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tandem office
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Two types of telephone switching networks(Left) The tandem, or local, network serves local offices and users; (right) the toll, or long-distance, network switches calls over long-distance circuits.
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tandem office

telephone communications
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Two types of telephone switching networks(Left) The tandem, or local, network serves local offices and users; (right) the toll, or long-distance, network switches calls over long-distance circuits.
Two types of telephone switching networks

(Left) The tandem, or local, network serves local offices and users; (right) the toll, or long-distance, network switches calls over long-distance circuits.

A tandem office is a telephone central office or switchboard specifically designed for interconnecting other telephone exchanges. Its primary function is to reduce the number of trunk circuits needed by serving as a hub for a cluster of local offices.12

In the hierarchical structure of the public switched telephone network (PSTN), local offices, also known as end offices, connect directly to customers. Tandem offices then manage traffic between these local offices, while toll offices handle long-distance communications. This organization was crucial for efficiently routing calls across the network. While the traditional hierarchy has evolved with advancements like Voice over IP (VoIP), the concept of specialized switching centers like tandem offices played a vital role in the development of telecommunications.2

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4 Britannica Sources
  1. tandem office
  2. telephone - Manual switching
  3. telephone - The switching network
  4. telephone - Coaxial cable

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