Identify and discuss the differences between telecommunications protocols. What are critical elements, how do they operate, what are their vulnerabilities other than cyber based attacks. Solution In a large organization the distinction of telecommunications and networking can vary depending how the organization is structured. I\'ve worked in smaller companies where anything technology related came under the responsibility of the IT (information technology) department. In larger organizations the roles get a bit more defined and separated. For instance, in a large organization someone specializing in telecommunications may have little or no role in understanding computer servers and network operating systems. I am answering this from my very personal perspective. I began working in the 1970s in telecommunications. In the military that meant I installed and repaired radio communications and telephone equipment. In the commercial world I had an FCC (Federal Communications License) which allowed me to work on radio communications equipment. In the 1990s I began working in computer networking, which would be IT (information technology). I see the distinction there as information is data driven. My responsibilities are computer servers and network operating systems. The basic premise of a computer network is to share a resource. The device which allows the resource top be shared is a server. For instance, a print server allows a printer to be shared, a file server allows files to be shared. In my current position my title includes \"telecommunications and networking.\" My telecommunications responsibilities include telephones. Now with IP (internet protocol) based phones, you have the questions of, is it a phone system problem, or a network problem. The separation was a lot \"cleaner\" as far as responsibilities before IP based phones. My telecommunications responsibilities also include things like the internal network wiring and dealing with the external issues regarding the connectivity to the building. My networking (IT) responsibilities are the maintenance of the computer servers and the network operating systems that allow resources to be shared. In telecommunications terminology, the word protocol is used to address some specified sets of rules and regulations that govern the process of digital information exchange between two distant entities. Further, as telecommunications is a vast field that embodies many communication technologies, multiple protocols work in different areas of digital communication to serve the process of data exchange. Some major areas include PSTN (public switched telephone network) communication protocols, cellular communication protocols, data networking protocols and hybrid communication protocols. PSTN Protocol PSTN protocols (or telephonic communication protocols) are the oldest communication protocols in action, and generally regulate the process of communication between local exchanges, home telephones and gatew.