Telecommunications Essentials: The Complete Global Source for Communications Fundamentals, Data Networking and the Internet, and Next-Generation Networks

Chapter 4. Establishing Communications Channels

This chapter discusses the key definitions and characteristics that are associated with the processes involved in establishing communications channels. It covers networking modes and switching modes, including the differences between routing and switching. It also covers the details of circuit switching and its particular applications, where it shines and where it's fallen short in the past. This chapter also looks at packet switching why it has become such a darling in recent years, what it's potential prospects are, and what challenges it faces the future. The chapter ends with a quick comparison between the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and the Internet, because they are both related to the topics at hand.