The Essential Guide to Telecommunications

by annabel-z-dodd

The essential guide for all non-technical telecom users -- now completely updated -- Extensive new coverage of optical networking, globalization, digital convergence, speech recognition, and 3G networking.

-- Reader-friendly coverage Internet, IP networking, wireless, xDSL, cable modems, ATM, frame relay, SONET, DWDM, and more

Every business decision-maker needs to understand telecommunications: its costs, risks, and breakthrough opportunities for competitive advantage. With The Essential Guide to Telecommunications, Third 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 understand the industry, and make smarter buying decisions. This new Third Edition has been updated with up to the minute coverage of today's most critical issues, including the rapid globalization of telecommunications, breakthrough optical networking technologies, the latest progress towards digital convergence, speech recognition, next-generation 3G wireless networks, and much more. Dodd covers the powerful new roles played by IP networking in telephony, streaming media, and the state-of-the-art in computer-telephony integration, PBXs, Automatic Call Distributors and other call center technology. Along the way, you'll master all the basics of telecommunications, including: the differences between analog and digital signals; what bandwidth is; why protocols and architectures matter; the role of the public network; the continuing evolution of the Internet; and more.

Genres: Technology, Science, Business, Textbooks, Technical

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 Partially out of date (wish there was a 17v, things change so fast).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