ll equipment and cabling systems. To transfer users from one network to another as part of the effort to manage overall network performance. To document and maintain cable and circuit test data. To manage important vendor relationships, purchasing, tech- nical support, returns and service. To administer names and addresses and track all network equipment, cables and circuits for departments, users, man- agers and technicians. To design new networks within the infrastructure and to pro- duce reports and analysis detailing equipment and cabling requirements for them. The focus of this chapter has been cabling on a business premise, but cabling also carries most transmissions between locations. For more information on purchasing cable see How to Write an RFP for a Telecommunications Cabling System by Don Bodnar. Available at 1-800-LIBRARY or www.cmpbooks.com 270 * The Telecom Handbook PART IV Telecommunications Industry The Telecom Handbook 12 271 Taylor & Francis Taylor & Francis Group http://taylorandfrancis.com CHAPTER 13 Understanding the Telecommunications Industry Who Does What The purpose here is to provide you with an understanding of the different types of companies that make up the continually changing telecommunications industry. Before 1984, the telecommunications industry was relatively simple to understand. Much of the United States was served by a single organization known as the Bell System and the balance of the country was served Independent Telephone Companies, sev- eral large and many small. These companies sold most telecommunications equipment and services including (1) business telephone systems, (2) tele- phones, (3) cabling for your office, (4) local outside lines for placing both local and long distance calls and (5) data communi- cations circuits with the needed equipment. Everything was billed to you on a single invoice each month. After the break up of the Bell System monopoly and the re- sulting court judgments, companies in the telecommunications industry became more specialized. Some 