INTRODUCTION TO

TELECOMMUNICATION

NETWORKS
INTRODUCTION TO TELECOMMUNICATION
NETWORKS
 There are two types of communication networks: circuit –
switched networks and packet switched networks

 In a circuit switched network, a dedicated physical circuit is

set up between the calling and called party at the start of the
call and released when the call has ended

 Initially, all communication networks were circuit-switched

networks. Data communication networks made their
appearance around 1970. In these networks, a call consists of
short data burst (packets) followed by relatively long silent
intervals, and does not require a dedicated physical circuit.
Internet is an example of a data communication network. It is
an example of a packet switched network
 The three basic elements of a
communications network are;
◦ Terminals
◦ Transmission systems and
◦ Switches
Through the use of standardized interfaces and
well-defined functional hierarchies
communication among various users is made
possible
Telecommunications Standard Organizations

In order to achieve proper interconnection

between various telecommunication networks
a number of standards organizations are in
place to ensure openness and efficiency
Below are examples;
 American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

 Electronic Industries Association (EIA)

 The Institute of Electrical and Electronic

Engineers (IEEE)
 International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

 Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

 National Communication Authority (NCA)

Telecommunication Networks

Partial view of a Telecommunication Network

Connections involving subscriber SP
In (a) SP is on a call with Sq who is attached to the same exchange.
Calls of this type are known as intra exchange calls. The circuits for
the call consist of the subscriber lines Sp and Sq and a temporary
path in exchange A

Cases (b) and (c) are calls between Sp and subscribers attached to
other local exchanges (inter exchange calls)

The circuit in the case (b) consist of Sp, a temporary path across
exchange A, trunk T, a temporary path across exchange B and Sr
 One-way and Both-way Trunk
Groups
A trunk group whose trunks can be seized by exchanges at both ends is
known as a both-way trunk group

A pair of exchanges can also be interconnected by two one-way trunk

groups. The trunks in one-way groups can be seized by one exchange
only

Two-way groups have an economic advantage over one-way groups

because, for a given traffic intensity, the number of trunks of a both way
trunk group can be smaller than the total number of trunks in a one-way
group
Networks
 The (global) telecommunication network consists of
national networks and the international network

 A national network is a combination of public and private

networks. Public networks are for general use; private
networks can be used only by employees of the
organization that owns the network

 A public network consists of a ‘fixed’ network and a

number of ‘cellular mobile’ networks

 The fixed public network known as the public switched

telecommunication network (PSTN) consists of the local
access and transport area (LATA) networks
interconnected by networks that are known as IC
(interexchange carrier) or long distance networks
Interconnection of LATA and IC networks
Interconnection of fixed and mobile networks
 Private Branch Exchanges (PBX)

 PBXs are exchanges owned by government agencies, businessmen,

etc and located in buildings that belong to these organizations
 PBX may use either manual or automatic control

 A PBX enables the employees in a building to call each other, and to

make and receive calls from subscribers served by the public
network

 A PBX is connected by an access line group (ALG) to a nearby local

exchange

 An organization with PBXs in several cities can establish a private

network that consists of the PBXs and a number of tie trunk groups
(TTG) between the public local exchanges to which their PBXs are
attached
Interconnection of Private Network and a LATA network
 The term PABX (Private Automatic Branch
Exchange) is also used to mean automatically
controlled PBXs

CENTREX
 A CENTREX is a business customer service

offering supported by switching equipment in

the central office.
 CENTREX lines are treated as a closed user

group(CUG) in providing certain basic services

CENTREX Service to multiple Sites
 International Calls

Interconnection between National IC networks and the International

Networks
Basic Central Office Linkages
 Main Distribution Frame (MDF)
 Trunk Distribution Frame (TDF)
 Power Plant
 Carrier Facilities
 Digital Cross-connect or Digital Distribution

Frame (DDF)
Main Distribution Frame (MDF)

 Locations where all lines and other related links are

cross-connected to a central office switch also referred
to as the line side of the switch

