Internet, Groupware, & Telecommunications Books

Introduction to Telecom Billing: Usage Events, Call Detail Records, and Bill Cycles

Avi Ofrane, Lawrence Harte

Amazon Price: $9.99 List Price: $9.99 Available for download now By: Althos Publishing

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Billing and customer care systems convert the bits and bytes of digital information within a network into the money that will be received by the service provider. To accomplish this, these systems provide account activation and tracking, service feature selection, selection of billing rates for specific calls, invoice creation, payment entry and management of communication with the customer. This chapter excerpted from Telecom Made Simple provides the fundamentals for billing and customer service systems. The topics that are explained include: types of services, standard billing processes, real time billing, multilingual support, multiple currencies, inter-carrier settlements, event sources and tracking, mediation devices, call detail records (CDRs), call processing, cycle billing, clearinghouse, invoicing, management reporting, processing payments, and posting to the financial system. Also included are the fundamentals of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), account activation, account management, billing system costs, call center, collections, exchange message record (EMR), automatic message accounting (AMA), carrier inter-exchange billing exchange record (CIBER), transferred accounting process (TAP), network data management-usage (NDM-U), interim standard 124 (IS-124), applications service providers (ASPs), local number portability (LNP), and customer self-care.

Introduction to Introduction to Private Land Mobile Radio (LMR), Dispatch, LTR, APCO, MPT1327, iDEN, and TETRA

Lawrence Harte

Amazon Price: $12.99 List Price: $12.99 Available for download now By: Althos Publishing

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> General

Editorial Review:

This book covers the basics of private land mobile radio systems including traditional dispatch, analog trunked radio, logic trunked radio (LTR), and advanced digital land mobile radio systems. Covered are the basics of LMR including simplex, half-duplex, and full duplex operation. The different types of squelch systems are covered including carrier controlled squelch, tone controlled squelch, and digital squelch. The basics of analog and digital trunked radio systems is provided along with how and why analog trunked radio systems are converting to digital trunked radio systems. The leading LMR industry standards including APCO, EDACS, MPT1327, iDEN, and Tetra are described along with simple diagrams to explain their operation. You will learn the key types of services that LMR systems can offer and the key applications that are driving the growth of the LMR industry. Included is a how LMR systems are still changing to offer new services.

Introduction to Cable Television (CATV): Analog and Digital Cable Television and Modems

Lawrence Harte

Amazon Price: $7.99 List Price: $7.99 Available for download now By: Althos Publishing

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Interesting for new technologies 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 10 people found this review helpful.

The technology is going so fast. in fact, is necesary to know new concepts and techniques,

Thnx

Editorial Review:

Cable television (CATV) is a video and data distribution system that uses a network of cables to deliver multiple video, data, and audio communication channels. This excerpted chapter from Introduction to Telecom Systems provides an overview of cable television systems including cable modems, digital television, high definition television (HDTV), and the market growth of cable television and advanced services such as video on demand. Some of the topics described include: broadcast television, cable television, cable converters, distribution network, head-end, market growth, analog video, digital video, signal scrambling, National Television Standards Committee (NTSC), Phase Alternating Line (PAL), Sequential Couleur Avec Memoire (SECAM), Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Compression, Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS), and Pay per View (PPV). Future enhancements such as wireless cable, cable telephony, and interactive television are also included.

Introduction to IP Television; Why and How Companies are Providing Television Through Data Networks

Lawrence Harte

Amazon Price: $12.99 List Price: $12.99 Available for download now By: Althos Publishing

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Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This book explains how and why people and companies are using IP television and Internet television services. You will discover how global television services are already available through the Internet and how you can use standard television to watch global television channels using analog television adapter boxes. The fundamentals of how IP Television works is provided. You will discover how IP television can be watched on different types of viewing devices such as standard televisions with adapters, dedicated IP televisions, multimedia computers and mobile telephones. IP television service allows viewers to have more control of Internet television services. This control ranges from instant service activation to real time television on demand controls. Some of the advanced Internet television features such as personal media channels, anywhere television extensions, global television channels and multimedia programs are described. In addition to the traditional ways of television channel selection, you will learn about new ways television channels can be search and selected using interactive electronic programming guides (EPGs). The different types of media formats that are used for IP television services are explained along with their control protocols. Not all IP Television systems and services are the same. There are cost and quality tradeoffs along with common problem areas and risks. You will discover how the audio and video service quality can range from poor to above the quality that is already delivered to standard TV. Because each IP television viewer has a unique address, this allows advertising messages to be sent to specific viewers (addressable advertising). The ability to direct advertising messages to specific target audiences (addressable advertising) is more valuable to companies than traditional broadcast advertising and this may result in reduced viewing costs.

