Examine the basic characteristics of frame relay, such as permanent virtual circuits and committed information rate.
Discuss the main characteristics of Asynchronous Transfer Mode.
Include the importance of the virtual path connection and the virtual channel connections.
Assess the importance of the various classes of service available.
Identify the advantages and disadvantages of Asynchronous Transfer Mode.
List the basic characteristics of MPLS and VPN tunnels and describe how their growth in the industry is having an effect on frame relay and ATM.
Identify the basic elements of a traditional analog telephone system and discuss the limitations of telephone signals.
Describe the composition of the telephone industry before and after the 1984 Modified Final Judgment and include the differences.
Describe the difference between a local exchange carrier and an interexchange carrier, and identify the services each offers. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 changed the very nature of the industry.
Differentiate between the roles of the local telephone company before and after this event.
Discuss the most important risks, opportunities, and changes that result from the convergence of various technologies.
Discuss why these trends may or may not continue in the next 5–10 years.
Give a brief explanation of how data can be transferred across international borders.
