Meeting : 4
Chapter 3
I. Reading Comprehension
THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAYS
The road ahead
“ We now have at hand the technological and economic means to bring all the communities of the world together. We can create a planetary information network that transmits messages and images with the speed of light from the largest city to the smallest village on every continent . To accomplish this purpose, legislators,regulators and business people must build and operate a Global Information Infrastructure ,”
These words ,spoken by former U.S. Vice –President Al Gore ,during his address to the World Telecommunication Development Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU ) in Buenos Aires , Argentina,on 21 March 1994,brought the notion of a global Information Infrastructure to the attention of a worldwide audience. Public awareness about telecommunication has probably never been higher and buzzwords such as ‘ multimedia’ and’information superhighway “ appear on the front pages of many national newspapers,brought about by the installation of cable networks and optical fibre systems under the pavement.
The Information Superhighways are high-rate ,interactive networks capable of transporting any kind of information: computer data,video, voice,movies. In the words of one specialist, they will not just be one network ,but many….’The network of networks ,’ They will be based on the optical fibre whose high capacity ,small size,lack of sensitivity to electromagnetic interference (EMI ) and low cost will be a considerable rival to the satellite, another key player in the development of the Information Superhighways.They willconcern the following activities : multimedia mail, virtual reality, telecommuting,desktop conferencing, advanced pay per view,interactive video, hypermedia, video-on-demand(VOD) Edutainment ( Education + entertainment ) , tele-cooperation .
Building the Information Superhighway will not happen overnight
( remember ISDN ) Companies now are working on ATM interfaces between ATM central offices (Cos ) and ATM LANs (Local Area Networks ) . When seamless ATM is available, we shall finally cannot be planned right down to the last detail. Maybe ,as the Americans say ,we should “ Just Do It .”
We must not forget the social impact of the Superhighways. The next generation will have to be taught how to deal with information . Just as cardrivers must learn the Highway Code, so drivers on the superhighway will have to learn the laws of the Information infrastructure and how to use the navigational tools,in order to prevent misuse of the information Superhighways.
(Source : English For Telecoms by Ian Simpson and Derek Utley )
II. Glossary :
Superhighway : jalan bebas hambatan
Means : sarana
Planetary : yang berhubungan dengan planet
Accomplish : menyelesaikan
Address : pidato
Notion : gagasan,pikiran
Buzzword : kata-kata penarik perhatian
Pavement : trotoar
Interference : gangguan, campurtangan
Concern : perhatian
Virtual : semu
Overnight : semalam
Seamless : tanpa kelim
Impact : pengaruh yang kuat, tubrukan
Misuse : kesalahpemakaian
III. Reading Comprehension Questions
1. What are the meanings of these initials ?
GII ISDN ITU
CO EMI LAN
2. Give two definitions of the Information Superhighways!
3. Mention the four maincharacteristics of optical fibres .
4. What kind of social need which the superhighways will create ?
IV. Structure : Question tag and Simple present Tense
A. Question Tag
Tag questions added to the end of a statement ask for confirmation of the statement ( said with a falling tone ) or make the complete sentence ( said with a rising tone.)
Look at these questions :
A.: You are reading a computer science book , aren’t you ?
B : You haven’t read this book yet, have you ?
There are three things to think about when forming tag questions :
1. The subject and the tense must be the same in the statement and in the tag .e.g. He’s not fluent in English, IS he ?
2. Affirmative statements are followed by negative tags and negative statements by positive tags.
e.g She’s not in the computer lab , Is she ?
3. Auxiliary verbs ( do, have,be, must, can etc ) are always repeated in the tag . If there is no auxiliary verb in the statement ,you must choose the appropriate form of Do ( do ,does, did ) .
e.g. You must be studying , mustn’t you ?
e.g. They arrived yesterday, din’t they ?
V. Exercises
Now end these sentences with the correct form of the tag . The first is done for you.
1. The idea is now at hand the technological and economic means to bring all the communities of the world together,……ISN’T IT …………………?
