AT&T Interested In Your Privacy?

I found and article on the Atlanta Business Chronicle that is a big step forward in email privacy.

Click here to read that article.

Telsa... Just for Fun

Found this on YouTube. It accurately depicts the conflict between Edison & Telsa but with humor.



More about Nicola Telsa in a previous post.

If having trouble starting video, click here.

From Technology for the Deaf to Listening to the Universe

Alexander Graham Bell is well known for patenting the telephone in the United States. His work was driven by his desire to find solutions for the deaf. His research and development started the telecommunications industry that is common today and lead to the discovery of sounds from the Universe.

Bell Labs carried on that legacy and developed many technologies and devices. In a lecture by Honor Harger, the beginnings of radio astronomy are credited to Mr. Bell's assistant, Thomas Watson. In the early days, Watson listened to the noise produced on the telephone wires that were strung around the neighborhood. This noise is the subject of Ms. Harger's lecture.

Click here to view her lecture presented on TED.

Fiber Optic Chips in Computers a Reality

The communications network has fiber optic sections and in some cases fiber optic cable directly to the home or business. However, those transmissions are converted to analog (copper or coax wire) signals to interact with landline phones, televisions and computers. If these devices contained fiber optic components, communications would transmit at the speed of light.

Mario Paniccia, director of Intel’s photonics lab in Santa Clara, CA,  announced, “Our new integrated optical link makes that possible.”

Read the article written in the MIT Technology Review website for this exciting development.

Nikola Tesla - Electronics Genius and Telephone Company Employee

People in our modern electronic world will recognize names like Westinghouse and Edison but few  people, not involved with electronics, recognize the name Tesla. Nikola Tesla was not interested in fame but only in technology. He worked for the famous Westinghouse and Edison but has rarely been given his due credit for developing the use of alternating current that is common in today's world.

He began his career as an electrical engineer with a telephone company in Budapest in 1881. The copper-wired telephone system still in use today uses direct current for transmission. But a discussion of telecommunications would have to include Tesla's contribution to the electronic world. It wasn't long before he moved on to much bigger and better things.

The Tesla Memorial Society of New York has created a site all about Tesla and his contribution to society. I suppose it is never too late to become a household word.

I also suggest a look at Tesla Motors' all electric roadster.

This car is something to see; if you can spot one on the road! I saw one on the road in Clearwater, Florida. I considered following the driver to his destination, but then thought better of it as he might think I was a stalker. Fortunately, on a visit to the local 7-11, I found the car and driver, who had stopped for a coffee. He proudly demonstrated the removable roof and told me about its functions. He said there are only three on the road in the Tampa Bay area. Granted the car has a hefty price tag, over $100,000 US, but you have to admire the technology. He claimed they are working on a model that will be priced so that more people can afford it. I anxiously wait for that day.

Computer Screen in a Contact Lens?

Totally hands-free computer screen in your eye?

Jelle De Smet and a team of researchers at Ghent University in Belgium built an LCD screen in a curved contact lens.

To do it, they had to come up with new kinds of "conductive polymers" – and mold them into "a very thin, spherically-curved substrate [surface] with active layers." The Ghent contact lens is a primitive prototype of what's to come.

At first thought this sounds pretty good but the more I think about it the more I wonder if this is a good idea. Technology think-tanks will always be attempting to develop new technologies; but at what expense to society?

A few weeks ago I was enjoying my Grand Slam at the local Denny's and I observed a couple of young women at the table in front of me. From the time they were seated to the time they got their food, they only looked up once from their smart phones to order lunch. And when the lunch was served, it seemed difficult for them to overt their eyes from the phones to eat. Finally I noted the women were now speaking to each other.

Distracted driving while texting is a nationwide issue at this time. Can you imagine how distracting streaming video to the eye would be? I can see it now; drivers bobbing & weaving all over the road and into the nearest tree while enjoying the latest Harry Potter flick. I suppose we are looking at the wrong problem. It's not the texting and talking causing the problem but our antiquated transportation system. I wonder if the new contact lens/computer screen can be programed to turn off when it gets near a car; or visa versa.

