ISC 330 - Telecommunications

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I. COURSE NUMBER AND CREDIT:

        ISC/BRC 330 - 3 S. H.

II. COURSE TITLE:

        Telecommunications

III. COURSE DESCRIPTION:

        A course dealing with the field of telecommunications
        and its relationship to information science.  Topical
        areas include government regulation, local area
        networks, and related technologies.

IV. PREREQUISITES:

        ISC 110 or BRC 319

V. JUSTIFICATION:

VI. COURSE OBJECTIVES:

        As a result of this course, students will be able to:
        1.  Explain the relationship between
            telecommunications regulation and information
            science.
        2.  Define the technologies involved in
            telecommunications.
        3.  Define government's role in regulating the flow
            of information.
        4.  Define social and economic problems related to
            telecommunications.
        5.  Define market place forces and understand the
            implications of the competitive market on
            telecommunications.
        6.  Understand protocols necessary for transmission
            of data.

VII. COURSE OUTLINE:

        A.  Principles of Convergence of Telecommunications
            and Information Processing
        B.  Technologies Involved in Telecommunication
            1.  Common Carriers
            2.  Mass Media
            3.  Satellites
            4.  Computer Interfaces
            5.  Analog to Digital Converters, Packet, and
                Front End Switches
        C.  Government Regulation in Telecommunications
            1.  The Federal Communications Commission
                a.  Communications Act of 1934, Title II
                b.  1982 Consent Decree and Deregulation
            2.  Other Regulatory Structures
                a.  NTIA
                b.  State Public Utilities Commissions
                c.  Congress
            3.  Additional Governmental Concerns
                a.  Copyright Considerations
                b.  Monopolies Versus Competition
                c.  Obscenity Problems
        D.  Social and Economic Problems
        E.  Market Place Forces
            1.  Market Structure and the Competitive
                Environment
            2.  Access Charges and Universal Service
            3.  By-Pass Versus Equal Access
            4.  Revenue Requirements
        F.  Technological Considerations

VIII. METHODS OF INSTRUCTION:

        Lectures, discussion, classroom demonstration.
        Assigned readings, abstracts, group project.

IX. COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

    X.  MEANS OF EVALUATION:
        Examinations, quizzes, abstracts, and group
        project

XI. RESOURCES:

XII. BIBLIOGRAPHY:

        Cherry, C. World Communication:  Threat or
           Promise?.  New York: John Wiley, 1971.
        Codding, George A., Jr., and Anthony M.
           Rutkowski.  The International Telecommunication
           Union in a Changing World.  Dedham, MA: Artech
           House, 1982.
        Dumazedier, J. Toward a Society of Leisure. New York:
           Free Press, 1967.
        Edelstein, Alex S. Comparative Communication
           Research. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications,
           1982.
        Glatzer, Hal. Who Owns the Rainbow?:  Conserving
           the Radio Spectrum. Indianapolis, IN: Howard
           Sams, 1984.
        Hamelink, Cees.  Finance and Information:  A Study
           of Converging Interests. Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1983.
        MacBride, Sean, et al.  Many Voices, One World:
           Communications and Society Today and Tomorrow.
           Paris: Unesco, 1980.
        Saunders, Robert J., et al.  Telecommunications and
           Economic Development. Baltimore:  John Hopkins
           Press, 1983.
        Turn, Rein, ed. Transborder Data Flows:  Concerns in
           Privacy Protection and Free Flow of Information.
           2 vols.  Arlington, VA: American Federation of
           Information Processing Societies, Inc., 1979.
        U.S. Congress, House of Representatives, Committee on
           Government Operations.  International Information
           Flow:  Forging a New Framework.  96th Congress,
           2nd Session, House Report No. 96-1535, December
           1980.
        Williams, Frederick.  The Communications Revolution.
           Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, 1982.