IST4060 Telecommunications and Networks

(a). Introductory Concepts; (b). Physical Layer Issues Transmission Media

Lesson 1: Introduction to Telecommunications

Tele-communications means: communicating information at a distance By what means? (i). electrical signal [copper wire]; (ii). radio signal [wireless]; (iii). optical signal [optical fiber cable] Question: (i). Do we need the communication? (ii). Which means is the best?

Information
Information might be:
a page of written text (data communication); a conversation (voice communication); a TV picture..
Question: Different types of information place different demands on the telecommunication system. Explain how a page of written text and a voice conversation differ in their demands?

Information (Contd)
Information usually requires conversion into an electrical signal in order to be conveyed by telecommunication means:

Convert at source;
Re-convert at destination Question: What information does your mobile phone convert?

Duplex Communication
Information flow

Transmitter Receiver

Transport mechanism

Receiver Transmitter

Fig. 1. Basic physical elements of a telecommunication system Duplex Operation

Question:

In human conversation, must we have full duplex operation?

Simplex Operation
Information flow

Transmitter

Transport mechanism

Receiver

Fig. 2. Basic physical elements of a telecommunication system Simplex Operation

Question:

Give examples of simplex systems

Transport Mechanism

The transport mechanism is not just a single line; rather, it is a complex switch and line arrangement.

Question:

Why the switch? Why the line?

The Switching Network

C
B 1 3 5 D 2

E
4 7 A = communication network node 6

F
= End station

Question:

Analyze the switching fabric critically

Full-Mesh Switching Network

Question: If a switching network has N communication nodes (switches) and is full-mesh connected, determine the total number of cables required.

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)

P: S: T: N: Public Switched Telephone Network

Question:

What are the key features of this network?

The PSTN
Local loop

Exchange(s)

PC & Modem

PC & Modem

PSTN

The Public Switched Telephone Network

The PSTN Structure

The PSTN
Very high Bandwidth Inter-toll trunks

Toll office
Telephone set Local loop End office

Intermediate switching office

Toll office

Toll Connecting trunk

Telephone set

End office

Question:

How is it different from cellular network?

International Telephone Numbering Scheme

international prefix (00)

country code (CC)

national significant number NSN trunk area code + subscriber number

maximum 15 digits

Recommended Format of international telephone numbers

Questions: (i). How is it different for cellular network? (ii). How do now dial an international call? (iii). How do you do an trunk call? (iv). How do you do a local call? (v). What is the NSN size in Kenya?

Digits dialled, in sequence

00

CC

Area Code

Customer local number

International prefix Country code

National number

Example
00 44 71 234 5678

UK

London

Exchange

Customer

General structure of an international number call and example

Trunk prefix Trunk dialed number

Area code

Customer number

71

234

5678

local dialed number

234

5678

General structure of trunk and local calls

Questions: (i). What determines the length of the customer number? Give local examples (ii). What determines the length of the area code? Give local examples (iii). Explain the need for hierarchy.

Summary

Telecommunications is Life Itself!

Physical Layer Issues (Transmission Media)

Concept of Bandwidth Transmission Media Types (Wired/Wireless); Multiplexing Techniques;

Concept of Bandwidth

F(t)
Signal strength (V)

time

Information Signal

Bandwidth (Contd)
Consider an information signal F(t), given by: F(t) = F0(t) + F1(t) + .. + Fn(t)
Fourier series

Transmission media transmits signals No transmission facility can transmit signals without power loss [attenuation] Different signal components diminished by different amounts [distortion]

Bandwidth (Contd)
Bandwidth = Width of a frequency band

The range of frequencies transmitted without being strongly attenuated

Higher Bandwidth

More information transmitted

Analog Signal to Digital Signal

Signal frequency = signal repetitions per second

Analog signal
Signal strength (V) Sample

time

Sampling an analog signal

Key Question 1
How many samples per second?
Sampling rate

Nyquist Sampling Theorem

Sample at the rate of twice the highest frequency

Example: Human Voice

4000

cycles / second

Maximum frequency (voice) Nyquist multiplier

x2
8000

samples/ cycles
samples / second

Nyquist sampling theorem calculations

Key Question 2
Each sample has a magnitude; convert each sample magnitudes to bits

How many bits per sample?

8 bits per sample

Example: Human Voice 4000 x2 cycles / second samples/ cycles

Maximum frequency (voice)

Nyquist multiplier

8000 samples / second

8000 samples / second X 8 bits per sample

64,000 bits per second = 64000 bps = 64 kbps

Data required needed to transport voice signal = 64 kbps

Review Question
Determine the data rate needed to transport 10 voice calls simultaneously

What happens if 10 voice calls are required at the same time yet the available data rate can only support 8 calls simultaneously

Transmission Media Types

Guided Transmission Media; Unguided Transmission Media;

1.