 All lines from subscribers terminate on the MDF

 The MDF has two sides; a vertical and horizontal

 Subscriber cables terminate on the vertical side

 The wiring from the digital switching system referred to

as line equipment terminates on the horizontal side
Trunk Distibution Frame (TDF)
 Location where all trunks and other related
links are cross-connected to the central office
switch, also referred to as the trunk side of a
switch
 It is usually smaller than the MDF
 It has vertical and horizontal sides
 The trunk cables terminate on the vertical side
 The wiring from the digital switching system,
referred to as trunk equipment, terminates on
the horizontal side
Power Plant

 A combination of power converters, rectifiers

and battery systems that supply the basic-48
direct-current (dc) power to the switch
Digital Cross-connect or Digital Distribution Frame (DDF)

 It is used for cross-connection of trunks to

digital switching systems
 Numbering Plan
Subscriber Numbers (Directory Numbers)
The geographical area of a nation is divided into several
numbering areas and subscriber numbers (SN) identify subscriber
lines within a particular numbering area. A SN consists of an
exchange code (EC) that identifies an exchange within a
numbering area followed by a line number (LN)
SN = EC – LN eg. (20 – 33330) that is 20 ------ EC and 33330 ------LN
20 33330
National Numbers
Within a country, a subscriber is identified by a national number
(NN) consisting of an area code (AC) which identifies the
numbering area followed by a subscriber line
NN = AC – SN = AC – EC – LN
032 20 33330
Ghana Numbering Plan
 Fixed Numbering.ppt

 Mobile Operators
◦ MTN - 024/054
◦ Vodafone - 020/050
◦ Tigo - 027/057
◦ Airtel - 026
◦ Glo - 023
◦ Expresso – 028
◦ National Security - 029
Region/Exchange Area Numbering Plan Region/Exchange Area Numbering Plan
Ashanti   Greater Accra  

