WIRELINE TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES
While wireless technologies provide mobility, wireline technologies remain the high-capacity foundation of the global telecom grid. This lesson explores the evolution from legacy copper networks to ultra-high-speed fiber optics.
1. Next Generation Networking (NGN) and Soft Switches
NGN marks the transition from hardware-centric "Circuit Switching" to software-centric "Packet Switching." In the past, every call needed a physical wire path (PSTN). Today, Soft Switches handle the control while data flows over IP. Example: BSNL's transition to IMS architectures.
2. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) & ADSL
DSL used existing copper wires for high-speed internet. ADSL (Asymmetric) is common for home use, where download speeds are faster than upload. It uses splitters to separate voice from data.
3. Optical Fiber Communication (OFC) and GPON
Fiber optics use pulses of light inside glass. It offers massive bandwidth and is immune to EM interference. BSNL uses GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) for Bharat Fiber services, which is highly reliable. Principle: Total Internal Reflection.
4. Maintenance and Testing (OTDR)
Maintenance requires tools like OTDR (Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer) to find cable breaks by measuring light echoes. Splicing is used to join fibers together. Summary: Wireline is shifting from copper to light-speed fiber for the future of BSNL connectivity.