There’s no such thing as a wireless network! The telecommunications network in the United States is made up of millions of miles of copper, fiber, microwave, satellite links, other radio links, and coaxial cable. These links are tied together at central offices, mobile telephone switching offices, head ends, cell towers, and even residences.

We can say there is a public switched telephone network used for circuit switched telephone calls. We can say there is an Internet, used for packet switching. We can even say there is a Local Area Network, used for lots of things. And each of these networks can be made up of copper, fiber, microwave, etc., etc.! But, customers don’t say there is a copper network, or a fiber network, or any other kind of network -- copper, fiber, and all the rest are the tools making up the various networks. Incidentally, all of these links can be moved around to rearrange the network as demanded by traffic flow.

So there is no such thing as a wireless network!

What do people mean when they say wireless network? They don’t mean microwave, or Wi-Fi, or satellite -- although each of these is in fact wireless. They mean, simply: the communications between a mobile phone, or hand-held computer, or laptop, or anything resembling these, to the radio tower and its associated base station.

That’s good news because it simplifies things. We’re not talking about a huge all-encompassing network. We’re talking about a small, but increasingly important, segment of that network. A set of radio links that allows us to transmit voice, or (increasingly) data, from that gadget you hold in your hand to that cellphone tower a mile or so away, and then to the central office (CO).

How do we do that? Faster transmission techniques. More spectrum over which to transmit. More cellphone towers and base stations. Trick the equipment so that traffic is sent over The Last Mile of copper and fiber rather than the radio link. (And others, of course.)

So if “the network” is overloaded, let’s be sure we understand what part we are talking about. And what part we are not talking about. And remember, all of it -- from the wall of the central office to the wall of the residence -- is part of the outside plant.

 About the Author
Bob Stoffels has been actively involved with the telephone industry his entire career. He was a designer of switching equipment for the Independent telephone industry (Automatic Electric Co.) and later served as Editor of TE&M magazine. Along the way he was awarded 9 U.S. patents, received numerous awards, and wrote 5 books and hundreds of articles and editorials. Stoffels served for 12 years on the Board of Directors of the National Exchange Carrier Association. He is a Life Member of IEEE, a member of the Independent Telecommunications Pioneer Association, and a member of Telephone Pioneers. He is actively involved with Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida. Contact Bob at email stoffels@juno.com.

What is your experience with this? Tell your fellow readers now!