
CLASSROOM OPENER
HowStu-Works
www.howstu*works.com provides a wealth of knowledge ranging from computer
basics to network infrastructures. There are several demos and diagrams. Show
your students the site and demo the Internet Infrastructure.
CLASSROOM EXERCISE
Cell Phones and Airplanes
Break your students into groups and ask them to research the Internet to /nd the
reasons why people are required to turn o* their cell phones when they are on an
airplane. There are two reasons why cell phones are not allowed on an airplane:
1. The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) bans the use of cell phones on
airplanes because they could wreak havoc with cell phone systems on the
ground. Signals from your cell phone, when you use it on or near the ground,
reach just a few cell phone nodes near you and the node that is getting the
strongest signal picks up your call. If you move, while driving your car or
walking, the next node picks up the call. From the air, however, your phone's
signal could reach miles, hitting many nodes at once, all with equal strength.
Plus, you are moving at several hundred miles an hour. Cell phone systems were
not designed to handle that.
2. The Federal Aviation Administration, for its part, supports the FCC ban for its
own reasons. They fear cell phones may interfere with navigation and other
aircraft systems.
Incident reports submitted by airline crews also demonstrate the potential for
trouble. NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System's "Passenger Electronic Devises
Database Report Set" -- which could be subtitled "passengers behaving badly" --
contains several reports of incidents involving passengers whose "personal
electronic devices" seemed to create disturbances in aircrafts' electronic systems.
Nokia is a well known cell phone manufacturer, it is suggested that you go into
some depth on how Nokia got started. Here is the timeline:
1865 - Fredrik Idestam establishes a wood pulp mill on the banks of the
Tammerkoski Rapids. The event is generally considered the starting point for
Nokia's history. The small wood pulp mill quickly grew into a well-established
paper industry.
1871 - Idestam renames his company Nokia Ab. The product range was initially
extended from wood pulp to paper and sulphite cellulose, to be followed by
electricity generation in 1902.
1898 - Eduard Polón establishes the Finnish Rubber Works. During its early
years, the factory produced shoes, boots and overshoes, as well as industrial
hoses and belts.
1912 - Arvid Wickström establishes Suomen Punomotehdas Oy. The company
was the first Finnish company to manufacture electrical wires and cables.
1933 - Nokia's first car tire, with a summer tread, is launched.
Networks and Telecommunications - Instructor’s Manual Page 3 of 6