Differentiated Activities - Discuss the History and Progression of the Voice Telecommunications Industry. What Are the Current Voice Network Standards?

Differentiated Activities

Supporting Activity: Introduction to Voice Telecommunications

• Discuss the history and progression of the voice telecommunications industry. What are the current voice network standards?

Communication is the way in which we connect. It has been around since the beginning of time with smoke signals, cave paintings to text messages, and video messages. Communication has revolutionized the way people connect and stay connected. Telecommunication is the science of communication over a long distance using telephone or radio technology.(Pearson.1) Telecommunications involves everything from radios, video communications, data, computers, telephones, and other devices. Telecommunication has evolved over the course of the history, however voice communication didn’t take off until the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1878(Tele History). From then on came the radio communication in 1896. The telephone was finally revolutionized in the 1984 with the invention of the cellular phone. During the time of the cellular phone was being made, the internet was being transform for regular use with the send of the first email in 1974, it wasn’t long, 24 years later before it started to catch on with the introduction of the World Wide Web.(Tele History) During these time periods voice communication was being transition from rotary phone, to cell phones, smart phones, and now the future of IP, internet protocol. The current standards have moved from regular telephones that sets rules for voice clarity, security, scalability, and integration with PSTN.(Arora.2) Now to Internet Protocol telephone, which allows for voice calls over internet connection. More importantly Internet protocol introduces VoIP, voice over internet protocol calls. Current standards are made that VoIP has to follow including hardware standards for computer telephony, standards for establishing connections, H.232 standard for vendors who use VoIP.(Arora 2).

• Standards are important in any industry. Discuss the various standards organizations utilized in this industry. Do they have conflicting charters or have they worked in different areas to form a coordinated industry overview?

There are several standard organizations that help regulate telecommunication, specifically with voice and data communications. The three largest international organizations are the, International Telecommunications Union (ITU), (ISO) International Standard Organization, and (IEC), International Electrotechnical Organization. Together they make up WSC, World’s Standard Cooperation