As far as I know SE has no specific site to ask question about telco network like GSM/EDGE network. More of less SF deals with computer networking, system etc. Is SF an appropriate place to ask any question about Telecommunication network?
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3Yes. There was a telephony site that got closed as a duplicate (or merged into) ServerFault, so any telephone system that fits in the FaQ and site scope is OK here.– tombull89Commented Oct 3, 2012 at 9:27
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4 Answers
If you're asking questions about working on the telecommunications network, especially the mobile network, then certainly it's within the scope of Server Fault.
However, the problem is that it's a somewhat specialized industry and for some questions there may not be anyone here who can answer. Some questions may get no response, or be closed as too localized.
While you ask your question, keep in mind that we prefer practical questions. It's right in the FAQ: Ask questions based on actual problems that you face.
answered Oct 3, 2012 at 12:40
I'd say, why not? If you referring to GSM, just tag it accordingly. I'd be happy to answer SS7, GSM and GPRS related questions as long as there's no better or designated SE site for it.
answered Oct 3, 2012 at 23:09
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The part where it describes what kind of questions are on topic for SF. Commented Oct 4, 2012 at 21:31
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Yes, I read it. "Network routing, switches, and firewalls". OK. It's not specifically related to telecommunication networks. But anyway, I just figured out that meta.SF is not something I'd like to spend too much time into. I just take the chance trying to give useful answers in the case something about telecommunication pops up, taking the risk to be downvoted. Commented Oct 4, 2012 at 21:39
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Taken on its own that sentence from the FAQ almost looks like telco questions would be on topic but things change when you read that same sentence in context with the rest of that section. Commented Oct 4, 2012 at 21:53
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The telco business changed a lot in recent years. SS7 isn't not only transported exclusively via PCM30 any more, but via SIGTRAN, which is transported via SCTP, which is an IP-level protocol. Does that make it valid? And looking into the GTP-U protocol, which transports user-plane IP-traffic from the Radio Access Network to the GGSN - if that's not IP-networking, then I don't know. Commented Oct 4, 2012 at 22:00
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1Would it help if I compile a list of usecases to proof my claims? I don't want to troll around, start a flamewar or make people angry. I just feel that this is the right place. Networking professionals. A lot of people might be into it. Commented Oct 4, 2012 at 22:06
Only questions that fit the defined parameters described in the FAQ are on topic for SF. I really can't imagine any GSM/EDGE questions meeting those criteria but if they do then by all means post them. I think the telephony questions that are on topic will generally be more about systems such as Asterisk but feel free to prove me wrong.
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I don't see why those kind of questions couldn't be posted to SF as long as no better SE site is available. Commented Oct 3, 2012 at 23:11
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1@Alexander, you need a lot better reason than just the lack of a more suitable site. I don't think there is an SE site about eating lunch, so do you think questions on that topic should also be allowed on SF? Commented Oct 4, 2012 at 7:33
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EE may be an OK place to ask some GSM/EDGE questions (relating to the protocols themselves) - It may even be more appropriate than SF when talking about the wire-level stuff underlying our traditional networks. I'd check with them first though (the same way you did with us) before jumping in: I don't spend enough time there to know if they'd consider this stuff wholly in-scope or not.– voretaq7 ModCommented Oct 4, 2012 at 15:17
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@voretaq7 To be honest... the telco-protocols aren't really related to electrical engineering. If I want to connect a call via ITUP I don't care miuch about what resistors are there to pull up the line. These are real protocol running over multiple ISO-layers (and: ISO by design, not by definition, like in IP) and if you ask someone who has to set up a GGSN router, if he cares about the line level encoding of his Gn-interface, he'll just say: "WHAT? It's a friggin' TenGigabitEthernet interface on a Cisco 7600!" Commented Oct 4, 2012 at 21:48
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Note: I don't want to start a flamewar. I just want to say that telco protocols are really not much different from what we're used to when we talk IP. It's just different. You have a hard time finding people on the Internet who really know about SS7-protocols or how the whole GPRS-stuff is really working. It'd be a shame to alienate those people just because it's not IP. We don't scare off people using Netbios, or are we? (ok, this might be disputable...;) Commented Oct 4, 2012 at 21:55
With the caveats that you ask questions in accordance with the FAQ, and bear in mind that specialized questions of that type may only attract tumbleweeds, I'd say go right ahead.
I've seen questions on here about PBX systems (not VOIP) and we even have a PBX tag, so questions about cellular networks (as related to professional systems administration) seem to me to be at least as on topic as questions about that dinosaur technology.
answered Oct 3, 2012 at 21:33
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"dinosaur technology"? Why are questions about SS7 and GPRS considered like that? Without those technologies mobile internet wouldn't be possible. Commented Oct 3, 2012 at 23:04
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1@AlexanderJanssen Uh, no. PBX systems (first created in the 60's) would be the "dinosaur technology" in that sentence. Commented Oct 3, 2012 at 23:06
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OK, I was wondering, because the OP was specifically reffering to the "GSM/EDGE network". Commented Oct 3, 2012 at 23:07