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Essential Guide to Telecommunications, The (4th Edition)
Leading consultant Annabel Dodd presents easy-to-understand, insightful explanations of today’s key trends and technologies: Industry Players and Trends, Broadband, VoIP, Wi-Fi and WiMax, 3G Mobile Networks, and Multimedia Networks. Previous editions have helped professionals worldwide understand the major changes transforming the telecommunications industry. In the past four years, the telecommunications industry has undergone major changes. This is the complete guide to the new realities
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(out of 55 reviews)
List Price: $ 49.99
Price: $ 14.42
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Review by Wayne Cannon for Essential Guide to Telecommunications, The (4th Edition)
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This book provided an excellent overview of the very broad range of telecommunications topics, including history, telephone technologies, data technologies, protocols, and standards; from twisted-pair copper through fiber-optic, cellular, and satellite. It is a very quick read and a great introduction to anyone new to telecommunications. Its coverage is very good considering the broad range of topics covered.It does not, however, provide much depth on any one technology. Most topics, such as ATM, SONET, etc., are covered in one to four pages each. It was significantly less than I was looking for, but I am still impressed with how well Ms. Dodd covered such a broad range of topics. Anyone with a high school education, no telecom experience, and the motivation to do it, could read and learn from this book.
Review by for Essential Guide to Telecommunications, The (4th Edition)
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I just started my new job with Nortel about a month ago. I came with PC and Server knowledge – minimal telecom knowledge – just some basic facts like a T1 is 1.544Mbps with 24 channels…stuff like that. I needed to get up to speed real quick, so I got this book, ‘The Essential Guide To Telecommunications 2nd Ed.’, Communications Systems & Networks (ISBN 0764575228) and Newton’s Telecom Dictionary 16th Ed.(ISBN:1578200539). This book will be my intro book, the Communications Systems & Networks will by my intermediate/advanced book, and the Newton Telecom Dictionary for a reference. I am just about done with The Essential Guide To Telecommunications 2nd Ed. and let me tell you this book is awesome (make sure you have the ‘Newton Dictionary’ by your side so you can look up terms for a more in depth explanation – I bring it everywhere I go). It gives you a GREAT basic foundation of knowledge and gives some side notes that fill in the gaps. I gave it 4 stars and not 5 because I went to the publishers website and was unable to find any eror list, (errata pages) for the book – for any books for that matter…and I doubt that the book is error free, could be but I doubt it. (Sybex’s website does a good job of listing errors in their books – even if there are no errors reported, they state that so that you know they’re checking) Anyway, the book is GREAT and I highly recommend it – along with the other two books I mentioned. The book does lack in depth details, but that’s the point of an ‘intro’ book…right? Cheers.
Review by Richard I. Freedman for Essential Guide to Telecommunications, The (4th Edition)
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I’m an IT consultant with a good understanding and background in network design, and needed to get a quick grounding in telecom for a project. After spending a day in the bookstore,( and actually buying and returning another title), I found this book and took it home. It was the perfect overview of the subject for me! I got a good understanding of the terminology and foundation concepts, and often go back to certain sections to reinforce my understanding. I gave it four stars rather than five because ot does have some flaws. As noted in some other reviews, the author glosses over key data communications topics like routing, bridging, VoIP. For those readers who need depth in these topics, there are better sources (Try titles by Radia Perlman or Uyless Black, for example). For readers who need a strong fundamental understanding of telecom technologies, regulations, and implementations, this is the best general primer out there.
Review by for Essential Guide to Telecommunications, The (4th Edition)
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I was able to read this book from end-to-end, but it was annoying. The author provides lots of interesting data and mentions most new telecommunications products. HOWEVER, whenever she attempts any kind of technical explanation or conclusion she tends to be WRONG. If all the technical explanations and conclusions were removed, this would be a better book. As it is, I rate it one-star because I kept getting angry at the WRONGNESS of the technical explanations and conclusions.
Review by for Essential Guide to Telecommunications, The (4th Edition)
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If you already know what a switch, router and hub does and you are familiar with terms such as SONET, MUX and T1 this book will only frustrate you. Good for sales people who don’t have tech. background (no offence intended). Essential guide……I can do without this one.