FOREWORD xv
INTRODUCTION xvii
CHAPTER 1. FUNDAMENTALS 1
1.1. Different kinds of network 1
1.2. Financial aspects relating to networks 13
1.3. Historical overview of the communications market 17
1.4. Networking techniques 25
1.5. Choices available to companies in a changing world 32
1.6. Summary 34
CHAPTER 2. COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES 35
2.1. Transmission parameters 35
2.2. Modulation and encoding 39
2.3. Switching 44
2.4. Signaling in networks 46
2.5. Protocols and data exploitation 47
2.6. The "OSI model" 52
2.7. Local Area Network (LAN) 67
2.8. Public data networks (Wide-Area Networks - WANs) 75
2.9. Network management 79
2.10. Summary 80
CHAPTER 3. TRANSMISSION SUPPORTS 81
3.1. Description of supports 81
3.2. Digital wireless access systems 85
3.3. ADSL systems 105
3.4. Power-Line Communications (PLC) 107
3.5. Composite access networks 107
3.6. Specific network structures 113
3.7. Reminder of the possible data rates 115
3.8. Regulations to be observed by operators 117
CHAPTER 4. NETWORKING PROTOCOLS 119
4.1. Problems needing to be resolved 119
4.2. Circuit-switching and network intelligence 123
4.3. Packet-Switched Data Network (PSDN) 129
4.4. NGNs and IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) 136
4.5. Virtualization 145
4.6. Network security 149
4.7. Conclusion 158
CHAPTER 5. VOICE SERVICE AND MESSAGING 159
5.1. Criteria of quality for voice signals 159
5.2.Voice interface 160
5.3. VoIP and ToIP 164
5.4. Clerical works 166
5.5. Exploitation of messaging 189
5.6. Communications with the emergency services 191
5.7. Conclusion 193
CHAPTER 6. DATA APPLICATIONS 195
6.1. Multimedia services 195
6.2. Digital Signage 197
6.3. Identification technologies 202
6.4. Image services 206
6.5. Conclusion 211
CHAPTER 7. THE INTERNET AND THE NGN 213
7.1. Creation and principles of NGNs 213
7.2. Usual applications on the Internet 222
7.3. Developments currently under way 232
7.4. Cloud computing 239
7.5. Big Data 242
7.6. The Internet of Things (IoT) and M2M 243
7.7. Social networks and social media 247
7.8. Principles of charging 255
7.9. The weaknesses of the NGN/Internet construction 259
7.10. Where is the NGN heading to? 271
7.11. Conclusion 280
CHAPTER 8. CHOICES FOR BUSINESSES 281
8.1. Analysis of the need for communication 282
8.2. ICTs in SMEs 288
8.3. Technological evolution and associated costs 296
8.4. Security in SMEs 301
8.5. Best practices 312
8.6. References regarding cyber security 324
8.7. A few organizations operating in good security practices 325
8.8. Conclusion 328
OVERVIEW AND CONCLUSIONS 329
APPENDIX 343
GLOSSARY 359
BIBLIOGRAPHY 367
INDEX 371