Kumasi 032 20XXXXX Accra 030 2XXXXXX

Konongo 032 21XXXXX Tema 030 3XXXXXX

Ashanti Mampong 032 22XXXXX Ada 030 35XXXXX

Ejura 032 23XXXXX Northern  

Bekwai 032 24XXXXX Tamale 037 20XXXXX

Obuasi 032 25XXXXX Walewale 037 21XXXXX

Brong Ahafo   Buipe 037 22XXXXX

Sunyani 035 20XXXXX Damango 037 23XXXXX

Bechem 035 21XXXXX Yendi 037 24XXXXX

Berekum 035 22XXXXX Bole 037 25XXXXX

Dormaa Ahenkro 035 23XXXXX Salaga 037 26XXXXX

Wenchi 035 24XXXXX Upper East  

Techiman 035 25XXXXX Bolgatanga 038 20XXXXX

Atebubu 035 26XXXXX Navrongo 038 21XXXXX

Yeji 035 27XXXXX Bawku 038 22XXXXX

Central   Upper West  

Swedru 033 20XXXXX Wa 039 20XXXXX

Cape Coast 033 21XXXXX Volta  

Dunkwa 033 22XXXXX Ho 036 20XXXXX

Winneba 033 23XXXXX Amedzofe 036 21XXXXX

Eastern   Hohoe 036 27XXXXX

Koforidua 034 20XXXXX Kpandu 036 23XXXXX

Nsawam 034 21XXXXX Kete-Krachi 036 24XXXXX

Nkawkaw 034 31XXXXX Denu /Aflao 036 25XXXXX

Mpraeso 034 23XXXXX Keta & Akatsi 036 26XXXXX

Donkorkrom 034 24XXXXX Western  

Suhum 034 25XXXXX Takoradi 031 20XXXXX

Asamankese 034 26XXXXX Axim 031 21XXXXX

Akwapim Mampong 034 27XXXXX Elubo 031 22XXXXX

Aburi 034 28XXXXX Tarkwa 031 23XXXXX

Akim Oda 034 292XXXX Asankragwa 031 24XXXXX

Akosombo 034 30XXXXX Samreboi 031 25XXXXX

Enchi 031 26XXXXX

International Numbers

 Worldwide a subscriber is known by an international

number (IN) that consists of a country code (CC)
followed by a national number

 IN = CC – NN = CC – AC – SN = CC – AC – EC – LN
+233 32 20 33330

When a subscriber S1 calls a subscriber located in the same

country but in a different area, S1 has to dial a NN and, if the
called party line is in another country, S 1 needs to dial an IN
Country Codes
Country codes consist of one, two or three digits. The first digit
indicates the zone in which the called party is located:
World Zones
1. North America
2. Africa
3. Europe
4. Europe
5. Latin America
6. Australia and Southern Pacific Region
7. Former Soviet Union
8. China and Northern Pacific Region
9. Middle East
DIGIT ANALYSIS AND ROUTING
 Connections for interexchange calls are setup
along predetermined paths
 A route is a path to a particular destination
 An exchange determines the call destination

by analyzing the called number and then

selects an outgoing trunk in a route to the
destination
 Two destination
◦ Final destination (FDEST)
◦ Intermediate destination (IDEST)
Routing of Intra-LATA Calls
Routing of Inter-LATA Calls
TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
 Transmission system provides circuits and path between two
subscribers
 The transmission system involves analog and digital
transmission
 In analog transmission system signals propagate through the
medium as continuously varying waves
 In digital transmission system signals propagate as discrete
voltage pulses (positive voltage represents binary 1, and
negative voltage represents binary 0)
 In data communication analog signals are used to transmit
information over the telephone system or over radio
communication system. A MODEM (modulator /demodulator)
converts digital data to analog signals and analog signals can
be converted to digital information
MULTIPLEXING
 It is defined as any process of sending a
number of separate signals together over the
same cable or bearer, simultaneously and
without interference
 It is economical and efficient
 It is the use of one telecommunication line to

handle several channels of voice or data

 The individual channels are called baseband

channels and the link which carries the

multiplex signal is called broad band channel
 The combination of a multiplexer and
demultiplexer at a terminal station is known
as a MUX
 The primary use of multiplexing is to save

communication line costs and it is usually

used in long distance communication for
transferring large quantities of voice signals
and data between users
Types of Multiplexing
 There are basically three types
◦ Space Division Multiplexing (SDM)
◦ Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) and
◦ Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)

Space Division Multiplexing

In SDM more than one physical transmission path
are group together. A telephone cable consisting of
hundreds (thousands) of twisted pair cables is an
example of a space division multiplexed system
Frequency Division Multiplexing
 It is an analog transmission technique in which
multiple signals are transmitted over a single
cable simultaneously
 FDM systems divide the available BW over the

transmission medium into a number of narrow

bands or sub channels
 The channels are sent over a common path by

modulating each channel to different carrier

frequency (higher frequency)
 The signal thus occupies a relatively narrow BW

which is part of a much wider BW transmitted

 Each speech channel occupies 4 KHz of the
available bandwidth
 These modulated signals carriers are all

amplified and transmitted on the channel

FDM Hierarchy
 To standardise equipment in the broad band
transmission system CCITT recommended the
following FDM hierarchy
 All multiplex equipment in the FDM hierarchy

uses SSB modulation

Time Division Multiplexing
 TDM is the sharing of a common
transmission in time
 The time available is divided into small slots

and each of them occupied by a piece of the

signal to be sent
 If analog signals are to be multiplexed the

signals should be sampled

 They are digitized by a CODEC

(coder/decoder) through a process known as

Pulse Code Modulation (PCM)
 There two PCM systems;
◦ T1 System (used in US and Japan)
◦ E1 System (used in Europe and other parts of the
world)

 In both systems the bit streams is divided into

frames that are transmitted at the rate of 8000
frames/second
 Each frame is divided into a number of 8 bit
time division channels know as time slots (TS)
 The E1 frame contains 32 8-bit TS
 A E1 frame contains 32X8 = 256 bits and the
bit rate on the transmission system is 8000 X
256 =2048kb/s
 Higher order TDM hierarcies are possible