The Essential Guide to Telecommunications

by Annabel Z. Dodd

In today's "wired" world, practically everyone needs to understand telecommunications. With The Essential Guide to Telecommunications, Second Edition you can -- even if you have no technical background at all. Leading consultant Annabel Z. Dodd covers all the fundamental concepts you need to know to understand the industry -- and make smarter buying decisions. This new Second Edition has been updated with up to the minute coverage of today's most critical issues, including the technologies and leading-edge applications associated with digital convergence. Dodd covers the powerful new roles played by IP networking in telephony, streaming media, call centers, PBXs, and beyond. She introduces cable modems, xDSL, and other high-speed Internet access alternatives; reviews frame relay, ATM, and ISDN; and offers up-to-the-minute insight into the telecom industry's new competitive landscape. Along the way, you'll master all the basics of telecommunications, the differences between analog and digital signals; what bandwidth is; why protocols and architectures matter; what multiplexing and compression are; the role of the public network; the evolution of the Internet; and much more.

Genres: Technology, Science, Business, Textbooks, Technical

365 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

Reviews

[Doug O'laughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was helpful. Partially out of date (wish there was a 17v, things change so fast).

I had to skim parts I knew or stuff that didn't matter anymore, but really really helpful. If you know nothing this is not a bad place to start.

[Mike Parkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of the current state of telcom technology – covers wired and wireless networks, including local networks and the Internet, and the regulatory aspects of telecommunications (US only). The level of detail in the book might not hit the sweet spot for many readers. It might be too much for most general readers, but it won’t be sufficient for people who are actually doing the nitty/gritty of IT/telcom work.

[Ines · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though this book introduces a lot of concepts to telecommunications, it is higher level than I thought. I was expecting it to be more more technical after the first explanations but it repeats a lot of sentences, and it stays pretty much at an introductory level in every chapter.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did learn a few things, but overall I found the book to be basic.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great format, but dated. Newer edition is available.

[Jon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meant for beginners. To superficial and broad with no clear focus on who the target audience is. Ends up reaching no one.

[Ahmed Sarhan]

It's not for the professionals ... perhaps as a summer reading for undergrad students, to get to know something about the industry.