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Basic Telephony Concepts
1.  What is an analog telephone line?
2.  What is a digital telephone line?
3.  What is a VoIP line?
4   What is the demarcation point?
5.  What is a PBX?
6.  What kinds of phones can I add to my phone system?
  6a.  What is Power over Ethernet (PoE)?
7.  Voicemail systems
8.  Remote telecommuting
9.  Surge Protection
 
Portions of the network outside of your business
A.  The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
  The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is the network of the world's public circuit-switched telephone networks. It consists of telephone lines, fiberoptic cables, microwave transmission links, cellular networks, communications satellites, and undersea telephone cables all inter-connected by switching centers which allows any telephone in the world to communicate with any other. Originally a network of fixed-line analog telephone systems, the PSTN is now almost entirely digital in its core and includes mobile as well as fixed telephones.
B.  The Telephone Company Central Office (CO)
  The Central Office (CO) refers to your telephone service provider's physical building that houses telephone switches used to connect calls in your area.
C.  The Local Loop
  The Local Loop refers to the wired connection from your demarcation point to the telephone service provider's network.  This connection usually runs from your building to the service provider's Central Office.