Integrated Services Digital Network

:ISDN is also short for isosorbide dinitrate

Types of communications handled

Amongst the kinds of data that can be moved over the 64 kbit/s channels are pulse-code modulated voice calls, providing access to the traditional voice PSTN. This information can be passed between the network and the user end-point at call set-up time.

Related Topics:
Pulse-code modulated - PSTN

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In North America, ISDN is nowadays mostly used as an alternative to analog connection, most commonly for Internet access. Some of the services envisaged as being delivered over ISDN are now delivered over the Internet instead. In Europe, and in Germany in particular, ISDN has been successfully marketed as a phone with features, as opposed to a POTS phone (Plain Old Telephone Service) with little to no features. In North America, POTS phones can have all manner of advanced features (Three-Way Call, Call Forwarding, Caller ID, etc), but in Germany, these services are usually only available to ISDN subscribers.

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Where an analog connection would require a modem an ISDN connection requires a terminal adapter (TA).

Related Topics:
Modem - Terminal adapter

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