Plain Old Telephone Service
Christopher G Bernier
Student at ITT Technical Institute
Author Note Any questions can be sent to cbernier111@itt-tech.edu

Abstract
Our building is a Plain Old Telephone Service or POTS. Since this is the oldest form of networks I will do some research on POTS and its different components.

Keywords: POTS, Local loop, Central office, Local exchanges, POP, Long distance system, Fixed line, Cellular phones, Telephone network topology, Cable TV, Telecommunications Service, Cloud Computing

Plain Old Telephone Service Plain old telephone service, or POTS is the original and oldest means of transferring data available today. POTS is made up of 6 components, Local Loop, the Central Office, the Local Exchange, POP, Long Distance Systems, and Fixed Line. Our system is a POTS and in this report I will explain these components. I will also define and describe the different Telecommunication network components in their relationship to POTS system.

Local Loop. The local loop is the two copper wires that connect the telephone to the central office and back to the telephone. Since it makes a complete loop from beginning to end it is referred to as the local loop. The two copper wires are twisted together and are referred to as a twisted pair.

Central Office. The central office services a group of people in a given area. With the possibility of servicing up to 10,000 customers at a time. Like zip codes you are identified by a set number, in this case the first three digits of your phone number (not the area code). All customer communications pass through the central office via copper cables.

Local Exchanges. These are run by individual telephone companies. They service a designated geographical location and must pass through the central office. Several central offices can be serviced by one LEC.

POP. Point of presence simply refers to the point where two company’s connections meet each other. This is done in order to allow the consumer greater choice in providers. Since there is only a handful of big companies capable of reaching from continent to continent allowing a POP makes it possible for smaller companies to service the needs of their customers.

Long Distance System. Long distance service providers connect local exchanges to each other, thus allowing a local exchange to be capable of longer distances.

Fixed Line. This refers to the fact that a system is fixed or hardwired. All data movement is sent through twisted pair copper wires. Fixed line systems offer no wireless transmission.

Telecommunication Network Components

The different components for a telecommunications network can be broken down into cellular phones, telephone network topologies, and cable T.V., and telecommunication services. All of these components have sub components that I will explain.

Cellular Phones. Cellular phones or cell phones transmit voice or data wirelessly. Cell phones use a cell tower which are connected to mobile telephone switching offices using either fiber optic, or copper wires, and in some instances microwaves. Since cell phones use full duplex conversations (meaning you can talk and listen at the same time), they are basically a two wave radio, unlike a walkie-talkie which is half duplex (meaning you can only talk or listen but not at the same time). Voice started with 1g or first generation and is currently at 4g or fourth generation. The biggest change is speed and when 2g or second generation entered the market it signaled a change from analog to digital transmission. This speed increase allowed for wireless providers to start to offer data thus enabling access to the Internet.

Telephone Network Topology. Topology for a telephone network are segments that are broken up into specific jobs to handle each level of the flow of information. These include the demarcation point, equipment, access networks, and regional/metro networks. The demarcation point is where the service provider’s responsibility ends and us the consumers begins. So the wiring in our building is our responsibility and everything beyond is the provider's responsibility. Equipment wise we will need modems which receive the signal from the demarcation point. The part of a network that connects the consumer or business to the telecommunications system is called the access network. The access network reaches and connects the end user making it an important portion of a network. Metro and regional networks refer to the size of a network. Metro takes information from the local exchanges of service providers and is local whereas a regional network is essentially a bigger version of a metro network covering a wider area.

Cable TV. Cable TV can use a combination of copper wire, fiber-optic cabling, and wireless technology. It is no longer at the mercy of an antennae reach. In the early days of broadcast TV you were limited by the range of the broadcast antennae that fed your antennae equipped TV a radio wave signal. By adding wiring to connect antennae to your home speed and signal strength as well as reliability increased dramatically. The terminal close to homes and buildings that serves as a connection point is the network access point. It may be up on poles or in a hand hole. The plastic box on a home or business is the network interface device. It connects with existing cabling to transmit television, telephone, and Internet connectivity.

Telecommunications Services. The two main types of telecommunication services are cable TV companies, and standard telecommunications providers. In 1982 the government considered AT&T to be a monopoly and filed suit. This lawsuit forced AT&T to split its local exchange carriers into seven smaller exchanges. Known as the regional Bell operating company, these seven smaller exchanges were Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, Bellsouth, NYNEX, Pacific Telesis, Southwestern Bell, and US West. The thing the government was most concerned with was bundling or the process of making smaller providers lease services that were bundled together as a package. In other words you pay for all services not just the ones you need or none at all. Multiple system operator operating multiple cable TV systems are the big cable companies. They offer multiple services such as television, voice, and data often referred to as a triple play. The company that provides access to the Internet is the Internet service provider.

With the increase in speed and reliability of networks today cloud computing is a reality. Instead of expensive hardware and software upgrades, and the cost of storage space, individuals and businesses now have the option of storing data in the cloud. This is referring to a server that is run and maintained by another business instead of the individual. There are pros and cons of this. The main pro being cost effective and the main con being security. Having a POTS system will make our business network a challenge. References
Oliviero, Andrew. (2012 Bonus Appendix: Telecommunications to Accompany Cabling: The Complete Guide to Copper and Fiber-Optic Networking).Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons
Woodward, Bill. (2012 Bonus Appendix: Telecommunications to Accompany Cabling: The Complete Guide to Copper and Fiber-Optic Networking).Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons,