Chapter 19

Telecommunications Technology

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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Telecommunications

Is the transmission of information using telephone

technology.
Involves the transmission of voice, data, and
images from one location to another.

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 Communication Channels

Facilitate the transmission of voice, data, or images

to computers or other remotely related peripheral
equipment.
Types of channels:
Twisted-pair wire
Coaxial cable
Microwaves
Satellites
Fiber optics
Wireless radio frequencies
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Twisted-Pair Wire

Is the oldest of the channels.

Uses two insulated copper wires twisted around
each another.
Is used for voice and data communication over
standard-grade telephone lines.
Requires a physical connection between the
sender and the receiver.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Coaxial Cable

Is composed of either copper or aluminum wires.

Large-diameter coaxial cable is used for
underwater intercontinental communication.
Small-diameter coaxial cable is used for local
area networks.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
5 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Microwaves

Microwaves are transmitted as high-frequency

radio waves.
Travel from sending location to receiving
location using a series of antennas located not
more than 30 miles from one another.
To function, require precise line of sight.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
6 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Satellites

Are located approximately 22,300 miles above the

earth’s surface.
Are geosynchronous, meaning that they travel the
same orbital speed as the earth.
Are always positioned above the same earth
location.
Are much faster and less expensive than twisted-
pair wire or coaxial cable technologies.
Signals are transmitted to the satellite and back
to an earth station and then on to the recipient.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Fiber Optics

Is one of the newest technologies.

Uses hair-size glass fibers to transmit high-
frequency laser (light) pulses.
Signals are transmitted as beams of light.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
8 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Advantages of Using
Fiber Optics Technology

1. Is safer to use in some installations because it

involves the transmission of light rather than
electrical current.
2. Is not subject to electromagnetic or radio
frequency interference.
3. Provides greater security for the transmission
of data because fiber optics cannot be “bugged.”
4. Is lightweight and compact.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Wireless Radio Frequencies

Transmits data and/or telephone signals through

the air.
An antenna attached to the device enables it to
send and receive signals.
Involves the same technology as used by cellular
phones.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Transmission Modes

Digital-data are converted to binary code

and then transmitted.

Analog-data are transmitted as high- and

low-pitched sounds.

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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Communication Networks

Are used by employees to transmit data/

information between two locations.

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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Types of Networks

LANs-are used to interconnect computers and

peripheral equipment up to a few hundred feet
from one another.
MANs-are used to interconnect devices within
a restricted area, such as a metropolitan area.

WANS-are used to interconnect devices up

to thousands of miles from one another.
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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Local Area Networks (LANs)

Are used to:

1. Expedite communication.
2. Share computer and peripheral devices.
3. Share computer files.
4. Reduce software costs.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Types of LANs

Star
Ring
Bus

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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)

Use high-speed fiber-optics lines.

Entities attached to a WAN generally share some
common feature, such as a governmental unit,
medical facilities, schools, etc.
Are generally used to share information between the
entities.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Wide Area Networks (WANs)

Are often used to interconnect devices in the

organization’s home office to its branch offices.
Are generally multifunctional.
Are used to:
1. Facilitate centralized electronic filing.
2. Allow remote data entry.
3. Provide centralized software storage.
4. Facilitate electronic communication.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
17 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Transmission Speeds

Transmission speeds are an important aspect

of telecommunications.
Two important determinants of data transmission
speed are:
Baud
Bandwidth

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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
18 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Baud Refers to the number of
signal changes per second that
a communication channel will
allow.
Common baud rates are 28,800, 33,600,
and 56,000 bits per second.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
19 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Bandwidth Refers to the data transmission
capacity of the channel.

The wider the band, the more data that can

be moved through it at one time.

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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Telecommunication users obtain service through
cable television providers and telephone companies.

Competition between the two has resulted in

development of new technologies with large
bandwidth.

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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 New Technologies Provided by
Phone Companies

Integrated Services
Digital Network
(ISDN)
Asymmetric Digital
Subscriber Line
(ADSL)

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 Types of ISDN Services

Basic rate ISDN-primarily for homes and

small offices.
Primary rate ISDN-found mainly in organizations.
Broadband ISDN-found in large organizations that
require high-level transmitting and receiving
capability.

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 Modems

Are used to facilitate the communication between

computers.
Allow digital computers to communicate with
analog phone systems.
Are now generally able to communicate at 56K.