2. I think that the big telecommnication companies create a planetary information network that transmits messages and images with the speed of light from the largest city to the smallest village on every continent ……….?
3. You are building and operating an Information Infrastructure ,”
4. A vice president from developed country brought the notion of a global Information Infrastructure to the attention of a worldwide audience,………..?
5. She likes the public awareness about telecommunication that has probably never been higher and buzzwords such as ‘ multimedia’ and’information superhighway “ appear on the front pages of many national newspapers,……………..?
6. .The Information Superhighways are high-rate ,interactive networks capable of transporting any kind of information: computer data,video, voice,movies. …………….?
7. We will have an computer network which is based on the optical fibre whose high capacity ,small size,lack of sensitivity to electromagnetic interference (EMI ) ,………………?
8. Low cost will be a considerable rival to the satellite, another key player in the development of the Information Superhighways,…………………..?
9. The new female manager of Software company is thinking about the following activities : multimedia mail, virtual reality, desktop conferencing,………………?
10. These companies finally cannot plan right down to the last detail,…………..?
B. Simple Present Tense .
The Simple Present Tense describes actions which happen consistently and normally –perhaps also at the moment , but with no specific reference tpo the present . Words used with this tense often express the idea of frequency : often, sometimes, never ,twice a week, every year.
Notice that when the subject of the verb is third person singular ( he,she or it ) the verb always ends in an ‘s ‘ : I work at school ,she works at a software developer .
Exercises
Put the verb in brackets into the appropriate tense ,using the context as a guide .
1. The number of internet providers ( expand ) very fast at the moment.
2. Many domestic software developers ( form ) alliances with their overseas counterparts .
3. The hardware system (offer ) an effective basis for a new network.
4. The construction of new networks often ( need ) a socialization process.
5. The operator ( check ) the lines every day.
6. He usually ( work ) on a new assignment.
7. Most operators always ( come ) on time.
8. Our technicians sometimes ( repair ) the program quite long.
9. Overseas industry now ( realize ) that our scientists and technicians are
capable of dealing with high technology software development and
innovation .
10. It (depend ) on our responsibility to have an innovation in our computer
program
MEETING : 5
Chapter 5 .
I. Reading Comprehension
MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS
Since its introduction in the late 1970s ansd early 1980’s , mobile telephony has undergone an enormous expansion. As the size and weight of the mobile phone itself has shrunk, the networks have become more powerful , the market has grown and the cost of equipment and airtime has declined sharply. At the same time, the services available, such as voice banks, call forwarding and data transmission have also increased the attractiveness of the product ,especially for the business user. Much of the development has been due to the intense competition in the mobile market ,which is less regulated than the fixed telephone market.
The two main types of technology in use are analogue and digital. The first systems to be introduced were analogue ;these are still the most used, and they offer the widest coverage within most countries . Digital system are a more recent introduction ,and they are becoming increasingly common throughout the world. They have several advantages over analogue ,notably their capacity ,reliability and security.They also offer extra services ,especially for business customers .In addition ,although some analogue systems allow the user to roam within a certain number of countries,digital systems give greater flexibility which could soon include world-wide roaming.
GSM-Global System for Mobile Communication is the pan –European digital standard which is rapidly spreading throughout Europe and is also establishing itself as the standard in other parts of the world .The main threat to GSM comes from CDMA ,a rapidly developing technology ,may give it a competitive edge over GSM ,especially in markets like the USA where airwaves are already crowded .The general prediction is that digital system ,of which ever technology,will gradually take over from analogue systems, especially in the more developed markets .However ,recent trends suggest that in established markets the transfer is happening more slowly than was forecast.If one system is widely adopted,the regular traveller can have just one mobile phone which she or he uses whilst on the move in a number of countries . ( Source : English For Telecoms by Ian Simpson and Derek Utley )
II. Glossary
Undergone : mengalami
Enormous : besar sekali
Shrunk : menjadi lebih kecil
Available : bisa diperoleh, ada
Attractiveness : daya tarik
Decline : merosot
Coverage : liputan
Roam : menjelajah
Due to : karena
Fixed : tetap
Common : biasa
Notably : khususnya
Threat : ancaman
Establish : menetapkan
Forecast : meramalkan
Roam : menjelajah
III. Reading Comprehension Questions
Answer the following questions !