Introduction to SIP IP Telephony Systems: Technology Basics, Services, Economics, and Installation

Lawrence Harte, David Bowler

Amazon Price: $12.99 List Price: $12.99 Available for download now By: Althos Publishing

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Networking -> Internet, Groupware, & Telecommunications
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Networking -> Telephony

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Editorial Review:

This book explains why people and companies are using SIP based IP Telephony equipment and software to efficiently upgrade existing telephone systems, develop their own advanced communications services, and to more easily integrate telephone network with company information systems. SIP technology is a well-established standardized communication protocol that has many low cost devices and software application development tools available. The use of SIP product and software allows companies to cost-effectively upgrade and eventually replace existing (legacy) telephone systems with more cost effective and easy to use telephone equipment. Because SIP is a standardized protocol, this allows end-users and system administrators to have more control and even develop communication services (such as smart voice mail) that have been traditionally been unchangeable and limited. SIP is a text-based protocol (similar to web HTML) and this allows for relatively easy development and integration with existing company information systems to produce new revenue producing services (such as integrating telephone and order processing systems). Although SIP is an industry standard, not all SIP systems and services are the same. There are cost and quality tradeoffs along with common problem areas and risks. There are many ways SIP systems can reduce telecommunication costs along with the ability to create new revenue producing services. This book will help you to understand what SIP is, how it operates, what services it can provide, and your company can benefit from implementing SIP. Some of the most important topics featured are: - Descriptions of the function parts of SIP systems - Fundamentals of how SIP works - What key services are possible through the use of SIP - How existing phone systems can be upgraded to SIP capabilities - Why it is easy to integrate SIP with information systems - How to develop new advanced revenue producing services - The basic SIP system development process - How to manage SIP systems - Typical costs of SIP systems - How SIP is changing

Introduction to IP Telephony: Why and How Companies are Upgrading Private Telephone Systems to use VoIP Services

Lawrence Harte

Amazon Price: $8.99 List Price: $8.99 Available for download now By: Althos Publishing

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> General

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Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This "Introduction to IP Telephony" book explains why companies are converting some or all of their telephone systems from dedicated telephone systems (such as PBX) to more standard IP telephony systems. These conversions allow for telephone bill cost reduction, increased ability to control telephone services, and the addition of new telephone information services. By upgrading their systems, companies can immediately reduce their telecommunication costs 40% to 70%. Because IP telephony systems allow the end user and system administrators to setup and disconnect telephone numbers and services, this provides increased control over their telephone features and services. IP telephony is usually based on standard data formats (Internet Protocol). This permits information systems (such as product catalog information) to be more easily linked to the telephone system, thus providing the ability for companies to increase sales through interactive telephone and Internet order processing systems. You will learn that not all voice over data IP telephony systems and services are the same. There are cost and quality tradeoffs along with common problem areas and risks. There are many ways these systems can reduce telecommunication costs along with the ability to create new revenue producing services. You will understand how you can get better than telephone toll quality audio, how to maintain or increase system reliability, and new ways to use intelligent telephone systems to increase company revenues. You will learn how employees can keep their phone numbers and existing equipment (using adapters) and call anywhere in the world using IP telephony services. Discover how you can get one (or several) international telephone numbers so your customers can use a local telephone number to call you when you are in another country. You will learn how voice over data telephone service usually allows you to setup new telephone services instantly, display your accounting records and bills in real time, and allow you to integrate information systems (such as sales systems) with your telephone networks. This book explains the basics of how voice over data telephone service works. This includes how the different ways that voice signals can be converted to data signals (not all of them are the same) and how the conversion process can affect your voice quality. Discussed are the basic processes of sending packets through a data network (such as the Internet) and how the losses of packets (and some do get lost) do not usually affect the voice quality. You will be introduced to the different types of voice over data communication systems that are used for company communication networks. This includes public Internet telephone services providers (ITSPs), IP Centrex service providers, and IP private branch exchange (iPBX) systems. Also covered are the functional types of IP telephony network equipment such as gateways that are used in voice over data network and some key issues to consider when deploying VoIP systems. This will help you to understand the different types of servers including proxy servers, redirect servers, access control, provisioning, and policy servers. You will learn about telephone number portability. Next you will learn about the quality of service (QoS), security, and reliability you can expect from voice over data telephone systems and services. Find out how you can get guaranteed toll quality service with some voice over data telephone systems and why you may experience echoes and audio distortion on others. Learn about how secure your connections are and the different forms of security including the control of physical access, authentication checks, and data encryption. Understand how to maximize the reliability of your calls by understanding the reliability of different parts of the network. Finally, you will discover some of the advanced features and services that are possible with Internet telephone service that is not possible with most traditional telephone systems. This includes unified messaging, ways to connect telephone extension anywhere in the world, how you can setup one (or many) global telephone numbers that will ring to your IP telephone without international charges. Learn how voice over data telephone service allows you to share notes, pictures, and files using a whiteboard while you are talking for interactive web seminars (Webinars). If you are considering converting some of your telephone systems and services be able to use IP telephony services or you just want to know more about the options and advantages of IP telephony services, this is book is a great introduction.