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 Telephone Platforms

Key system
PBX
PABX
Centrex

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

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 Key System

Is an alternative to more expensive PBX, PABX,

and Centrex systems.
Generally eliminates the need to use an operator to
facilitate telephone communication.

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 PBX (Private Branch Exchange)

All incoming and outgoing calls go through a

switchboard.
Does not require the use of an operator for making
interoffice calls.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 PABX (Private Automatic Branch Exchange)

Uses a switchboard.
Operator receives incoming calls and connects
caller with the call recipient.
Employees dial their own outgoing calls.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Centrex

Requires neither a switchboard nor a console for

call completion.
All employees have their own telephone number.
Is the most private of the various systems.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Cellular Phone Systems

Increasingly, cell phone technology is being merged

with personal digital assistant technology.
Resulted in creation of a hybrid product known as
a communicator.
Other technologies are being integrated with cell
phone technology, including MP3 music
players, multimedia messaging, GSM (Global
System for Mobile Communications, etc.)

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
30 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Grade of Service

Refers to the availability of a sufficient number of

telephone circuits.
An adequate grade of service minimizes the number
of busy signals.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Telephone Features

A variety now exists with new ones being added

regularly.
Most options and services are fee based.

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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
32 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Unified Messaging

This technology enables one to access all messages

(voice, e-mail, fax) in one place using a phone,
the Internet, or standard e-mail.

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 Other Devices Using Telephone Lines

Teleconferencing and videoconferencing

PC conferencing
Picturephones
Facsimile devices
E-mail
Voice messaging
Call processing

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

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 Teleconferencing and Videoconferencing

Are used as an alternative to face-to-face

conferences.
Teleconferencing is voice only.
Videoconferencing is voice and image.
Web cameras provide a low-quality, inexpensive
alternative to videoconference.

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 PC Conferencing

Provides simultaneous transmission of video,

data, and voice between two computers.
Computers can be located a long distance from
each other.
An adaptation is the whiteboard that is basically
an electronic chalkboard.

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 Picturephones

Incorporate a television-like screen into a telephone

so the sender and receiver can see each other.

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 Facsimile Devices

Are used to transmit a copy of a document using

telecommunications technology.
Computers can be used as fax devices.

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 Recent Developments in Fax Technology
(1 of 2)

Enables an outside party to

Fax on Demand call an organization to request
sending of information by fax.
Is generally an automatic process.
Uses the Internet to fax
Internet Fax material from one location to
another.
Results in “free” faxing
Fax is ultimately received as an attachment to
an e-mail message.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
39 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Recent Developments in Fax Technology
(2 of 2)

Enables a sender to transmit

Fax Broadcast the same message to a
number of different
receivers.
Fax broadcast services are now available
throughout the country to provide this
service for organizations.
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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 E-Mail

Has become an easily used, convenient

communications tool.
E-mail software programs come equipped with a
number of features commonly found on word
processing software programs.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Issues Regarding E-Mail

Use of an organization’s system for personal e-mail

use.
Amount of privacy afforded e-mail messages.
Size of files that can be transmitted by e-mail.
Use of outsourcing to distribute a large volume of
messages.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
42 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Voice Messaging

Allows individuals to send and receive phone

messages when they are not in their offices
or when they are in their offices, but don’t want
to be disturbed.
Virtually eliminates the telephone tag problem.
Systems come equipped with a number of related
features.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
43 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Call Processing Systems

Generally come equipped with several integrated

components, including:
Automated attendant.
Automated call distribution.
Voice messaging.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
44 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Telephone Interconnect
Equipment and Services

A 1968 court decision gave individuals the right

to obtain telephone equipment and long-distance
calling services from sources other than the
Bell System.

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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
45 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Intraorganizational Communication Devices
(1 of 2)

Telewriter Is used to transmit handwritten

messages between two sites
located fairly close to each
other.

Intrafax Is a fax device used internally.

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 Intraorganizational Communication Devices
(2 of 2)

Is used to transmit information

Closed-Circuit
as well as provide security of the
Television
premises.

Are used extensively throughout

Paging Systems the organization, typically using
the organization’s public
address system.
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 Management of
Telecommunications Systems
(1 of 2)

Their management is critical to their success.

