Introduction to Telecommunications Networks

Course Overview

Today’s telecommunications networks are complex mixtures of legacy technologies coupled with the latest generation of both fixed and mobile architectures.

This six-week, self-paced course seeks to offer a grounding to those who are new to the telecoms industry, providing them with a foundation of knowledge which will allow them to explore the telecommunications ecosystem in greater detail. As such, the course is all-encompassing, providing technical detail on fundamental concepts, network architectures, and today’s services environment.

This course has been created by Mpirical.

Course Objectives

• Outline the telecommunications ecosystem, including factors affecting the telecoms landscape, standardization and the main components of a telecommunication infrastructure.
• Consider the principles and origins of circuit switching, voice digitization, optical transmission systems and SS7.
• Understand the fundamentals associated with packet transport networks, including protocol stacks, IP addressing and routing basics, multi-protocol label switching, Carrier Ethernet, DHCP, DNS and NAT.
• Examine the security of packet transport networks, including the current threat climate, key threats and data protection, using techniques such as IPSec, digital certificates and PKI.
• Outline the architecture used for voice services in fixed network architectures, from legacy PSTN switches to modern-day soft switches.
• Explain the architecture of the global internet, including the notion of peering, IXPs and internet regulation, as well as routing protocols and CIDR.
• Discuss the high-level architecture required for a typical mobile network, including RAN and core architectures for all cellular technology generations.
• Highlight voice call procedures for both fixed and wireless networks.
• Explain mobile data services for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G networks, including focus on mobility.
• Examine the concepts of over the top (OTT) services associated with voice calls, messaging and video streaming.

Who Should Enrol on This Course?

This course has been designed for a semi-technical audience who may have a technical background but are new to the telecoms industry. It provides learners with a foundation for technical understanding as well as with the terminology used across the industry.

Course Structure and Study Time

The course consists of eleven modules, which you will gain access to as soon as you complete your enrolment. You will need to view the modules sequentially.

We estimate that it should not take you more than three hours of study time per week to complete the course in six weeks. You will have, however, nine weeks from enrolment to complete the course.

Course Completion Certificate

To qualify for a course completion certificate, you will have to view all of the course content and correctly answer at least 80% of the questions in the tests of understanding at the end of the modules. You will have unlimited attempts to pass the tests. You will also need to fill out the course survey.

Course Fee

The course fee is US$999.

For group registrations, email [email protected].