1. What are the advantages of digital mobile systems over analogue ?
2. Identify those things which have increased , and those which have decreased in the world of mobile communications .
3. Describe two major technologies in digital mobile communications.
4. Group these feature from a magazine article on mobile communications into one of two categories : those which are mainly technical developments, and those which are mainly commercial/social.
a. smaller telephones b. increased marketing c. longer battery life
d. cheaper equipment e. intense competition f. wider coverage
g. advanced series h. greater clarity i. More customers
j. cheaper equipment k. higher security
l.telecomunication
deregulation
IV. Structure : Describing system and process
a. Describing system
Components /classification
Illustration
The system consists of three major parts .
The BSS contains the radio –related functions .
The switching System is made up of five main functional entities.
There are two main types of centre : operation and maintainance Centres and Network Management Centres.
The BSS can be divided into two main parts .
Note how the phrases in italics are used to show the component parts of another.
V. Exercises:
Fiill in the blank spaces of each sentence with these words : consist,contain, is made of, there are , can be divided into.
Functional hierarchy of the Axe system
The Axe system……(a) a number of function blocks,each of which performs a specific function. It …… …… ……..(b) into two main types of system : the switching system (APT) and the control system (APZ). The APT switching system …….(c) all subsystem dealing with traffic handling and all switching oriented tasks. Each of the APT subsystem ….. …….(d) up of three function blocks ,and each function block can also….. …….(e) into three function units.
….. …….(f) three system in the APZ system . each of these ….(g) three function blocks.
b. Describing Process
Illustration
The OSS carries out the operations and maintenance activities.
The BSS controls functions such as handovers and power levels in the base stations.
This software reports the status of each element, signal faults, and allows the choice of appropriate procedures.
Note how the words in italics show the function of a particular unit in agiven process. When the unit or equipment being described is in the singular , the verb always ends in an ‘s ‘.
Exercises:
Fiill in the blank spaces of each sentence with these word: tunes in, generates,dials, requests, checks,routes, requests, selects,orders,responds, answers.
1. The subscriber………………the mobile subscriber’s number .
2. The PSTN ………………the call to the nearest GMSC .
3. The GMSC…… the HLR to identify the service area where the mobile station is situated.
4. The GMSC ….the call to this MSC.
5. The MSC now …..its VLR for the location area of the mobile station.
6. The MSC ……the BTS,via the BSC,to contract the mobile station, by sending a page request.
7. The mobile station ………….
8. The BSC …..a traffic channel for the call ,then …..the mobile station to tune to this traffic channel.
9. The mobile station …..to the traffic channel ,then …..its own ringing signal.
10. The mobile subscriber ……and the speech path is open.
MEETING : 6
CHAPTER : 5
I. Reading Comprehension
THE WIRELESS SOCIETY
Wireless yesterday and today
Less than fifty years ago ,the “wireless” was a means of listening to voices and music by means of radio waves-that is, without the” wire “of the telegraph .
Today wireless is one of the technologies with greatest potential for the future .Radio waves ,with all their advantages of flexibility and versatility ,are finding an increasing number of technically and commercially challenging applications in telecommunications systems.
Wireless in the network
Building a telecoms network can be a long,difficult and above all expensive job. The cost of laying cables,and the disturbances caused to streets,buildings,pavements,even trees, can cause social problems and require a heavy return on investment.
Radiolinks are increasingly seen as a simpler and more efficient way of setting up communication s in new areas or for new purposes-or to provide competition for established operators. In developing countries ,for examples,where there is no firm infratructure of cables to form a fixed network, or in remote areas where access is difficult ,radiolinks can be a quicker and cheaper way of connecting subscribers to the exchange than the conventional cabling. “Fixed cellular links “ are a phenomenon proving more and more popular and cost-effective in Central Europe.