Part VI: The Part of Tens

Chapter List

Chapter 16: Ten Acronyms and What They Really Mean

Chapter 17: Ten Troublesome Telecom Traits to Avoid

Chapter 18: Ten Places to Go for Hints and Help

In this part . . .

The Part of Tens contains three chapters of tens (I guess that’s one part of 30?), each with ten snippets you can use. Chapter 16 warms you up to telecom lingo, while Chapter 17 cools you down by giving you some realistic expectations of how the telecom industry actually muddles along. And Chapter 18 offers real-life bits of wisdom and helps you find the people, Web sites, and built-in safety nets that can make things work. In general, if you keep in mind all the information you discover in these three chapters you may just maintain some semblance of sanity in an industry that can be a little on the chaotic side. If all else fails, you can always turn to the Magic 8 Ball for consultation.

The appendix ends the book with all the information you need to build loopback plugs. These little guys are the best testing equipment available; all the better, you can build them for less than $10 and they’re simple to create. If you have a dedicated circuit, you need to read this appendix; in just a couple of pages you can make your life, and the life of your carrier, at least 95 percent less stressful.