What is the wireless network equivalent of a wireline network central office?

What is the wireless network equivalent of a wireline network central office?

• A. Public Switched Telephone Network
• B. Data Center
• C. Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
• D. Base Station Controller

Answer: (C)

The main concept is identifying where call control and interconnection to the broader network reside in a wireless system. The Mobile Switching Center acts as the central switch for circuit‑switched calls, handling call setup, routing to other networks, roaming, and interworking with the public telephone network. This role mirrors a wireline central office, which provides local switching and connects to long‑distance networks. The Base Station Controller manages radio resources and hands off calls within the radio network, but it doesn’t perform the core interconnection to the public network or route calls to external networks. The PSTN is the traditional landline network itself, not the wireless core, and a Data Center is just a facility for servers, not the network’s switch.

The main concept is identifying where call control and interconnection to the broader network reside in a wireless system. The Mobile Switching Center acts as the central switch for circuit‑switched calls, handling call setup, routing to other networks, roaming, and interworking with the public telephone network. This role mirrors a wireline central office, which provides local switching and connects to long‑distance networks. The Base Station Controller manages radio resources and hands off calls within the radio network, but it doesn’t perform the core interconnection to the public network or route calls to external networks. The PSTN is the traditional landline network itself, not the wireless core, and a Data Center is just a facility for servers, not the network’s switch.