Telephone Switching Systems

Rating:
Summary: Good reference; poor introduction
Review: Don't waste your money on this tome if you're a beginner like myself. However, if you are a professional, this would be a great reference to have on your desk. A more detailed book on telephone switches probably doesn't exist.

For beginners, the author really provided way too much detail. His writing style is very bland. In order to understand the dense material, you have to follow the words very carefully, and then you probably would doze off. Like the other reviewer, I find the density of material counterproductive and impenetrable.

Rating:
Summary: Book Description
Review: Here is the definitive Bible on the architectures of the systems that provide telephone service, including a look at architectures for future systems. Describing the hardware and software of five different systems in detail, you get the comprehensive information you need to understand switching systems in historical context and in relation to regulatory frameworks. Plus, you see how factors such as customer services and modern computer applications have affected switching systems, and you get background discussions on relevant theory and boundary conditions -- such as transmission systems, telephone operation, and the human element.

Featuring extensive illustrations, but written in a lightly technical style, this book is an excellent resource that examines both analog and digital systems to help you understand the foundations upon which "voice over IP" are built. Plus, it is invaluable for telco managers -- both wireline and cellular -- seeking the "big picture" describing the physical architecture of modern telephone switching systems.

This complete volume is a one-stop resource for telecommunications professionals needing to know where the current architecture comes from, how it operates today, and how it will look tomorrow.

Contents: Preface. Introduction. Background. The Line Side. The Trunk Side. Traffic Theory. Step-by-Step. Interconnection Networks. Crossbar. Evolution of the Toll Point. Enterprise Switching. Program Control - The 1ESS. Private Networks. Digital Circuit-Switching Concepts. Digital Switching Systems. Human-Telecommunications Interaction. Breaking Up the Bell System. Network and Switching Paradigms. Intelligent Network. Evolving Infrastructure. Photonic Switching in Space. Photonic Switching in Time and Wavelength. Network of the Future. List of Figure Captions. Index.

Richard A. Thompson is Director of the Telecommunications Program at the University of Pittsburgh and has previously been employed by Bell Labs and Litton Industries. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Connecticut and his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University.

Rating:
Summary: Best book about telephone switching system I 've ever read
Review: If you want to know all about telephone switching systems, this book is a must. This is the most detail book I 've ever read. And most important, this book is fun to read. I really like this book. The downside of this book is its price, but I think it is worth every penny.

Rating:
Summary: Best book in telephone switching systems
Review: If you want to know all about telephone switching systems, this book is a must. This is the most detail book I 've ever read. And most important,this book is fun to read. I really like this book. The downside of this book is its price, but I think it is worth every penny.

Rating:
Summary: More pictures and tables would be helpful
Review: This is a "the real deal" book for beginner in switching and telephony world. Although this book requires some preliminary knowledge of North American industrial telephony standards and understanding, the author tried (as best as he could) to explain everything in details. There are no skipped topics, to be concerned.

However, in many times the author explained things too wordy. Those wordy explaination could somewhat derail some readers. I sometimes skip some topics to read the next, but then I have to come back to get better understanding. I wish that the author could illustrate more his explanation. Giving more pictures and tables I think would increase the reader's understanding. But anyway, this is a good book and should be owned by anybody who need "the next step" out of ordinary telephony understanding.

Rating:
Summary: More pictures and tables would be helpful
Review: This is a "the real deal" book for beginner in switching and telephony world. Although this book requires some preliminary knowledge of North American industrial telephony standards and understanding, the author tried (as best as he could) to explain everything in details. There are no skipped topics, to be concerned.

However, in many times the author explained things too wordy. Those wordy explaination could somewhat derail some readers. I sometimes skip some topics to read the next, but then I have to come back to get better understanding. I wish that the author could illustrate more his explanation. Giving more pictures and tables I think would increase the reader's understanding. But anyway, this is a good book and should be owned by anybody who need "the next step" out of ordinary telephony understanding.

Rating:
Summary: Its about time!
Review: This is the Bible on Telephone Systems and it only took 100 years to write. I was searching for a long time for such a book only to be disappointed time and again. From beginner to expert the book has something for everyone and goes into great detail about topics not usually found elsewhere like switching fabrics and photonics as applied to formal telecom. Dr. Thompson has created the defacto standard reference for the true, hardcore, telecom professional and others who seek to enter this domain. I would recommend the book specifically to those in or entering the field of Voice over IP to gain a solid perspective on what they will be dealing with when it comes to convergence.

Rating:
Summary: Its about time!
Review: This is the Bible on Telephone Systems and it only took 100 years to write. I was searching for a long time for such a book only to be disappointed time and again. From beginner to expert the book has something for everyone and goes into great detail about topics not usually found elsewhere like switching fabrics and photonics as applied to formal telecom. Dr. Thompson has created the defacto standard reference for the true, hardcore, telecom professional and others who seek to enter this domain. I would recommend the book specifically to those in or entering the field of Voice over IP to gain a solid perspective on what they will be dealing with when it comes to convergence.