Telecommunications
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 user’s 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 company’s 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 LAN’s
using radio or infrared transmissions to link devices in a local area network
This page was created by David Lewis on 6/18/97