Telecommunications Concepts and Terms

cellular radio
a radio communication technology that divides a metropolitan area into a honeycomb of cells to greatly increase the number of frequencies and thus the users than can take advantage of mobile phone service

client/server computing
a computing environment where end user workstations (clients) are connected to micro or mini LAN servers and possibly to mainframe superservers

coaxial cable
a sturdy copper or aluminum wire wrapped with spacers to insulate and protect it. Groups of coaxial cables may also be bundled together in a larger cable for ease of installation

common carriers
an organization that supplies communications services to other organizations and to the public as authorized by government agencies

communications satellites
earth satellites placed in stationary orbits above the equator that serve as relay stations for communications signals transmitted from earth stations

cooperative processing
information processing that allows the computers in a distributed processing network to share the processing of parts of an end users application

distributed processing
a form of decentralization of information processing made possible by a network of computers dispersed throughout an organization. Processing of user applications is accomplished by several computers interconnected by a telecommunications network, that than relying on one large centralized computer facility or on the decentralized operation of several independent computers

fiber optic cables

the technology the uses cables consisting of very thin filaments of glass fibers that can conduct the light generated by lasers at frequencies that approach the speed of light

front-end processors
typically a smaller, general purpose computer that is dedicated to handling data communications control functions in a communications network, thus relieving the host computer of these functions

host computer
typically a larger central computer that performs the major data processing tasks in a computer network

information superhighway
a proposed national network of networks that would connect individuals, household, businesses, government agencies, libraries, schools, universities and other institutions with interactive voice, video, data, and multimedia communications

the Internet
the Internet is a rapidly growing network of thousands of businesses, educational, and research networks connecting millions of computers and their users in over 100 countries

Internetworks
interconnected local area and wide area networks

Internetwork processors
communications processors used by local area networks to interconnect them with other local area and wide area networks. Examples include bridges, routers, hubs, and gateways

local area network (LAN) a communications network that typically connects computers, terminals, and other computerized devices within a limited physical area such as an office, building, manufacturing plant, or other work area modem (Modulator-DEModulator) A device that converts the digital signals form input/output devices into appropriate frequencies at a transmission terminal and converts them back into digital signals at a receiving terminal

multiplex
to simultaneously transmit two or more signals on a single channel open systems information systems that use common standards for hardware, software, applications, and networking to create a computing environment that allows easy access by end users and their networked computer systems

private branch exchange (PBX)

a switching device that serves s an interface between the many telephone lines within a work area and the local telephone companys main telephone lines or trunks. Computerized PBXs can handle the switching of both voice and data in the local area networks that are needed in such locations

protocol
a set of rules and procedures for the control of communications in a communications network

telecommunications channels and media

the part of a telecommunications network that connects the message source with the message receiver. It includes the physical equipment used to connect one location to another for the purpose of transmitting and receiving information

telecommunications control software

a computer program that controls and supports the communications between the computers and terminals in a telecommunications network

telecommunications processors
multiplexers, concentrators, communications controllers, and cluster controllers that allow a communications channel to carry simultaneous data transmissions from many terminals. They may also perform error monitoring, diagnostics and correction, modulation-demodulation, data compression, data coding and decoding, message switching, port contention, buffer storage, and serve as an interface to satellite and other communications networks

wide area network (WAN)

a data communications network covering a large geographic area

wireless LANs
using radio or infrared transmissions to link devices in a local area network