TELECOMMUNICATIONS

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
AND
COMPUTER NETWORKS
 Communication
Is the transfer of information from one participant to
another during a conversation.

The information is transmitted via a medium.

Medium
Telecommunications
is the sending of information in any form (e.g. voice, data, text
and images) from one place to another using electronic or
light –emitting media.
Transmission media
is a pathway that carries the information from sender to
receiver. We use different types of cables or waves to
transmit data. Data is transmitted normally through
electrical or electromagnetic signals.
Data communication
is a more specific term that describes the transmitting and
receiving of data over communication links between one or
more computer systems.
Encoding and decoding
 Communication process
• The communication process is made up of key components.
• Those components include encoding, channel of transmission, decoding
• The sender selects the words, symbols and/or gestures for his thought and
concept to convey his message.
• Encoding is the process of converting data from one form to another. There are
several types of encoding, including image encoding, audio and video encoding,
and character encoding.
• Decoding is the reverse process of encoding, which converts encoded
information back in to its original format.
• Communication channel refers either to a physical transmission medium such
as a wire, or logical connection over a medium such as a radio channel in
telecommunications and computer networking
 TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER
• A transmitter is a device that converts useful
information into sound or images
• The information taravels through a medium e.g.
Cable
• A receiver converts information back to sound or
images
• It does the opposite of a transmitter
• Transmission media is the physical pathway for
sending information from transmitter to receiver
 Guided transmission media
• Also known as wired media
• Transmitter and receiver are connected by a wire or cable
• Transmitter converts information ( voice, sound, picture ot
text) into electric current
• Electric current travels through a cable to receiver
• The receiver converts electric current into information
• E.g. Telephone, telegraph
• Energy conversion:
• Sound energy electric energy sound energy
 Unguided Transmission Media
• Also known as wireless media
• The transmitter and receiver are not connected by wire or cable
• The transmitter uses antenna which converts information into radio
waves
• The electric current forces electrons to vibrate producing radio waves
• Radio waves cause electrons in the receiving to vibrate producing
electric current
• The receiver converts electric current back into information
• E.g. Cellphone, radios, TVs
• Energy conversions:
• Sound/light electrical electromagnetic electrical sound/light
 Types of media for signal transmission

• fiber-optic- a thin flexible fibre with a glass core through which light signals can
be sent with very little loss of strength.
• The advantage of a fiber-optic cable is speed and the capacity to handle more
data on the same medium.
• Coaxial- is a type of shielded and insulated copper cable that is used in
communication networks
• And, primarily used for audio and visual purposes e.g. to deliver cable TV services
• twisted/ sheathed pair- is a type of wiring in which two conductors of a single
circuit are twisted together for the purposes of improving electromagnetic
compatibility and helps to reduce crosstalk and electromagnetic induction
• Wifi- a wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless
high-speed Internet and network connections (unguided media).
 TRANSMISSION MODES
• Various transmission modes are available for
transmitting signals from a sending device to a
receiving device.

• Network devices use three transmission

modes (methods) to exchange data, or “talk”
to each other, as follows:
 OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
1. To offer more timely interchange of information
and data among users.

2. To reduce the effort and cost required to collect

and transmit business data and information.

