Convergence Technology

Ch 01 Telecom Overview  Define communications and telecommunications  Components of a communications system  Difference between voice, video, and data telecommunications  How telecom is used in various industries  Careers available in telecom profession  Standards Organizations

Ch 02 Principles of Telecom Technology  Describe the principles of electricity underlying telecom signaling  Explain current and voltage  Components of an integrated circuit  Difference between analog and digital transmission  Examples of binary coding to decimal  Describe various electricity and data transmission measures

Ch 03 Evolution of Telecom Technology and Policy  Describe the growth of telecom technology  Key inventions and current equivalents today  The impact of AT&T’s divestiture  Explain how government has influenced the way consumers obtain telecom services  Current policy trends that affect the telecom industry

Ch 04 Public Network  Describe the structure of the PSTN (general terms)  Types of carriers currently in the PSTN  The elements of outside plant and their purposes  The elements of inside plant and their purposes  The hierarchy of central offices in the PSTN  Explain issues related to interconnection and billing between common carriers  Describe the current telephone numbering plan and how it evolved

Ch 05 Customer Premise Equipment  What is customer premise equipment  Significant components of a modern telephone  Discuss various station equipment  Explain how private switching systems integrate with CPE and PSTN  Describe how enhanced CPE services work and how they benefit businesses

Ch 06 Signaling and Switching  Define modulation and explain 4 basic versions  Explain different types of multiplexing techniques, hardware, & benefits  Fundamental types of switching used in voice and data communications  Identify differences between local and tandem switches  Describe modern signaling techniques used t route calls to their destination

Ch 07 Data Networking Fundamentals  Discuss basic networking concepts- client/server networks  Examples of multiple network services  Describe differences – LANs, MANs, & WANs  Functions of each layer of the OSI reference model  Describe the purpose of protocols and list several types  Core protocols and addressing scheme for the TCP/IP suite

Ch 08 Physical Transmission Media  Characteristics of wireline transmission  Properties and uses of coaxial cable  Properties and uses of twisted pair wire  Characteristics of lightwave transmission  Properties and uses of fiber optic cable  Factors to consider selecting telecom medium  Explain cabling standards  Describe best practices for installing media  Techniques for testing continuity and performance of physical transmission media

Ch 09 Wireless Transmission and Services  Associate electromagnetic waves at various points on the wireless spectrum with their wireless services  Characteristics distinguishing wireless from wired transmission  Explain the architecture and access methods in cellular networks and services  Distinguish differences between wireless and wireline local loops  Describe WLAN standards including advantages, disadvantages, & uses  Identify satellite positioning schemes and services that rely on satellite transmission

Ch 10 Network Access and Transmission Methods  Recognize physical topologies in data networks  Describe Ethernet and CSMA/CD network access method  Describe the different types of Ethernet access methods  Describe the techniques used in Token Ring, ATM, & FDDI network access  Main characteristics of network transmission methods – X.25, Frame Relay, T-Carriers, ISDN, cable, and SONET

Ch 11 Data Network Connectivity  Function and operation of NIC  Comon types of NICs  Purpose and operation of hubs and repeaters  Purpose and operation of bridges and swtiches  How routers connect dissimilar networks  Explain how to connect LAN or WANs via a modem  What components are necessary for access and carrier network connectivity

Ch 12 Internet Standards and Services  Summarize the history of the Internet  Identify the organizations that cooperate to set Internet standards  Explain Internet domain and host naming  Identify popular Internet-based services and identify the protocols on which they rely  Run and interpret the output of simple TCP/IP utilities

Ch 13 Information Security  Key steps in assessing security risks  Purpose and elements of a security policy  Strategies to minimize security risks regarding; password, physical, and access  Data encryption methods  Identify security threats to and how to prevent in:  Public and private telephone networks  LANs and WANs  Wireless networks

Ch 14 Convergence  Terminology used to describe aspects of converged networks  Describe applications available on converged networks  VoIP implementation, costs, & benefits  Explain encoding of analog voice and video signals to digital signals for transmission over a packet-switched network  Key signaling and transport protocols used in VoIP  Describe QoS challenges on converged networks  What techniques can improve QoS