networks.
After completing this module, a trainee will be able to:
- give examples of the applications of radio in the VHF, UHF, SHF and EHF radio frequency bands.
- describe the role of the main components and applications of point to point microwave links.
- describe the advantages and applications of a point to multipoint radio system.
- describe and compare the features and facilities of geostationary orbit and low earth orbit satellite systems.
- describe the functions of the main components and capabilities of satellite links.
- describe the capabilities and applications of VSAT satellite services.
- typical applications and capabilities of radio technologies in access networks with reference to WiFi, WiMax, GSM, UMTS and LTE technologies.
Module 5: Telephony services
Module aim: To describe the capabilities and facilities of systems that provide fixed line telephone services.
After completing this module, a trainee will be able to:
- describe the various measures of the quality of service provided by a public telephone network including grade of service, mean opinion score, availability and post dial delay.
- describe the stages involved in setting up a telephone call.
- give examples of the facilities offered by a modern PSTN.
- explain the advantages of the service offered by an ISDN giving examples of typical applications.
- describe the provision of International telephone calls with reference to the role of International Switching Centres, E.164 numbering, echo cancellors and settlement agreements.
- describe and compare the role of PABXs and CENTREX services giving examples of the facilities they offer.
- describe the basic principles of Voice over IP (VoIP) and explain the advantages of the use of a VoIP service.
Module 6: Mobile communications
Module aim: To describe and compare the capabilities of the various generations of modern mobile communications systems in terms of the services and facilities they provide, and to describe the technical and commercial issues relating to service delivery.
By the end of this course, a trainee will be able to:
- explain that modern mobile systems offer telephony, messaging, data and location-based services and give applications of each.
- explain why voice quality is worse for mobile calls than PSTN calls and explain the benefits and limitations of a "High Definition" mobile telephone service.
- explain that there are five generations of mobile systems with each new generation offering better spectral efficiency and improved data transfer capabilities.
- explain the concept of roaming as applied to mobile phone calls with reference to technical and administrative issues including mobile phone compatibility, roaming agreements and roaming hubs.
- compare the data transfer capabilities of mobile services based on various versions of mobile system including those based on GSM, GSM with EDGE, UMTS, and LTE.
- describe the basic security measures taken to prevent the unauthorised use of mobile phone services and to stop attempts to listen in to mobile phone calls or otherwise gain private information from mobile communications.
- describe factors affecting mobile service tariffs with reference to roaming charges, the measures taken to reduce churn and the growing importance of Internet-based mobile services.
Module 7: The Internet
Module aim: To introduce the philosophy behind the Internet, its infrastructure, basic operation and organisations that administer and operate the Internet.
After completing this module, a trainee will be able to:
- explain that the Internet consists of interconnected networks that use a common set of protocols which are in the public domain.
- explain that a not-for-profit organisation co-ordinates the activities of various working groups that administer the Internet.
- describe the role of Internet Service Providers in supplying access to the Internet and maintaining the networks that form the Internet.
- explain that ISPs maintain Points of Presence which combine traffic from customers for onward transmission to the Internet.
- explain that the Internet does not reserve capacity for users or but shares network resources between them.
- explain that the Internet does not offer performance guarantees and that performance can degrade during network congestion.
- explain that routers forward packets towards their destination as indicated by an address in each packet and that routers will automatically learn of alternative routes in the event of link failure.
- explain that servers attached to the Internet store information for access from anywhere in the world.
- explain that domain name servers translate between URLs and IP addresses.
- give examples of protocols which define the operation of various aspects of the Internet including data transmission and service provision.
- define an “over the top” service, giving examples.
Module 8: Data services
Module aim: To compare the capabilities of various data services and the different ways of accessing those services.
After completing this module, a trainee will be able to:
- give examples of the use of data services including Internet access, access to telephone and television services, provision of inter-office connections and e-commerce facilities.
- indicate the data transfer rates that are acceptable for various services including triple play.
- explain how a conventional telephone line can be used to access data services compare the capabilities of the various Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) services including ISDN, ADSL, SHDSL and VDSL.
- explain that the data transfer rates offered by most DSL services depend on how far the customer is from the exchange.
- explain the benefits offered by optical fibre for residential and business customers requiring access to data services.
- compare the capabilities and applications of the wireless technologies, Wifi and Wimax.
- describe the data transfer capabilities of other access methods including LTE mobile, cable TV, and Ethernet WAN services.
- describe the benefits of using packet switching in a Wide Area Network.
- describe the role of a service level agreement and the relevance of defining a quality of service.
- compare the capabilities, benefits and applications of Frame Relay, ATM, MPLS virtual private networks and Ethernet VLAN data services.
Module 9: Transmission networks
Module aim: To describe the function, structure, components, and capabilities of a national transmission network.
By the end of this module a trainee will be able to:
- compare the characteristics of TDM and packet switched networks, giving typical applications of each.
- describe the function of the basic components of a TDM link with reference to the role of a primary reference clock.
- explain that the ITU-T recommendations relating to the Synchronous Digital Hierarchy define most aspects of network operation.
- describe the basic SDH multiplexing hierarchy and the functions of terminal mux, drop and insert mux and cross-connects.
- describe the advantages of using Wavelength Division Multiplexing and optical cross-connect equipment in an Optical Transport Network.
- describe the typical topologies and roles of the various tiers of national transmission network.
- explain the role of automatic protection systems.
- describe the role of a network management system.
- explain the advantages of a next generation network that is based on the use of the Internet Protocol.
- describe the role of the main components of a next generation network that is based on the use of the Internet Protocol.
Who Should Attend
Target audience:
This course is designed for those who require an introduction to the fundamental technical concepts that underpin modern telecommunications. The course is suitable for those joining the industry in a technical role especially those in an apprenticeship.
