Telephone Part 1
The original function of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) still exists today, but the concept of cascading switching centers is no more. Today switches have been replaced by what is known as IP transport, or more simply, the internet. Over 99% of all cell calls are completed using IP transport, and landlines are not far behind.
The address 60 Hudson Street (Figure 1) is the former headquarters of Western Union and today is one of the busiest internet interconnections points in the world, serving over 300 telecom carriers. With floors spanning over four acres, 111 Eighth Avenue (Figure 2) is New York City’s other massive carrier hotel. Long haul fiber routes throughout the Northeast and Midwest originate in the building. This includes a route to Chicago’s 350 E. Cermak Rd., offering vast on-ramp capacity to cloud service providers and making it the busiest internet interconnection building in the U.S.
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The original function of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) still exists today, but the concept of cascading switching centers is no more. Today switches have been replaced by what is known as IP transport, or more simply, the internet. Over 99% of all cell calls are completed using IP transport, and landlines are not far behind.
The address 60 Hudson Street (Figure 1) is the former headquarters of Western Union and today is one of the busiest internet interconnections points in the world, serving over 300 telecom carriers. With floors spanning over four acres, 111 Eighth Avenue (Figure 2) is New York City’s other massive carrier hotel. Long haul fiber routes throughout the Northeast and Midwest originate in the building. This includes a route to Chicago’s 350 E. Cermak Rd., offering vast on-ramp capacity to cloud service providers and making it the busiest internet interconnection building in the U.S.