Transmission Media - Introduction

Transport a raw bit stream from one machine to another Various media available, different in the following ways: Bandwidth; Delay; Cost; Ease of installation & Maintenance Guided Media Magnetic tape, copper wire, fiber optics; Unguided Media radio waves

(i). Magnetic Media

Removable Media recordable DVDs Physically transport the data from one machine to another Very Cost-effective Example Industry standard tape 200 gigabytes Box full of 1000 tapes 200 x 103 gigabytes Courier company can deliver in 24 hours Effective data rate = (200 x 103 x 1012 x 8 bits)/(86,400 secs) = 19 Gbps

Backup Tapes

Delay

(ii). Twisted Pair Copper

For many applications, we need an on-line connection Very widely used: Adequate performance; Low cost Twisting helps minimize interference

UTP {Unshielded Twisted Pair}

CAT 3 10 Mbps; CAT 5 100 Mbps; CAT 6 1000 Mbps

Increasing twists per cm of cable length

(iii). Coaxial Cable

Has better shielding than twisted pair cable:

Higher bandwidth; Can span long distances

Consists of stiff copper surrounded by insulating material Higher bandwidth; Good noise immunity Uses 800 Mbps

Cable TV & Metropolitan networks

(iii). Fiber Optics

Uses light, not electricity, to transmit information. Pulse of light: 1 bit; Absence of light: 0 bit.

Components of the cable:

Light source such as a light emitting diode (LED); Transmission Medium thin glass of fiber; Detector generates an electrical pulse when light falls on it

Fiber Optics (Contd)

Immune to electrical interference

High data rates

2 Gbps to 28 Gbps

Applications:

Long distance phone lines; Computer Networks

Copper vs. Fiber

Fiber has the following advantages: Much higher bandwidths; Low attenuation; Not affected by corrosive chemicals; No electromagnetic interference;

Thin and lightweight lower installation cost;

Difficult to tap good security

Copper vs. Fiber (Contd)

Copper has the following advantages:

Excellent resale value to copper refiners;

More familiar technology; Cheaper interfaces network interface cards.

The Future is Fiber especially long distances; Copper is to the desktop

Wireless (Unguided) Transmission

Laptop; Notebook; Palmtop; Wristwatch
Wireless Transmission Media

Mobile devices
Wired Transmission

Desktops; Telephones; Faxes, etc Fixed (non-mobile) devices

Wireless Transmission

Wireless transmission suits: Mountaineous areas; Costly right of way; Mobility requirements

Electromagnetic Spectrum
Frequency in HZ

100 102 104 106

108

1010 1012

1014 1016 UV

1018 1020 1022 X-ray

1024

Radio Microwave Infrared Visible light

Gamma ray

Signal strength (V)

time

= wavelength

f = frequency

Wavelength
All the waves travel at the speed of light (approximately)

Wavelength =

Speed of light Frequency

Speed of light

3 x 108 meters/sec

Wavelength (Contd)
Frequency (Hz) 102 Low frequency
104 106 108

Wavelength (meters)
3 x 106 3 x 104 3 x 102

3
0.03 0.0003

High frequency

1010

1012

Radio Waves
Radio transmissions (88 MHz to 110 MHz); TV Transmissions (300 MHz to 3 GHZ), UHF broadcasts

Microwaves
Features

Transmissions occur between two ground stations;

Microwaves travel in straight lines; Atmospheric conditions and solid objects interfere with them Applications: Mobile phones; Television distribution; Long distance telephone communications

Satellite
Basically, This is microwave transmission where one of the stations is a satellite orbiting the earth. Applications: Telephone; Television; News Services; Weather reporting Military Use

Satellite FM, MW, SW Radio

WLL, Cellular

WLANs
Bluetooth Infrared

1m

10m 100m 1km

10km

100km 1000km

Range of Wireless Systems

Satellite vs. Fiber

2. Fiber is a fixed line technology no use for mobility

3. Satellite provides potential for broadcast, not fiber.

4. Satellite good where the terrain is hostile.

5. Satellite good where right-of-way is expensive 6. Satellite good where rapid deployment is key military.

Satellite vs. Fiber

But: Fiber offers more bandwidth than satellite; Satellites cost more than fiber

Fiber and satellite will coexist for years to come

Media: Summary
Media Copper Fiber Wireless Data Rate (Mbps) 10 - 100 2000 Repeater Spacing (km) 1 - 10 10 - 100

12 - 274

Transmission band dependent

Why is Bandwidth so Crucial?

Broad Issues With Wireless

Despite the great promise, the following are the key limitations associated with wireless systems: Scarce spectrum low data rates; Reliability high loss rates;

Power mobility brings about battery operation;

Security medium is broadcast.

Summary
Media transports data (in analog or digital form); Media types will coexist for years to come.