Creating RFPs for IP Telephony Communication Systems; PBX, IP Telephony, and IP Centrex System and Services

Robert Flood

Amazon Price: $17.99 List Price: $17.99 Available for download now By: Althos Publishing

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Editorial Review:

This book explains the typical objectives and processes that are involved in the creation and response to request for proposals (RFPs) for IP Telephony systems and services. It covers the key objectives for the RFP process, who is involved in the creation and management of the RFP, and how vendors are invited, evaluated, and notified of the RFP vendor selection result. You will learn what are RFPs and RFQs and why and when companies use and RFPs for IP Telephony Systems. Covered are the key objectives that RFP must satisfy along with the general creation processes used by most companies to create and manage the RFP process. Companies usually involve multiple departments in the creation of the RFP process to identify communication requirements for the entire company. You will discover who is involved in the Creation of an RFP and the typical steps performed during the creation of the RFP document. Explained are the methods used to issue and manage RFPs including how and when companies typically communicate questions and how clarifications are sent to vendors when new options, objectives, or features are discovered in the RFP response process. Also included is sample outline of a typical RFP.

Strategic Patent Planning for Software Companies; A Look at Current Patent and Licensing Strategies

Eric Stasik

Amazon Price: $12.99 List Price: $12.99 Available for download now By: Althos Publishing

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Programming -> Software Design, Testing & Engineering -> Software Development

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Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 2.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Strategic Patent Planning for Software Companies looks at the current patent and licensing strategies used by successful companies that develop and market software. This book discusses the current status of international patent protection as regards computer-implemented inventions (CII), explains why copyright is inadequate, and describes how patents are being used by Microsoft and the Apache Software Foundation to support a wide range of business objectives. Over the past decade extensions in the scope of patent protection to include computer-implemented inventions have generated controversy, concern, and a great deal of hyperbole. In Europe the debate over “software patents” has been bitter and rancorous. Presently the directive to harmonize European patent law with EPO practice faces an uncertain future. In the United States and Japan, however, the debate over software patents has long been over and the influence of software patents in these countries is already being felt. The $521 million which Microsoft was recently ordered to pay to tiny Eolas by a US Federal Court was one of the largest verdicts for patent infringement damages ever. In the United States this is noteworthy so I will repeat it: one of the largest damage amounts for patent infringement ever awarded in the US was the result of a single software patent. While the validity of the Eolas patent is being challenged at the US Patent and Trademark Office Microsoft remains busy defending itself against 30 or so other patent infringement lawsuits. The problems are not limited to Microsoft. Patent holders such as Acacia Research, with a portfolio of patents on digital streaming have pressed claims against a wide range of web site operators and hosts. InterTrust (now jointly owned by Sony and Philips) with an impressive portfolio of patents on Digital Rights Management (DRM) are in a position to substantially influence future web services. Every week, new patents emerge and new licensing agreements, or lawsuits, are announced. Real politik demands that software companies no longer ignore the threats- or the opportunities- provided by patents, but rather deal with them in a systematic and systemic manner. The business approach of this book is highlighted by a comprehensive listing of strategic business objectives which patents can be used to support. Patents despite their dusty back-room reputation are uniquely versatile business tools. Examining the patent strategies employed by others is a good way of learning to understand the needs of your own company and how you too can use patents to gain and maintain competitive advantages. Thus the bulk of this document looks at two opposite ends of the software patent spectrum by examining the patent strategies of Microsoft Corporation and the Apache Software Foundation. Included are discussions and observations regarding Microsoft’s recently announced FAT and Office Schema licensing programs. There is also a surprising result from the comparison of Microsoft’s XML patent license and the recently updated Apache software license. For small developers, free software may cost them more than they think.

