Let s have a look at more details of PSTN

PSTN is Public Switched Telephone Network. It consists of transmission paths and

nodes
It is based on star or mesh topologies. Topology is the physical layout of the n
etwork.
Telephones are connected to local exchange in a star topology and exchanges are
connected with each other in a hierarchical mesh to have a better redundancy.
Let s move onto next point. PSTN was originally designed to carry voice but as yo
u
know, now a days even data also is carried through telephone network.
It was meant for an Analog access , in the frequency range of 300 Hz to 3400 Hz.
The human voice range i.e. a human being can speak in the frequency range from 3
00 Hz
to 3400 Hz but hearing range of human upto 20Khz. Beyond 20KHz, human ear is go
ing to
act as a filter and it will never let above frequencies go inside. Digital band
width of voice
communication comes out to be 64 Kbps. And we will soon see as to how this figur
e of 64Kbps is derived.
PSTN is Circuit switched full duplex network. In circuit switching, end
to end connection or so called circuit is first established prior to communicati
on.
In duplex connection there is two way data transfer. In case of full duplex voic
e
communication can happen both way simultaneously also.

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PSTN network is composed of Local loop, Switches or Exchanges and transmission
Systems & Media for carrying information over longer distances.
Local loop has the Customer premises equipment for example a POT or ISDN etc
connected to the exchange by suitable cable.
Transmission systems carry information over longer distances. Trunks are resourc
es
that are used to interconnect exchanges. However different types of trunks exist
in
practice and according to the type, different Trunk circuits are terminated in t
he
exchanges.
General Transmission Systems are Multiplexers, Optical line termination equipme
nts,
Microwave systems & Satellite Systems.
Communication media can be classified as wireline and wireless. Under wireline c
ategory
, we have copper wire, co-axial cable & Optical fiber cable . Optical cable has
the
maximum bandwidth and amount of information carrying capacity in which the
information gets transmitted through fiber in form of light.
Under wireless category we have AIR as medium of Transmission. Electromagnetic w
aves of
different frequency ranging from low to very high traverse through air. Even tho
ugh AIR
through
which EM waves are transmitted is free and non proprietary , the freq. bands are
licensed.
Switches or Exchanges: Connect two subscribers using the available resources nam

ely
Trunks. For a connection between two subscribers we may have to switch the call
in
more than one exchange depending on the location of destination from the Source.
Accordingly a hierarchy of exchanges are organized in the network such as End
office/Tandem or Toll exchange/Trunk exchanges/Gateway exchanges. This is shown
in the
figure
Signaling Systems: Signaling system allows to Set up a Call, Maintain a call &
Disconnect the call at the end of conversation or information transfer. It is
an end to end call establishment process through the exchanges, that uses the Di
aled
Number as the address of destination.
There are many types of signaling that are used in PSTN, but all have now cha
nged to
one type of common
channel Signaling called
SS7(signalingSystem number 7).
More will be dealt on all the topics mentioned above.
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Let us now examine the typical traditional access network. What you see over
here is a wireline access network. All connections in the access network are usi
ng
wire. By in case of PSTN, access network uses twisted pair wire.
Let s begin a journey from Customer premises equipment or so called telephone.
Telephone is connected to wall socket. Wall socket is connected to distribution
point
which is typically a red box or a blue box. It is basically a passive concentra
tion
point. From Distribution point connections are brought onto a pillar. From Pill
ar has
multiple such connections are brought and terminated at MDF situated in the loc
al
exchange. MDF stands for Main Distribution Frame. Transmission of voice from te
lephone
to exchange is analog in nature. It is interesting to note that power for telep
hone is
provided by an exchange. Behind MDF, there is LIC card which will take care of
A-2-D
and D-2-A conversion i.e. analog to digital and digital to analog conversion in
case of
digital exchange. This complete path that runs from telephone company s local exc
hange to
our home or business is referred to as local loop.
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All the exchanges are connected to each other in Mesh Topology with direct conne
ctions
between every Node. The exchanges are connected to each other in hierarchical f
ashion as per
ITU-T. This hierarchical Network reduces the number of connections and also effi
ciently routes the call.
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LATA (Local Access Transport Area ) Again in US context the area being server b
y local exchange is
called LATA. The usage area is divided into a few hundred local access transport
areas (LATAs).
LEC ( Local Exchange Carrier )
Telco operator who offers services in LATA are called Local exchange carrier. If
your call stays within
a LATA, it is a local distance call and is handled by a local telephone company
called LEC.
IXC ( Inter Exchange Carrier )
If your call goes from one LATA to another and happens to be a long distance cal
l and is handled by a
long distance telephone company called Inter exchange carrier. MCI , Sprint , A
T&T are dominant
players in IXC area.
Figure shows how two LATA are interconnected by different IXC s for long distance
calls. LEC s while
offering telephone service to subscribers hire the circuits from IXC s for long d
istance connectivity.
LEC s operate within a given LATA.
Point of presence is switching office owned by IXC s.It is from here that their se
rvices start &
terminate.
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