Introduction to Broadband Converged IP Telecommunications

Convergence • Broadband • Network Core and Edge • Protocols • Last Mile Network Access • Residential, Business and Wholesale Services • Network Equipment • Carrier Connections

Introduction to Broadband Converged IP Telecommunications is a high-level wide-ranging introduction to the world of modern telecommunications. The selection of topics, their order of presentation and plain-English explanations are proven content, based on instructor-led training courses that are constantly updated to be the core knowledge required in the business. 

This first Telecom 101 Module is based on the first chapter of Teracom Training Institute’s famous instructor-led BOOT CAMP, getting a full week of training started with an introduction to all of the different aspects of the modern converged IP telecom network.  

Designed specifically for Non-Engineering professionals to be a first pass through the topics, explaining the fundamental ideas, jargon, equipment and technologies, the services that are sold, the players, where the money is, and how it all fits together… without bogging down in details on any particular topic.

In subsequent modules, we’ll take another pass and drill deeper into key areas like Wireless, VoIP, PSTN, Ethernet, IP and MPLS.  

We begin with a comprehensive big-picture introduction to broadband telecom: the concepts of convergence and broadband, today’s telecom network, the parts of the network, the three key technologies: Ethernet, IP and MPLS, what they are and what each does. You’ll learn how a circuit is implemented end-to-end, and identify today’s standard residential, business and wholesale services.

Module Outline

1. History of Telecommunications

Establishment of Local and Long-Distance Telephone Companies.

2. Convergence 

One network carrying all services: telephone, video and Internet. Channels vs. packets.

3. Broadband

Bandwidth, and how much “broad” might be.

4. Introduction to Broadband Converged IP Telecom Model

Graphical model identifying all the main aspects of telecommunications and how they relate.

5. The Network Core

High-capacity, high-availability connections between aggregation centers. Fiber rings.

6. Network Protocols: Ethernet, IP and MPLS

Ethernet moves packets point-to-point. IP address is the final destination. MPLS manages flows.

7. Network Access: The Last Mile

Twisted pair, hybrid fiber-coax, Passive Optical Network, Optical Ethernet, cellular, satellite.

8. Anatomy of a Service

Network access technology, network connection type and billing agreement.

9. Services: Residential, Business and Wholesale

Comprehensive review of the main dollar-value services in each sector.

10. Network Equipment

Layer 2 switches, IP routers, MPLS routers, FDM and TDM multiplexers, wavelength cross connects.

11. Carrier Network Interconnect

Tariffed switched-access for calls involving a PSTN phone number; Internet Exchange transit and peering.

Prerequisites

None. 

Module Objectives: What You Will Learn

After taking this module, you will be able to:

- Define convergence, and two ways that it might be achieved

- Define bandwidth, explain what broadband means and how much “broad” might be

- Identify all of the main aspects of the modern broadband converged IP network, including the parts of the physical network, the three types of services, the equipment and players

- Describe the network core, its purpose, performance requirements and how they are implemented

- Identify the three primary network protocols: Ethernet, IP and MPLS, and what each does

- Explain how MAC Frames and IP Packets go together

- Identify the essential purpose of an IP address

- Explain the essential advantage of MPLS over IP for routing

- Define the three main technology areas for network access 

- List the most popular technologies in each

- Describe the three components of a network service 

- Define the three main groupings of telecom services based on customer type

- Describe at least four different meanings of the term VPN

- Differentiate between streaming video vs. video from your ISP, and the essential difference between them

- Explain in general what an MPLS VPN is and who uses it

- Identify the key difference between MPLS VPN services and SD-WAN services

- Explain what SIP trunking is and what legacy service it replaces

- List at least four types of wholesale telecommunications services

- Explain what a Data Center is

- Explain the essential function of a router

- Describe what a Layer 2 switch is used for, and how Layer 2 switches relate to routers

- Define multiplexing

- Identify three technologies that use Frequency-Division Multiplexing

- Identify the name for FDM in the fiber optic world

- Differentiate between FDM and Time-Division Multiplexing

- Describe what a gateway is and the two functions it performs

- Identify the two main ways that carriers connect, and where this happens

This is quite a range of knowledge, and can appear daunting, especially if you are new to telecom. Keep in mind that this module is the introduction, the first pass through all of these topics. No-one is expecting anyone to be an instant expert. In subsequent modules, we take a second and sometimes third pass through the topics and drill deeper to more fully understand the concepts and technologies. With this module, we’re getting started identifying and understanding all of the aspects of modern broadband converged IP telecommunications.

Detailed Outline

Telecom Module 1

1 Introduction to Broadband Converged IP Telecommunications

1.1 History of Telecommunications

.... 1.1.1 Invention of the Telephone

.... 1.1.2 Local Phone Companies

.... 1.1.3 The Bell System

.... 1.1.4 The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)

.... 1.1.5 Consolidation

.... 1.1.6 Broadband Carriers

.... 1.1.7 Canadian Telegraph Companies

.... 1.1.8 Canadian Telephone Companies

.... 1.1.9 The Rest of the World

.... 1.1.10 New Technologies and New Players

1.2 Convergence

.... 1.2.1 Network Sharing Strategies

.... 1.2.2 ISDN: Fail

.... 1.2.3 ATM: Fail

.... 1.2.4 IP: Third Time is the Charm

1.3 Broadband

.... 1.3.1 How Many Bits per Second is “Broadband”?

.... 1.3.2 4K Guilty Dog Videos

.... 1.3.3 Universal Service

1.4 Today’s Converged Telecom Network

.... 1.4.1 Common Carriers

.... 1.4.2 Core

.... 1.4.3 Access

.... 1.4.4 Edge

.... 1.4.5 Residential, Business and Wholesale Services

.... 1.4.6 Data Centers

1.5 The Network Core

.... 1.5.1 Rings

1.6 Network Protocols: Ethernet, IP and MPLS

.... 1.6.1 Optical Ethernet Links

.... 1.6.2 IP Packet Routing Between Links

.... 1.6.3 MPLS Traffic Management

1.7 Network Access: The Last Mile

.... 1.7.1 Twisted Pair Loops

.... 1.7.2 Coax

.... 1.7.3 Fiber to the Residenc.... PONs

.... 1.7.4 Wireless: Fixed and Mobile

1.8 Anatomy o.... Service

.... 1.8.1 Access Circuits

.... 1.8.2 Circuit-Terminating Equipment

.... 1.8.3 Network Connection Type

1.9 Inside the Network Cloud

.... 1.9.1 Core

.... 1.9.2 Edge

1.10 Network Edge Equipment

.... 1.10.1 Multiplexers: TDM, FDM and WDM

.... 1.10.2 Legacy Circuit Switches

.... 1.10.3 Route.... Laye.... Switch

1.11 Interconnect to Other Carriers

.... 1.11.1 The ILEC

.... 1.11.2 Toll Switches, Toll Centers and POPs

.... 1.11.3 Switched Access Tariff

.... 1.11.4 Internet Traffic Interconnections

.... 1.11.5 Business Service Interconnections

1.12 Services

.... 1.12.1 Residential Services

.... 1.12.2 Business Services

.... 1.12.3 Wholesale Services

Let's go!