The negative impact on our society, is that many forms of electronic communication put too much distance in interpersonal relationships. Many would argue the technology is bring people together. In some ways that is true. But good ole fashioned face-to-face communication is becoming just that; old fashioned.

I know this might sound funny coming from someone who has been in Telecommunications all her life, but a line needs to be drawn between the use of electronic devices and direct communication.

I'll get off my soap box now...


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/this-screen-that-fits-on-your-eye-foretells-the-end-of-the-smartphone-era-2012-12#ixzz2F2C8UNli

CenturyLink's 100 Gbps Backbone and Metro Upgrade

The ever advancing telecom network takes another leap forward at CenturyLink.

Pieter Poll, Senior Vice President of national and international network planning, engineering and construction for CenturyLink expects the carrier’s U.S. 100 Gbps wavelength service deployment, to be popular with large enterprise, government and wholesale customers. In addition, Poll said in an email to Telecompetitor, “We will use 100G waves for all our IP backbone growth going forward so even consumers benefit from our 100G introduction.”

The 100 Gbsp service uses, Coherent Optical Processors. Use of these processors involve a “fundamental change” in how data is sent over optical connections, Ciena Senior Vice President of Global Marketing Rick Dodd told Connected Planet. Instead of simply turning a light on and off as with traditional optical processing, coherent optical processing works “more like the wireless world—you can change the phase and amplitude,” Dodd said.

In comparison with the traditional approach, coherent optics can support higher bandwidth speeds, currently as high as 100 Gb/s, said Dodd. The technology also enables high-bandwidth communications to be supported over some types of fiber that would not otherwise support such high speeds, added Dodd.

Sources:
http://www.telecompetitor.com/centurylink-exec-details-100-gbps-backbone-and-metro-upgrade/

http://connectedplanetonline.com/IP-NGN/news/ciena-expands-use-of-coherent-optical-processing-0302/index.html

That Old Black Telephone

That Old Black Telephone This link goes to a telecom industry web site blog. The author, Bob Stoffels, tells a story about a talk he gave to group of people regarding how rotary dial phones worked. He had to describe how these ancient phones looked as a young man in the audience had never seen one before. He goes on to talk about pay phones and the tricks he played in his college days. Pay phones! I can remember when I last saw one of those. I found the post a bit of entertaining telecom nostalgia.

Deliberate Dumbing Down of the World

The basic purpose of my blog is to educate anyone who cares to know about the telecommunication network. My ebook (see the Telecom Network Ebook tab) explains basic network structure. My specialty is what is known in the industry as Outside Plant.

I have heard several times from various sources, including managers at AT&T, that employers prefer to hire persons with college degrees not because that degree would give the new employee the data they need to do the job but that the employer can feel confident that his new employee is trainable. That alone is a sad testimonial for our educational system. The completion of high school should accomplish that.

In looking into the educational process, I encountered a Utube video that exposes some shocking truths about the general educational system forwarded by the United States government. I invite you to watch this video and see if it explains the reason for the downfall of our education in general.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDyDtYy2I0M

Please watch this video.

Outside Plant Show & Tell

As you drive around your community you will find telecommunications equipment on the side of the road and over your head on telephone poles. You may have equipment in your back or front yard that you are curious about.

Although fiber optic circuits are the latest and greatest, most of our calls are still transmitted on copper wires from your home or office back towards the Central Office for some distance. The Central Office is a building where all cables in a geographic area connect to a switch. These cables and equipment are known as Outside Plant.

I’ll do a little Show and Tell in this and future posts. If you would like to get more information on something you have seen, use my contact page to ask me.

This is a picture of a terminal attached to a telephone pole. A terminal can be defined as: a point at which a telephone line ends, or is connected to other circuits of a network. In this case, this terminal is used to connect wires from an office or home to the network.

If you look closely you can see a small cable coming up from the ground in the middle of the pole to the terminal. This terminal is "fed" from buried cable. To the left of that cable are two smaller black cables. These come from the terminal and go to buildings on the other side of the fence. These are known as Buried Service Wires.

The next picture shows what is inside. It is a simple device with screw lugs to attach the buried service wires. It's capacity is 25 circuits; two wires a piece.

