Telephony and data services

This online course introduces the facilities and capabilities of telephony and data services provided by modern telecommunications networks with reference to the underlying infrastructure.
This course is designed for those who require an appreciation of telephony and data services but do not require technical detail, for example those joining the telecoms sector in a managerial or marketing role.

This course describes the facilities and capabilities of modern telecommunications services. The underlying infrastructure necessary to provide such services is described. The parameters employed to assess the quality of telephony and data services are explained with reference to service level agreements. The various ways of providing access to the Internet are described and compared. The roles of the various organisations and equipment involved in Internet access are also described. The concepts and applications of virtual private networks and virtual local area networks are explained. Finally the significance of the convergence of telecoms services is explained.