Customer Reviews

Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook

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I have been a telecom professional for more than 30 years and I never thought any single reference book could surpass "Newton's Telecom Dictionary" for simplicity, accuracy and value.
But Ray Horak's "Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook" doesn't just exceed expectations; it raises the bar for any other authors who might consider entering the telecom reference book arena. This book has become the new "Bible" on my reference shelf. Mr. Horak obviously posesses an encyclopedic knowledge of the technology and general industry. He is able to express what he knows in terms that will be understood by the novice as well as the seasoned professional.
This book is a "must have" for anyone working in the telecom / IT industry. Add it to your Christmas wish list today. Or, skip the next telecom conference that you hoped to attend and just buy this book instead. You'll get more lasting value from the book.

Most network managers are strong in either voice or data, but may not have as much experience in the other discipline. To further complicate this challenge, expertise is required in a number of specific areas, including LANs and WANs, legacy and emerging technologies, and new applications. If you have any of these educational gaps (and most of us do) pick up a copy of this book. Ray Horak provides the most comprehensive review of communication technologies that I have seen, and you will do yourself a favor to have this text in your personal library.

Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook contains fifteen chapters and covers a wide variety of topics. The book can be recommended for different audiences, starting from students, which decided to become Electrical Engineers, as well as for engineers and managers, and technicians who need always to have a reliable source of information. It is a timely encyclopedic work and will remain so for many years! It also is a perfect companion to Horak's other excellent work, Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary, also published by Wiley in 2007.

Horak is an independent telecom consultant. He is active in litigation support as a consulting expert and testifying expert, often in cases involving intellectual property such as patent, copyright, and trademark and service infringement. He has authored five telecom books and written of hundreds of technical articles, white papers, case studies, and solution briefs.

Vladimir Kaminsky, PhD is a President of Practel, Inc, a consulting company that is specializing in advanced communications technologies and network design.

The "Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook" by Ray Horak provides a detailed tour of electronic and optical communications technology, from basic principles to the latest telephone, cellular, internet, and satellite-based standards. Rather than just explaining how these technologies function (which Horak does well with his characteristically engaging prose), this Handbook also illuminates the historical contexts of new standards and technologies, exploring economic pressures, social drives, and political considerations influencing their development. This volume is a must-have for both the student and working professional. An excellent companion reference for this book is Horak's "Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary".

Ray Horak's "Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook" is a definitive reference manual for all types of computer, telecom and data communications networks, devices and models. What impresses most is the fact that this book takes the most important elements and concepts from both telecom and datacom and squeezes them into one reference. I have dozens of books in my telecommunications library and I'd happily trade in most of them for this single reference. The second thing that impresses is the no-nonsense style in which it is written. I expected no less from Ray, whom I have worked with over the years on numerous educational projects including face-to-face workshops, and conference tutorials for over a decade. His straightforward and easy-to-understand approach is powerful and effective both in person and in print. If you had but one book to buy on networking and communications, this would be it.

This is a book I believe you will soon see in many college bookstores. It is an excellent piece of work. Horak provides the relevant core infrastructure information for anyone building their telecommunication and data communications knowledge. For those just entering college through professional non-engineering types, this is the book for you.

The Telecom & Data Comm Handbook by Ray Horak is a well organized, accurate, and very through text that belongs in the library of any telecom professional.

I review hundreds of books every year in my job as a VoIP Trainer for TrainingCity.com. I know I can always count on Ray Horak to present complex technical material in an easy to understand and well researched format. I strongly recommend this text to anyone who is looking to get up to speed on the latest technologies, or in search of a guide to get started in the industry.

Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook
"Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook" is a great building block to Ray's previous book, "Communications Systems and Networks". I have been in the Telecom industry for over 30 years and have used "Communications Systems and Networks" since it was published in 1997. I had also provided each management employee that has been in my organization with a copy of "Communications Systems and Networks" and am in the process of providing "Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook" to each employee. The book has been a valuable resource to me in every aspect of the various positions I have held and it will benefit any Telecom professional.

If you want to really learn and understand the world of telecommunications and data communications this book is a must read. Written in plain English, Horak's book is equally useful to the uninitiated and professional alike. In 15 chapters and two appendices spanning 762 pages, Horak has created a complete course of instruction that would cost the reader thousands of dollars to attend if it were offered live. The depth and breadth of information contained in this single volume is unmatched by other books I've read. Equally important is the use of plain English and Horak's writing style making this book eminently readable.

Horak has created a full course in a single book that will give the reader more overall knowledge of telecommunications and data communications than most practitioners working in the field today. In my years in this field I have not been more impressed by a single publication. I enthusiastically recommend this book to all who want to better understand this industry: be they students, professionals, or merely interested.

Jeff Owen is an independent consultant with 20+ years experience in telecommunications/networking and IT. He has worked in engineering, project management, and management positions for major corporations in the telecommunications, finance, aerospace, and IT consultancy industries. As an industry analyst for Datapro and Gartner, Owen authored numerous analytical reports published for international consumption.