The reason this terminal is exposed is that it is located in Florida where the ground water table is fairly close to the surface. Buried terminals are used but it would be a water tight version. This method of placement is effective and very accessible to technicians.

After the storm, hurricanes and Telecom

When a hurricane threatens, Engineering and Installation/Repair departments go on full alert. Power and telephone companies in south Florida have worked out coordination plans for such emergencies. This post is about my experience as an Outside Plant Engineer after hurricane Andrew hit south Florida, August 24, 1992. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/history.shtml#andrew

Andrew was predicted to arrive on Sunday or Monday so the Friday before we were instructed to come to work only if it was safe and to report to the closest office possible. We would be on emergency duty hours consisting of 12 hour days for weeks at a time with a day off now and then.

The eye of the storm tore through the south Miami area Monday, August 24 around 5:00 am. At 4:00 am I was awakened by awful noises and decided it would be best to go to the first floor of my townhouse and ride out the storm in the powder room under the stairs. As I passed the front door I heard it rattle against the door locks. Only then did it occur to me that a deadbolt latch and door frame stood between me and the storm.

While trying to rest on the floor of the tiny powder room, I got a phone call from my sister who lives in the Caribbean to see if I was all right. This is a testament to the durability of the network. At daybreak the storm had past and residents of my community were out assessing the damage. We were lucky; only a few downed tree limbs, a leaky roof in one building and one broken window in the whole 250 unit complex. Officials on the radio were advising people to stay home while they assessed the damage on a broader scale. I called in to my manager, who confirmed that I should stay home for the day. But the next day I should report to the office or the closest office as safely possible.

When I arrived to work, plans were being made to assign us to Florida Power & Light sub-stations in our district to observe and report the status of power restoration. It is typical that power companies turn the power off as a precaution so that any damage to the grid does not cause unsafe conditions to the public. Power crews were visually inspecting, testing for abnormal electrical draws, downed power lines or other irregular conditions. The speed and efficiency with which they repaired broken poles and downed lines is to be admired. Power was being restored and sections released to Southern Bell as "clear". There was a misunderstanding at first that "clear" meant "safe" or as safe as usual, but that was soon clarified. It only meant that there was no unusual draw of power in that section. It was still dangerous out there.

When a section was cleared, I was assigned to ride with a Southern Bell technician to assess the damage to the telephone network. "Safety first" has always been the Bell System motto. In keeping with that, we were instructed to stay in the vehicle. As we drove through the neighborhoods we witnessed property damage and people outside picking up the pieces. The weather was hot and muggy—which is usual for August in Miami—and people were anxious to get the power restored. Frequently someone would run up to the truck and ask when the power would be restored. We had to remind them that we were with the phone company.

Within a few days, technicians from South Carolina and other states in the Southern Bell territory were arriving in caravans to construction yards. There trucks bore banners reading, "Andrew Busters" which can be likened to the "Ghost Busters" movie logo. They were greeted with cheers and hugs. There was much work ahead of us and some local employees were handling their own personal emergencies. As news trickled in from the South District of Miami we realized how lucky we had been in the north. Some employees lost their homes and were living in company buildings; sleeping on cots and cooking on portable stoves. Not only were the Southern Bell management team doing their usual jobs, they were also helping employees with essential food and shelter. I could say a lot more about the damage I saw, but this post would be very lengthy.

Soon, we in engineering, were designing restoration plans for construction. While in the field, we were required to wear three sets of gloves; cotton, rubber and work gloves on top to assure against electrocution should we touch a "energized" pole or chain link fence. The inability to move my fingers to hold a pencil to take field notes was a bit comical.

The team work and camaraderie of the group was something to experience. Like one big family helping each other, the community and getting the job done. It is an experience I will never forget.

For more information about this storm read this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Andrew

Who built the telecom network in the United States?

A "network" could be defined as, any system of things that are tied together. The network described in the next couple of posts consists of wire and optic cable, equipment, satellites, antennae, and microwave equipment that tie your home or business to the rest of the world. Without this network the Internet, cell and ordinary phones would not work at all.

The Macmillan Dictionary for Students defines telecommunications as, "…communicating or sending messages over long distances by electronic means…." The word literally means, communicating across a distance. The industry is known as telecom for short.

