Introduction to Computing

WEEK -8
 Modem Communications
 Plain Old Telephone System (POTS)

– Standard phone line

– Two-way voice communication
– Uses analog transmission techniques
– Data communication is slow

 Modems
– Modulator/Demodulator
• Modulator converts digital to analog
– Speed measured in bits per second (bps)
• Current fastest speed is 56 Kbps
• Quality of phone lines dictates speed
– V.92 is the current modem standard

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 Modem Communications
– Several modem types
• Internal
• External
• Voice
• Fax

 Modem uses

– Connection to the Internet

– File transfer
• Uploading
• Downloading

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 Digital Data Connections
 Digital Phone Lines

– Local telephone companies are upgrading

– Service will faster and more reliable
– New phones will be needed
– Modems will need to be upgraded

 Broadband Connection

– Any data connection faster than 56 Kbps

– Common in business
– Becoming popular in home installations

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 Digital Data Connections
 ISDN lines

– Integrated Services Digital Network

– Basic rate uses three channels
• Two data channels each support 64 Kbps
• Error correction channel
– Primary rate uses 24 data channels

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 Digital Data Connections
 T lines

– High-capacity voice/data lines

– Used to control phone and data
– Several variants
– T1 transmits at 1.544 Mbps, T3 transmits at 44.736 Mbps

 DSL technologies

– Digital Subscriber Line

– Popular with home users
– Speeds range from 100 Kbps to 30 Mbps
– Asymmetrical DSL (ADSL)
• Upload speed slower than download speed
– Symmetrical DSL (SDSL), Requires a DSL modem
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 Digital Data Connections
 Cable modem connections

– Popular with home and office users

– Speeds between 1 and 3 Mbps
– Requires a cable modem

 ATM

– Asynchronous Transfer Mode

– Efficient transfer of video and sound
– Requires a special NIC and hardware

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 Wireless Networks
 Benefits

– No cable to pull
– Mobile devices access network resources
– Mobility and flexibility for office workers

 Wireless 802.11

– Also called Wi-Fi

– IEEE standard
• Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers
– Several versions
• 802.11b connects up to 11Mbps
• 802.11g connects up to 56Mbps
– Use the same type of devices

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 Wireless Networks
 Wireless Access Point

– Center of a wireless network

– WAPS combined cover a larger area
– Distance to WAP determines bandwidth
– Range is 50 to 150 meters
– Extension points can extend range

 Wireless Adapters

– Used by devices to connect

– Includes signal strength software

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Zafar Iqbal Khan 12 Application of ICT
 Basic Building Blocks of a
Telecommunication System
 All telecommunication systems comprise certain fundamental blocks:-
 an input transducer,
 transmitter,
 transmission medium,
 receiver, and
 output transducer.

 The interconnection may be one-way (e.g. Radio Broadcast, TV, etc.) or two-way
(e.g. Telephone, Mobile Radio, etc.)

 The information to be transmitted is first converted into electrical form to

produce an equivalent electrical signal - a voltage or current waveform which is
the electrical equivalent to the original information. (e.g. Microphone, TV
camera, Computer Terminal, etc.)

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Zafar Iqbal Khan 14 Application of ICT
 Analogue Signals
• Telecommunication transducers produce an electronic signal that directly follows the instantaneous variations of the
original information energy. Such signals are called ANALGOUE signals.

• (e.g. a microphone produces an electronic signal that follows the variations of sound energy that actuate the microphone.

• A loudspeaker receives the analogue electronic signal and reproduces the original sound energy variations.)

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 Digital Signals
• - A digital signal, unlike continuous analogue signals, varies abruptly and changes
between distinct voltage or current levels. (commonly the 0 or 1 voltage levels of a
binary system.)

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 Direct Current (D.C.)
 In certain electrical circuits the current flows only in one direction when the energy supply is connected, although the amount or strength of the current can be controlled.

 This is produced by an energy source such as a dry battery, accumulator or rotating generator.

Main Disadvantages of d.c. Signals

• - Difficulty in transmission over long line circuits due to attenuation and
distortion, although regeneration (boosting) and amplification are possible.

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 Alternating Current (a.c.) Waveforms
 Varying or fluctuating d.c. signals have characteristics to a.c. signals.

 Alternating currents reverse direction at regular intervals with some repeating pattern or
waveform.

 The main advantages of a.c. signals are

The strength or amplitude can easily be altered (e.g. by transformer, amplifier, etc.),
allowing transmission over long lines.

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 Relationship between Frequency,
Wavelength and Velocity

• - For a.c. waveform, the velocity, distance and time are related by

• Velocity, v = Distance, D / Time

• Velocity, v = Wavelength,  / Periodic Time, T (sec)

• Frequency, f (Hz) = 1 / Periodic time, T (sec)

• Velocity, v = Wavelength,  x Frequency, f

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 Category Important application
Communications teleworking, multimedia, mail

Knowledge distance education, database retrievals

Entertainment games etc. (getting increasingly

important!)
Information Marketing, catalogues

Service home shopping and banking,

telemedicine

Remote control/remote supervision Automation applications

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 Formerly: Grouped Special Mobile (founded 1982)

– now: Global System for Mobile Communication

– Pan-European standard (ETSI, European Telecommunications Standardization
Institute)
– simultaneous introduction of essential services in three phases (1991, 1994, 1996)
by the European telecommunication administrations (Germany: D1 and D2)
– today many providers all over the world use GSM (more than 130 countries in
Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, America)
– more than 100 million subscribers

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  Communication

– mobile, wireless communication; support for voice and data services

 Total mobility

– international access, chip-card enables use of access points of different providers

 Worldwide connectivity

– one number, the network handles localization

 High transmission quality

• high audio quality and reliability for wireless, uninterrupted phone calls at
higher speeds (e.g., from cars, trains)
 High capacity
• better frequency efficiency, smaller cells, more customers per cell
 Security functions
• access control, authentication via chip-card and PIN

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  There is no perfect system!!

 no end-to-end encryption of user data

 no full ISDN bandwidth of 64 kbit/s to the user, no transparent B-channel

 reduced concentration while driving

 electromagnetic radiation

 roaming profiles accessible

 high complexity of the system

 several incompatibilities within the GSM standards

 abuse of private data possible

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 • GSM offers

– several types of connections

• voice connections, data connections, short message service
– multi-service options (combination of basic services)
• Three service domains

– Bearer Services
– Tele Services
– Supplementary Services

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[1]. Graham Brown and David Watson, " Information and Communication Technology ” 2013.

[2]. Peter Norton, “Introduction to Computers” 6th International Edition (McGraw Hill)

[3]. Charles S. Parker, " Understanding Computer Today & Tomorrow”, 2000.