Business of Telecommunications

Subject ELEN90068 (2015)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2015.

Credit Points: 12.5
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Semester 1, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period 02-Mar-2015 to 31-May-2015
Assessment Period End 26-Jun-2015
Last date to Self-Enrol 13-Mar-2015
Census Date 31-Mar-2015
Last date to Withdraw without fail 08-May-2015


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 36 hours of lectures
Total Time Commitment:

200 hours

Prerequisites:

4-year Electrical Engineering degree or equivalent.

Corequisites:

None

Recommended Background Knowledge:

None

Non Allowed Subjects:

None

Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Coordinator

Prof William Shieh

Contact

email: shiehw@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

AIMS

This subject provides an introduction to the business side of telecommunications, breaking down the business into market segments - retail, enterprise, wholesale - to understand what drives each of the business areas and how government regulations impact their business.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

To understand how a Telecommunications Company delivers service to their customer, the following topics will be included:

  • Telecoms marketplace (retail, enterprise, wholesale, network)
  • Telecoms market views (Australia, SEA, Europe, Americas)
  • Overview of BSS and OSS systems
  • Telco processes – as defined by eTOM
  • Products – definition / creation
  • Services – definition / creation / existing standards
  • Systems Integration
  • Terminology
  • Contracts and SLA management
Learning Outcomes:

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILO)

On completion of this subject, the students should have developed a broad knowledge of the business of a Service Provider with a solid understanding of:

  1. Telco product structure / theory / concepts
  2. Practical knowledge of real life products
  3. Network management / service assurance
  4. Practical knowledge of various network technologies (IP, Ethernet, MPLS, SDH, FTTP, etc.)
  5. BSS/OSS architecture - practical understanding
  6. Network abstraction / metadata modelling
  7. Telco data model (SID etc.)
  8. Telecoms Business Processes – Lead-to-Cash, Order-to-Activation, Plan & Build, etc.
  9. Process analysis/design as a generic skill
  10. SLA management
  11. Knowledge of specific BSS/OSS COTS products
  12. Trends (i.e. FTTN/FTTH) and topical issues (i.e. Social Media)
  13. Career options

As part of this course, case studies will help the students reinforce their learning with real life scenarios. Examples of these will be:

  • Implementing a new network technology and associated products – eg. Fictitious telco decides to sell cloud computing
  • Optimising and managing – case study in service assurance
  • Regulatory change and market structure – what will the introduction of the National Broadband Network be to the telco industry
  • Transformations –Telstra transformation experience or other similar study
Assessment:
  • Formally supervised 3 hour written examination, at the end of semester, worth 70%
  • Homework assignments throughout the semester (approximately 40-45 hours of work per student), worth 30%.

Hurdle requirement: Students must pass the end of semester examination to pass the subject.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) 1-13 are assessed in the final exam and submitted assignments.

Prescribed Texts:

TBA

Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

On completion of this subject, the students should have developed:

  • Problem solving and analytical skills
  • Critical and creative thinking, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning
  • Sense of intellectual curiosity
  • Ability to interpret data and research results
  • Ability to learn in a range of ways, including through information and communication technologies
  • Capacity to confront unfamiliar problems
  • Ability to evaluate and synthesise the research and professional literature
  • Ability to develop models of practical applications and evaluate their performance by rigorous analytical means
Notes:

LEARNING AND TEACHING METHODS

The subject is delivered through lectures

INDICATIVE KEY LEARNING RESOURCES

Students are provided with lecture slides, and case studies.

CAREERS / INDUSTRY LINKS

This course is designed and delivered by an industry based expert in the field who brings and industry perspective and industrial experience to the subject.

Related Course(s): Master of Telecommunications Engineering

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