3. To support better performance of tasks and

improved management control over an
organization especially with several remote
locations.
 Cell phone communication
• Cell phone, is a wireless telephone that permits telecommunication
within a defined area that may include hundreds kilometres, using
radio waves
• Cellular telephones emit signals via radio waves
• A transmitter takes the sound of your voice and encodes it onto a
continuous sine wave
• Sine wave that radiates out from the antenna and fluctuates evenly
through space to the transmitter
• the transmitter sends the signal to the antenna, which then sends
the signal out
• The receiver cell phone decodes the signal into original format
• Sound -electrical-radio waves-electrical – sound energy
 Email communication
• Email stands for electronic mail.
• Similar to a letter, it is sent via the internet to a recipient.
• An email address is required to receive email and that address
is unique to the user.
• People are using internet-based applications and some use
programs on their computer to access and store emails
• Purpose: It is basically seen as the medium of communication
i.e. to send and receive messages.
• There are various email clients; e.g. Gmail and Yahoo through
which you can create an email account by your name.
 Wifi
• Wifi is the technology that allows computers, laptops and
cell phones to connect to the internet without using cables
• It is unguided transmission media
• A wireless transmitter device(router) is required which
converts the information into high speed radio waves
• The wireless adapter a device is inside a cellphone or
laptop receives the information from the internet
• Radio waves are transmitted in a small area around itself
called wireless local area network (WLAN)
 Internet
• Also called the Web or World Wide Web
• Is the global system of interconnectected computer
networks used to link devices
• It is a network of networks linked by a broad array
of electronic, wireless and optical networking
technologies
• It carries a vast range of information and resources,
e.g. Documents, applications etc
 What Is an Internetwork?
An internetwork is a collection of individual networks,
connected by intermediate networking devices, that
functions as a single large network.

Fig below illustrates some different kinds of network

technologies that can be interconnected by routers
and other networking devices to create an
internetwork.
Different Network Technologies Can Be Connected to Create
an Internetwork.
FIBRE DISTRIBUTED DATA INTERFACE-FDDI
 WAN COMPONENTS/DEVICES(cont)

• An analogue signal is a signal that takes a

continuous state e.g. speech generated signal.

• A digital signal is any signal that takes a discrete or

non-continuous state e.g. all signals from computer
are digital in nature.

Modem is an acronym for MOdulator/DEModulator

 Telecommunication medias/ links/
channels
• These are the means by which data and
other forms of communication are
transmitted between the sending and
receiving devices.

• It is any medium through which data is

transmitted from source to destination.
 Channel Transmission Impairments
• All transmission media suffer the following major problems,
attenuation, noise, and distortion

– Attenuation – is the loss of power as a signal propagates

through a medium.
– Noise – noise is unwanted signals from sources other
than the signal. It is sometimes referred to as circuit
interference.
– Distortion – means that the signals are deformed to
more or less different signal as it propagates through the
medium.
– EMI (Electrical Magnet Interference)- Resistance to
environmental conditions.
 Transmission media- 2 basic categories
1.Guided transmission media
uses a cabling system that guides the data signals
along a specific path.
The data signals are bound by the cabling system. Also
known as bound media.

2.Unguided transmission media

Consists of a means for the data signals to travel but
nothing to guide them along a specific path.
The data signals are not bound to a cabling media and
are therefore often called unbound media.
 Guided transmission media
There 4 basic types of guided media:

1. Open Wire
2. Twisted Pair wire
3. Coaxial Cable
4. Optical Fibre
1. Open Wire
• Open wire is traditionally used to describe the
electrical wire strung along power poles.

• No shielding or protection from noise interference

is used.

• Open wire media involves any data signal path

without shielding or protection from noise
interference.

• Susceptible to a large degree of noise and

interference and consequently is not acceptable for
 2. Twisted Pair cable
• These are ordinary telephone wires consisting of 2
insulated copper wires twisted together in a helical form to
reduce cross talk or electro-magnetic interference from
similar pairs close by.
• established communication networks for both voice and
data transmission.
• Twisted pair is extensively used in home and office
telephone systems and many LANS.
Characteristics
• It has big attenuation, which limits the possible distances,
• for larger distances amplifiers are needed.
• Low bandwidth, Very much affected by noise
• Very sensitive to electromagnetic interference.
 Twisted Pair wire - STP

• STP( shielded twisted pair) is used with the

traditional Token Ring cabling .

• Common for telephone interconnection at home

and office buildings
 Unshielded Twisted Pair -UTP

• Has a thin layer of cover

• More extensive EMI than STP cables
• Cross talk between UTP pairs limits max cables length
• Very cheap (Costs the Least)
• Care must be taken to avoid electrical noisy devices e.g.
electrical motors around.
• Flexible to handle
• UTP cable is used on Ethernet and can also be used with
Token Ring.
 Twisted Pair wire(cont)
Advantages
• Cheap to install and repair
• Easy to terminate

Disadvantages
• Very sensitive to noise
• Only effective for short distances
• Data can be easily tapped off (data security is low)
 3. Coaxial Cables

• It consists of a stiff copper wire as the core surrounded by

an insulating material.

