The digital age of the local loop network began with ISDN. Improvements and new approaches, as well as marketing activities, have repeatedly given rise to new xDSL variants, so that the placeholder “x” has almost reached the limits of the alphabet. This book attempts to bring some clarity to the “xDSL letter jungle”.

This book explains the basics and applications of telecommunications in a clear, well-structured and concise manner. Important areas such as messages and signals, transmission and switching technology, telecommunications networks, ISDN, intelligent networks, ATM, data communication, mobile telephony, access technologies, etc. are clearly presented.

The book presents all techniques and technologies of subscriber access networks and subjects them to an evaluative analysis with regard to advantages and disadvantages for specific application conditions. This includes both wired (copper, coax, fiber optic cables, etc.) and wireless networks (wireless local loop, satellite radio, optical directional radio, cordless telephone systems, mobile radio).