Outcomes
1. Provide employees with a better understanding
of how the elements of the system fit together.
2. Consolidate technical aspects, resulting in
greater system efficiency.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
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 Management of
Telecommunications Systems
(2 of 2)

Outcomes
3. Provide a system that allows managers to have
the needed information at the needed time.
4. Provide a system that can be enhanced as new
technology emerges.
5. Provide coordinated development of the entire
system.
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 Suggestions for Controlling
Telecommunications Costs
(1 of 2)
1. Coordinate all aspects of the telecommunications
system.
2. Investigate alternative long-distance carriers to
determine which one can best meet the
organization’s needs.
3. Consider the use of reconditioned equipment.
4. Determine whether equipment purchasing or
leasing is more economical.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
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 Suggestions for Controlling
Telecommunications Costs
(2 of 2)
5. Install a long-distance call monitoring system.
6. Install only the phone features that can be
justified.
7. When building a new facility, design it to
accommodate the telecommunications system.

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 Telecommuting

Allows employees to work at a remote site, such

as in their home.

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52 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Types of Employees Whose Jobs Facilitate
Telecommuting
(1 of 2)

1. Individuals involved with sales and/or

marketing.
2. Individuals who are primarily responsible for
data entry.
3. Individuals who interact over the telephone with
customers/clients or potential customers/clients.
4. Some physically challenged individuals who find
that working at home better accommodates their
challenges.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
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 Types of Employees Whose Jobs Facilitate
Telecommuting
(2 of 2)

5. Individuals with small children.

6. Individuals who do not have high levels of
interaction with other employees in performing
their job responsibilities.

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54 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Issues Involving Telecommuting

1. Does the organization provide its telecommuting

employees with ergonomically designed furniture?
2. Does the telecommuting arrangement violate any
ordinances, laws, regulations?
3. Does the arrangement have any tax implications?
4. Are telecommuters aware of work expectations,
policies, and so forth?
5. How often should the program be assessed to assure
that it is providing an effective return on its
investment?
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 The Internet

Is made functional by connecting LANs worldwide.

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 History of the Internet

Has existed conceptually since the early 1960s.

Became a popular and powerful communications tool
in the mid-1990s.
Was able to support commercial traffic when the NSF
no longer provided the backbone, beginning in 1995.

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 Characteristics of the Internet

It is able to operate seamlessly and blindly without

regard to the type of computer platform being used.
It uses a set of standards, called protocols, that make
the sending and receiving of information possible.
Information is accessed using a client program, an
example of which is a Web browser.
Individuals can access the Internet in a variety of
ways.

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 Ways to Access the Internet

LAN-accessed through the organization’s

LAN, which provides a continuous connection.
Cable access-accessed through a cable TV
hookup and a cable modem.
Dial-up access-uses an Internet Service
Provider to access the Internet.
Shell access-is an inexpensive means of
gaining Internet access.
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 Internet Services

E-mail
World Wide Web
FTP (File Transfer Protocol
Usenet
Listserv
Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
Internet Telephone
Telnet

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 World Wide Web
(1 of 2)

Increasingly, information is made available through

the WWW.
Web-accessed information is stored on a Web server.
To access the desired information, the URL
(address) of the information is keyed into the
Web browser.
Web-accessed material is often put into HTML
(hypertext markup language) format.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
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 World Wide Web
(2 of 2)

Millions of Web pages are now available, with

thousands of new ones being added daily.
A good opportunity exists in the future that the
applications software we use to carry out our
job responsibilities will be delivered to our
computer as Web-based programs rather than
stored on the computer’s hard drive.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
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 FTP

Is used to transfer files to the Internet.

Is commonly used to upload files to a server or to
download them from a server.

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 Usenet

Is comprised of thousands of newsgroups pertaining

to thousands of different topics.
Is basically an offline discussion forum.
One can post a question to the appropriate newsgroup;
others can reply to the question.
Requires that users subscribe to the newsgroup in
order to be able to send or receive messages.
Users have to “go after” the messages.

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 Listserv

Is an Internet mailing list.

Requires that users subscribe.
Messages arrive at one’s desktop through the e-mail
system.

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 Internet Relay Chat (IRC)

Enables individuals to “join” an in-progress chat

group or to form a new group.
Individuals use their computer keyboard to send
messages.

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 Internet Telephone

Allows the use of the Internet to place long-distance

phone calls.
Voice clarity is getting better as time passes and as
technology improves.

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 Telnet

Allows one to log onto a remote computer.

Allows one to work from a remotely located
personal computer just as he/she would if it
were a terminal directly connected to the host
computer.

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