| The oldest and most basic part of a Communications Infrastructure is the service that enables us to pick up a phone and speak to someone a few desks away, across town, across the country or the globe.
The conversation is made possible by the PSTN or Public Switched Telephone Network. In recent years the Internet, an entirely different network, has given rise to some interesting possibilities. We will deal with that later.
The type of Phone System utilized by your organization and its current and potential configuration determine what type of local loop you can use to connect to your carrier’s Central Office - this is your connection to the PSTN.
The original and most basic type of loop is the analog line. Small businesses typically have these.
Larger businesses will connect to the PSTN with what are known as T1s. Generally the local loop portion of a T1 is two pairs of twisted copper wires (an analog line is one pair). Through digital signaling however, a T1 can carry the equivalent of 24 voice lines. Different signaling protocols enable different types of T1s, each with their own advantages and limitations.
On top of your basic connection to the PSTN, there is an incredible array of calling features (caller id, call transfer, call forwarding…) and options to understand and choose from.
Knowing what your phone system can and cannot support, and knowing the limitations of a given type of local loop is critical to getting the service your organization requires. |
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