• A cyclical conductor often as a branded mesh encases the

insulator.
• The other conductor is covered in a protective plastic
covering.
• This installation minimizes interference and
distortion of signals the cable carries.

• Group of coaxial cables can be banded together in a

big cable for easy of installation.

• Coaxial cable is used extensively in television, radio,

network and data communications.

• They can also be used to connect or interconnect

computer and peripheral devices.
 Coaxial Cables(cont)
Characteristics of coaxial cable
• Higher bandwidth and data rates (high – speed transmission)
• Less attenuation
• More expensive than twisted pair
• Can be easily tapped
• Low error data rates

Advantages
• Good noise immunity
• Easy to install
• Reasonably high bandwidth
• Low data error rates
Disadvantages
• Data security is low (they can be easily tapped)
 4. Fiber Optic Cables
 Inner conductor is solid copper metal
 Separated by insulating material

 Outer conductor is braided shielded (ground

 Covered by sheath material
• Data is transmitted in the form of light pulses.
• It uses cables consisting of one or more hair – thin
filaments of glass fiber wrapped in a protective
jacket.
– TV distribution (cable tv); long distance telephone
transmission; short run computer system links
– Local area networks

Have very high data transmission rates.

They are light in weight and not affected by

electromagnetic radiation .

They are not affected by lightning or electronic surges .

 Fiber Optic Cables(cont)
Advantages of Fiber Optic
• Very high transmission capacities (bandwidth)
• Smaller and lighter than copper wire
• Immune to cross talk /EMI
• Suitable in hostile environments (noisy environments)
• Less susceptible to spying (can not be easily tapped)
• Longer distances than copper wire
• Faster transmission rate
Disadvantages of Fiber Optic
• Repairing and installing is quite difficult and needs specialist
personnel and equipment.
• Limited physical arc of cable. Bend it too much and it will break!
• Difficult to splice
• Optical transmission systems are unidirectional.
 Unguided transmission media

• Unguided transmission media is data signals

that flow through the air.

• They are not guided or bound to a channel to

follow.

• They are classified by the type of wave

propagation.
 1. Microwave
Microwave transmission is line of sight transmission.
• The transmit station must be in visible contact with
the receive station.
• Microwave antennas are usually put/placed on top
of buildings, towers, hills and maintain peaks.
• Repeater stations must be placed so the data signal
can hop, skip and jump across the country.
Advantages:
• They require no right of way acquisition between towers.
• They can carry high quantities of information due to their
high operating frequencies.
• Low cost land purchase: each tower occupies only a small
area.
• High frequency/short wavelength signals require small
antennae.
Disadvantages:
• Attenuation by solid objects: birds, rain, snow and fog.
• Reflected from flat surfaces like water and metal.
• Diffracted (split) around solid objects.
• Refracted by atmosphere, thus causing beam to be
projected away from receiver.
2. Satellite
 Satellite
• Satellites are transponders (units that receive on
one frequency and retransmit on another) that are
set in geostationary orbits directly over the equator.
• Overcomes the problem of the microwave for their
demand for line- of – sight position.

• The uplink is the transmitter of data to the satellite.

The downlink is the receiver of data.

• Uplinks and downlinks are also called Earth stations

because they are located on the Earth.
Advantages of satellites
• Reliability of satellites is high
• Band width reasonably large
• Suitable for intercontinental communications

Disadvantages of Satellites
• Huge delay – the long distance between terrestrial stations
via the satellite causes a significant delay of about 240 ms.
• It is expensive to launch a satellite
• Big total attenuations because of the large distance
• Data security is low. It is easy to intercept the transmissions
as it travels through the air.
• Bad weather can severely affect the quality of satellite
transmissions