KnowledgeLink has written detailed descriptions of several
communications technologies. The table below is a partial
listing.
| Review Topic | Description |
| Access network protocol: X.25 and Frame Relay | Discussion of how the X.25 and Frame Relay data protocols format and move information through Wide Area Networks |
| Analog to digital conversion | Overview of the three step process to convert information in an analog format (eg: speech, graphics) to a digital format for computer processing |
| Asynchronous Transfer Mode | Discussion of how information is formatted and transported using the ATM cell relay protocol |
| Circuit Switched HFC telephony | Technical overview of one of the methods used by cable companies to offer their subscribers telephone service, including the hardware required in a cable telecommunications system. |
| Computer telephony integration | Discussion of how computers and telephone systems work together in business and consumer systems. |
| Conditional access and security | Overview of the technologies used in a cable telecommunications system to secure access to pay-per-view, premium channels and electronic commerce. |
| Data communications protocols | Discussion of the rules for data communications, including the 7 layer OSI model and the IP protocol used by the Internet. |
| Digital compression | Discussion of techniques for expanding the capacity of the media used to transport digital information. |
| Digital set top converters | Overview of the technology of digital set top converters, and how to connect a typical cable set top converter to a home entertainment center. |
| Digital telecommunications switch function and architecture | High level discussion of central office telecommunications digital switches and how they process and route telephone calls. |
| Error detection and correction | Techniques for detection and correction of errors in digital transmissions between devices on a network. |
| Headend video processing | Overview of the systems used in a cable telecommunications network to process and route digital video programming. |
| High speed data in cable | Discussion of the technologies and equipment used in a cable telecommunications system to provide end user data service at speeds up to 10 Mbps. |
| Home Networks | Consumer choices for networks in their homes to connect computers, printers and other devices. |
| Intelligent networks | Overview of the telecommunications technology that provides features like caller identification and number portability. |
| IP Telephony | Discussion of the technologies that make it possible to use the Internet and other data networks to make telephone calls. |
| Local area networks | How local area networks are built and connected. Overview of Ethernet, Token Ring and other network architectures. |
| Modems and modulation | How modems work |
| MPEG-2 | Overview of the MPEG-2 technology that is used to encode and transport digital information. |
| MPEG-2 testing | Overview of the ways to test a network for the ability to accurately transport MPEG-2 digital information. |
| Multiplexing and bandwidth management | How one wire or fiber can transport multiple channels of information. |
| Network architectures | Differences and similarities of local area networks, wide area networks and backbone networks; how these networks interconnect to form an internet. |
| Network management | Discussion of the systems that manage the networks used to move information in telephone, data and television systems, and how they must interface with customer-related information. |
| Number portability | Description of the system that allows subscribers to keep their phone nunbers when they change telephone companies. |
| PBX and key systems technology and architecture | Overview of business telephone systems. |
| SONET | Detailed discussion of SONET multiplexing. |
| Telecommunications switch features | Definition of the major features found in business and residential digital telephony switches. |
| Telephony central office components | Text-based tour of the building and equipment that provides telephone service. |
| Telephony local loop technologies | Overview of the connection from the telephone central office or cable company headend to the subscriber's location. |
| Telephony signaling | Discussion of the control signals that cause a telephone call to be connected and billed. |
| Testing digital cable systems | Introduction to testing digital cable systems to ensure their readiness to transport digital content. |
| Video servers and applications | Overview of the equipment that makes video on demand and targeted advertising possible. |
| Voice messaging | Overview of the technologies used by a service provider to offer voice mail, paging and unified messaging services. |
| Wireless Technologies | Overview of several technologies used to provide wireless communications. |
Textbooks