sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Beginners Guide To Phone Systems

Hello, I'm very new to the whole telecom scene. Can someone give me a diagram, explanation, or even a website on how a phone system is set up in a business.

I'm looking for some details regarding DS1 lines, 66 & 110 blocks, patch panels (for phones), and phone switches. Primarily, how should all of these be connected?

I'd just like a better explanation on what limited knowledge I already have.

Thanks!

That's a bit much to ask! Most guys here are still trying to figure it for themselves

You might just look at some sts installation manuals. There are some wiring diagrams in there.

Are you familiar with the Telecom color code scheme. That would be the best place to strat is to familiarize yourself with that.

go see if you can go to work for someone and get your feet wet with cableing or give them some free labor for some training. What part of Cal are you in? there is alot of guys out there that might put you to work. because what your asking is not just a half a hour job it takes years to do all what you want

You can get a lot of info by buying a Telecom Dictionary. It's more like an encyclopedia and covers quite a lot of stuff. You won't find much in there on trouble shooting or configurations it will familiarize you with terminology and introduce you to different types of equipment, both yours and the LEC's - phone company) and what they are used for

The questions you ask are like asking a auto mechanic: "How do you make a car?"

Where do you start?

The first thing is to understand the question and your purpose or goal.

• Are you looking for a "Telecom for Dummies"?
• Are you looking to take over your companies telecom responsibilities?
• Are you thinking of a career change?

Books can only give you a simple overview and will always leave you asking more questions than they answer. Street smarts are just as, if not more, important than book smarts.

Good luck on whatever you chose.

21 years of learning,
Dean

I didn't realize this was going to get the reaction it did. Basically, I'm being asked by my company to begin learning our telecom system. For the most part, the Avaya & Mitel software are pretty straight forward.

I definitely need assistance where hardware is concerned.

I'm just looking for suggestions where to obtain more information. I need the theory behind what I'm doing with the hardware. Some of the replies have helped already!

"The Irwin Handbook of Telecommunications" has some excellent base-level information, as well as super complex stuff. I got my copy at Borders Books, so you might want to take a look at it. I learned a lot from it even though I've been in this business for many years.

The Avaya hardware info is available at the Avaya web-sight.
You might see what's available at the Mitel sight, although they are pretty tight with info. Generally dealer only, or classes only if you are the customer's laison.
Good luck and welcome. I know these answers are not a lot of help, but you want information that is proprietary in some respects. Avaya doesn't really seem to care much, but Mitel DOES!
You might try posting in the specific forums. John C.

I'm being asked by my company to begin learning our telecom system.

This kind of thing always amazes me- that companies and their IT people are so ignorant to think that telcom knowledge is something that can be learned from a book or just asking questions on a forum such as this.

Telecom has been a trade for many times longer than you have been alive. It took each of us years to become proficient and it continues to be a constant learning process to keep up with the changes.

So please, don't disparage us and our industry by coming here and thinking we can give you the benefit of our knowledge.

If you want to learn, as has been suggested you need to put your time in with a company that does this kind of work. Together with that, Avaya and Mitel (and all other manufacturers) offer training and certification programs. I suggest that your company put their money where their ignorance is and send you there.

-Hal