Chapter 20 covers data communication, a topic that the first edition did not cover. More specifically it covers packet networks and VoIP. The authors explain that data communications encompass a wide range of applications including e-mail, file transfer, messaging services as well as many others. They contrast and describe the differences between these and traditional voice services and what it will mean to you.
Chapter 21 continues this discussion with more in-depth coverage of signaling and VoIP. The specifications of VoIP protocols totaling thousands of pages, this chapter condenses those specifications into a high-level look at the most important protocols, namely; H.323, SIP, Gateway Control Protocol/H.248, SIGTRAN and BICC.
Chapter 22; the last chapter, covers signaling in ATM networks which is a digital technology for voice and data convergence based on short, fixed-length packets called cells. The authors discuss the packet technology that supports broadband multimedia communications and how, although widely deployed, seems to be loosing momentum to TCP/IP protocols.
In my opinion this book is well written and, because the authors are very skilled in their field, it makes for an easy to read and understanding on a topic that is, by its very complex and detailed. They concentrate on the functionality as opposed to the details of the protocols and they highlight with a lot of examples.
If you need to understand the topic of telecommunications signaling or want to update your knowledge of some of the new or expanded technologies, then Signaling In Telecommunication Networks Second Edition may be the only book that you need.
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