Introduction to CDMA: Radio Channels, Logical Channels, and Network Operation

Lawrence Harte

Amazon Price: $12.99 List Price: $12.99 Available for download now By: Althos Publishing

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Introduction to CDMA explains the fundamental components, basic operation, services, and terminology used for IS-95 code division multiple access (CDMA) systems. This book explains the basic components, technologies used, and operation of IS-95 CDMA systems. You will discover why mobile telephone service providers have upgraded from 1st generation analog systems to more efficient and feature rich 2nd generation systems. You will also discover how 2nd generation systems are gradually evolving into 3rd generation broadband multimedia systems. This book starts with the system components and basic services that the IS-95 CDMA system can provide. You will learn that the key types of CDMA devices include external radio modems, wireless PCMCIA cards, embedded radio modules, single mode and dual mode mobile telephones. You will then discover the different types of available services such as multiple types of voice services, data services, messaging services, and position location services. Explained are the physical and logical radio channel structures of the CDMA systems along with the basic frame and slot structures. Described are the fundamental capabilities and operation of the CDMA radio channel including channel coding, modulation types, variable speech coding, precise power control, and soft handoff. You will learn how each CDMA radio channels has 64 channel codes and that some of these are used for signaling (control channels) and others are used for user traffic (voice and data). Because the needs of voice and data communication are different, you will discover that the CDMA system essentially separates circuit switched (primarily voice) and packet switched (primarily data) services. Described are key functional sections of a CDMA network components and how they communicate with each other. You will learn how and why IS-95 CDMA is evolving into 3rd generation broadband systems including EVDO, EVDV, and CDMA2000

Introduction to Paging Systems, One-Way, Two-Way, POCSAG, ERMES, FLEX, REFLEX, & INFLEXION

Lawrence Harte

Amazon Price: $12.99 List Price: $12.99 Available for download now By: Althos Publishing

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Editorial Review:

This book explains the different types of paging systems and how they are changing. Traditional paging services have seen a world decline of over 65% in the number of human between 1988 to 2004. During this decline, some paging systems have experienced high-growth in new areas such as short messaging and telemetry. Paging systems provide reliable information transfer that reaches many places that are not reachable by other types of mobile or satellite systems. Explained is how and why paging systems are transitioning from one-way systems to two-way systems. Covered in this book are the key paging industry standards including as POCSAG, ERMES, FLEX, and REFLEX to standardize equipment and services. This has resulted in a dramatic reduction in equipment and usage costs for the customer and the availability of amazing new devices. The paging industry continues to evolve with innovative technologies and services that provide for new communication applications. This book covers some of the near-term changes that will affect the paging industry. Some of the most important topics featured are: - Simple descriptions of paging system types - The market numbers and trends for the paging industry - The key types of paging services - Why two-way paging is more efficient for the operator and customer - Paging industry standards including POCSAG, ERMES, FLEX, and REFLEX - The approximate usage fees for paging services - Amazing new types of paging devices - How the paging industry is changing to compete with other wireless systems - What are the key applications driving the paging market growth. - The future of paging systems