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Introduction
This course looks at the basics of
telecommunications as it exists today and provides a clear and straightforward
understanding of many of the components and operation of telecommunication
systems. Focussing very much on the voice side of telecommunications, we also
delve into aspects of voice and data integration since it is such key importance
today. Who should attend the course?
This course is designed as an
introduction to telecommunications. It does not pre-suppose the knowledge of the
students, but is obviously appropriate to those who wish to develop an
understanding of the techniques used in telecommunications today.
Course Agenda
The following is an outline of the
sections included in the course:
- Introduction
to Telecommunications
- Digital Voice
(Analogue to Digital Conversion)
- Digital Voice
Transmission and Multiplexing of Multiple Channels
- The 2Mbit/s Framed
Interface
- Signalling System
Number 7 (SS7)
- Integrated Services
Digital Network (ISDN) and its Applications
- Transmission
Systems - PDH and SDH
- Introduction
to Data Communication Protocols
- Voice and
Data Integration
Course Length
Two days.
1
Introduction to Telecommunications
The objective of this section is to
give a brief introduction to the true fundamentals of telecommunications in
order to build a foundation to be used throughout the rest of the course.
- How speech is generated and the sounds
and frequencies that make up speech
- The telephone
- Telephone exchanges (public and
private systems)
- Analogue transmission
- Digital transmission
- Signalling between telephone systems
(how calls are set up)
2
Digital Voice (Analogue to Digital Conversion)
Today, voice is usually integrated into
networks in a digital format. However, to be compatible with the human user, the
signals must still be in an analogue form at some point, notably the telephone
set. This section looks at how voice is converted from an analogue signal into a
digital format and looks at some of the issues involved in its conversion.
- Comparison of analogue and digital
voice
- PCM encoding: Analogue - Sample - PAM
- Quantise - Compand - PCM (G.711)
- A law and mu law companding - Where
should A law and mu law be used?
- The digital telephone set
- The digital telephone exchange and
switching techniques
3
Digital Voice Transmission and Multiplexing of Multiple Channels
Today, practically all voice is carried
across networks in a digital form. In order to make more efficient use of the
transmission systems, it is normal to combine multiple channels onto the same
transmission channel. The method used to perform this function is referred to as
multiplexing.
- Introduction to multiplexing
- The Channel Bank
4
The 2Mbit/s Framed Interface
The predominant type of interface used
for voice transport within a Wide Area Network today is the digital interface.
The standard interface format operates at 2.048Mbit/s and is defined by the
ITU-T. This section looks at the way in which the 2.048Mbit/s interface
operates. Also investigated is the way in which signalling information is
carried across the interface using both Channel Associated Signalling (CAS) and
Common Channel Signalling (CCS).
- Electrical characteristics - G.703 -
HDB3
- Framing - G.704
- Channel Associated Signalling (CAS) -
Timeslot 16
- Common Channel Signalling (CCS)
5
Signalling System Number 7 (SS7)
Signalling System Number 7 (SS7), also
called CCS7 and CCITT No. 7 is an International standard for the signalling of
information between public telephone exchanges.
- Introduction to SS7
- Examples of telephone calls via an SS7
network
6
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN ) and its Applications
This section provides an overview of
ISDN and some of the applications that it is used for from basic telephony calls
through to more sophisticated use for dial-up Internet access and leased line
backup.
- Introduction to and overview of ISDN
- Basic rate and Primary rate ISDN
- ISDN applications
7
Transmission Systems - PDH and SDH
Of key importance today is the use of
systems referred to a transmission systems. Basically a method for the
communication of bits of information, there are two main systems in use today
namely the PDH and the SDH. This section looks at both systems but focuses of
the SDH since this is rapidly replacing the older and less cable PDH.
- Introduction to Transmission Systems
- The Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy
(PDH)
- The Synchronous Digital Hierarchy
(SDH)
8
Introduction to Data Communication Protocols
As a pre-cursor to the section on voice
and data integration, this section provides a simple overview of some of the key
data communication protocols in use today.
- Internet Protocol (IP)
- Frame Relay
- Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)
9
Voice and Data Integration
It is very common in networking today
to integrate voice and data communication requirements into a common network or
onto a common technology. This section investigates some of the techniques that
are commonly in use today and others that are developing.
- Why integrate voice and data?
- Voice/speech compression - ADPCM,
LD-CELP, CS-ACELP, MP-MLQ, ACELP
- Voice and data in a Time Division
Multiplexer (TDM) environment
- Voice over Frame Relay (VoFR)
- Voice over ATM
- Voice over IP (VoIP)
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