Two books on the basic electronics of telephony and data communications, published in the mid-1980s by the Texas Instruments Information Publishing Center (Dallas, TX), have been updated and are now available from Sam`s Publishing (Indianapolis, IN).
Understanding Telephone Electronics, third edition (1994), covers the telephone system, speech circuits, dialing and ringing circuits, integrated circuits, digital transmission, the central office, the network, faxes, modems and wireless telephony. This illustrated paperback includes chapter quizzes with answers, a glossary and index. Originally written by two electrical engineering professors from Southern Methodist University, the third edition was revised by an engineer, Stephen J. Bigelow, and is available for $24.95.
Understanding Data Communications, fourth edition (1994), was written by four Southern Methodist University electrical engineering professors and subsequently updated by data-communications expert Gilbert Held. This 435-page paperback covers data terminal equipment, transmission channels, synchronous and asynchronous transmission, multiplexing, and fiber-optic and satellite communications. Network design, management and protocols, as well as local-area, packet and personal-computer networks, are also discussed. The book concludes with quizzes and answers, a glossary, bibliography and index. It retails for $29.99.