Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary

Webster’s New World Telecom Dictionary, by Ray Horak, is a comprehensive telecommunications dictionary of more than 7,500 terms critical to understanding voice, data, video, and multimedia communications system and network technologies, applications, and regulation. Given the convergence of computing and communications, the book also effectively is a computer dictionary with a telecom focus. It is thoroughly researched, highly objective, absolutely accurate, and includes just about every essential term, abbreviation, acronym, contraction, initialism, and portmanteau you might encounter in the telecom and datacom domains. Although the book is a technical dictionary, Horak’s plain-English, commonsense style yields definitions that are as thoroughly understandable to the business professional or student as they are to the electrical engineer. In fact, many entries are encyclopedic in nature, discussing applications and issues. Horak also injects a bit of his wry sense of humor, sprinkling occasional telecom trivia and marginally related definitions that will have you smiling and chuckling to yourself, but not to the point that they detract from what is an important book on a serious subject. An instant classic, Webster’s New World Telecom Dictionary is the one and only telecom dictionary you will need. It also makes a perfect companion to Horak’s Telecommunications and Data Communications Handbook, published by Wiley-Interscience in October 2007.

Customer Reviews:

Good as far as it goes

By Graybeard - December 12, 2008

Webster's World Telecom Dictionary is very good as far as it goes, but it does not go far enough to earn a 5-star rating. Its definitions are well written. They are written in the same agreeable style as the definitions in Newton's Telecom Dictionary, which comes as no surprise since the author of Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary previously worked on multiple editions of Newton's. Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary also resembles Newton's in its having some humorous definitions tucked in here and there. Webster's also has an attractive layout. Typographically, it's beautiful. The problem with Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary is that it has less than one-fifth the definitions that are in Newton's Telecom Dictionary. As someone who has worked in the telecommunications industry for over two decades, I can say with certainty that Newton's is the better alternative for people who work in the industry. If you are a telecom or networking professional, you will have a much... read more

adequate

By A. Stevens "firestormhorse" - November 4, 2011

Although this book does not have all of the terms I needed information for, I did find that it does have most of the terms used in telephony. The definitions are clear and concise. If you need a dictionary on telephony, do not need information on little details and do not have the money to aford the other, this book will get you by. If however, you need information on little details such as switchtails, then this book will not do.

A valuable addition to your Telecom Library

By John Downing - April 1, 2008

I review books in my role as a VoIP & SIP trainer for TrainingCity.com. When students ask me what to buy, I always recommend that they have a technical dictionary close at hand.

I am now recommending they have two, the old one and "Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary". I know it seems like overkill, but in fact these two books are both on my list of "must haves" for 2008. Webster's dictionary is focused, includes diagrams, and provides timely, accurate information.

Buying two or more books is never easy, so I often suggest students speak with their managers and discuss buying a "team library" of books that can be shared by everyone in the group. Often companies have a book budget, it can't hurt to ask!