Telecommunication Networks Architecture is the manner in which the components of thenetwork are organized and integrated to provide telecommunication services to users ofthe network. The objective of this course is to give the student a view of the technologyand other influences on the way networks are constructed.There are many different types of telecommunication networks, each with its own uniquefeatures. However, each network comprises hardware components (switches, routers,transmission, terminals) and sets of rules for the operation of the network (protocols).Large telecommunications networks such as the telephone network or the Internet areextremely complex in their structure and operation. To develop the architecture of suchnetworks a historical approach is taken in this course. Primitive networks such astelegraph networks are constructed using the same basic principles that exist in today'scomplex networks, but are much easier to understand. Technological advances haveenabled more complex networks to be implemented, but at the same time lowering thecost per user of providing service.In the development of network architecture there are major influences other thantechnology. In particular, government policy with respect to competition has forcedmajor changes in the way telephone network have been developed. Such influences andthe results are covered superficially in this course; an in-depth examination being morewithin the scope of a law school or business school course.