To answer the question of who built this network in the United States, some history of the Bell System is needed.

In the 1870's Alexander Graham Bell spilled acid in his lab and called to his assistant in another room, "Mr. Watson, come here. I want you". To his assistant's surprise he heard the call through Bell's first telephone device. Interesting that the first reported telephone message was a 911 call! Since that time, there has been an explosion of devices that transmit information "across a distance".

The first telephone company was founded in 1877 just after Alexander Graham Bell obtained a patent for the telephone in the United States. It was called the Bell Telephone Company. Existing telegraph wire was in place from Samuel Morse's telegraph network and was used for some of the first telephone transmissions. Others across the country were stringing wire and offering service to people in those local areas. As demand grew for this invention, new alliances were made to join local networks to each other and the world. This expansion became the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. The name was shortened to the familiar AT&T and the network they created is known as the Bell System. This company had help from subsidiaries such as Bell Labs—big brains that invented the transistor and carried on Alexander Graham Bell's legacy—and Western Electric that made telephones and other electronic equipment for telecom.

The MCI Communications Corporation filed a lawsuit against AT&T in 1974. This was coupled with an antitrust suit filed by the Department of Justice for the purpose of breaking up the monopoly. That suit was won in 1980 which caused AT&T to divest itself of Western Electric and Bell Labs. Regional companies—known as RBOCS (Regional Bell Operating Companies)—were created such, as Southern Bell—my alma mater.

Before the divestiture of AT&T, it was the largest telecom in America. It made sense, in the beginning, to have one company to coordinate this massive network. They gave you a phone along with your service and controlled the whole market; including the manufacture of telephones and telecom transmission equipment. When you disconnected your service the phone was returned to the company. Government watchdogs were already in place to regulate telecommunications; the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) on the federal side, and the Public Service Commission
(PSC) on the state side. They approved how much was charged for service, watched over every new innovation, and investigated any report of abuse. If fact, they still do.

This divestiture started a storm of innovation and competition. Up to that point, AT&T—and a few small regional companies—built the network that spanned the U.S. and connected the rest of the world. Companies were bought, sold, combined and divested. Recently AT&T merged with some of its old holdings. It is hard to keep track, if you are not paying close attention. Suffice it to say, a lot has transpired since the 1970's.

Earlier I mentioned Alexander Graham Bell – the father of the Bell System. He worked with the deaf and was trying to find solutions to that problem. Little did he know his invention would be responsible for communications to the world with the touch of a few buttons and make the Internet possible. The Internet's use of this network has created countless ways to speak, write and transmit information across a distance.

Now that you know a bit about who built the Network, future posts will be how it is put together.

Introduction

With the advent of the Internet, email, cell phones, instant messaging, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and many other forms of electronic communication, the term “telecommunications” means something different than it did 30 years ago. It used to mean what the telephone could do. Recently I asked a retired college professor—now working in a library—where I might find books on telecommunications. He directed me to the marketing section. I asked another and he assumed I meant the Internet only. It’s really all of these things. But what is the foundation on which they all depend?

During my thirty seven year career in the telephony I saw constant change. But some things changed very little. The changes came in speed and use of the network. This required equipment updates and changes in who had direct access to the network. The idea of allowing a competitor access to a switch was unheard of until governmental demands required old Ma Bell to open her doors. What stayed the same was the need to use physical connections to create the network.

This blog is for the curious but non-technical person who wants to know more about the telecommunication network and its confusing parts. It is also for people in the telecommunications industry that need or want simple explanations for areas they may not work in directly. I hope my descriptions give you an appreciation of the network that makes your communication devices work. It is not intended to be a technical blog (there are plenty of those), but to explain to the average person the network and its parts.

The next several posts will be extracts from my essay; Simplyfying the Complex World of the Telecommunications Network, which was written about this network in the United States. This essay was offered in a Telecom group in LinkedIn. It made its way to people working in this industry in more than 36 countries around the world. It was obvious that there was some demand for simple explanations and some history of this network. With some help from my contacts around the world , I hope to include some history of the network development in those countries. I will be happy to accept any data that is offered.