A network that relies on manual (human) intervention to set up and route connections was historically referred to as what type of switched network?

Introduction / Context:
Early telecommunications used manual switchboards in which human operators physically connected calls by plugging patch cords. This predates automatic electronic or digital switching and required human intervention for routing signals.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question refers to networks requiring human intervention for routing signals.
• We are contrasting with automatic topologies like bus, ring, or star, which describe physical layouts rather than manual switching operations.

Concept / Approach:
Manual, operator-assisted telephone switching is historically described as a telephony-switched (here denoted “T-switched”) network. Operators established circuits on demand by connecting caller and receiver through a series of manual switchboards.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Historical telephony references describe switchboard operators completing calls by inserting plugs into jacks, a clear example of human-routed circuit switching before automated exchanges.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Bus: a broadcast physical topology; no implication of manual routing.
• Ring: token or ring-based topology; automatic signaling.
• Star: hub/switch-centered topology; again automatic.
• None: incorrect because the operator-assisted form is explicitly described.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing network topology (physical layout) with switching method (manual vs automatic); assuming all switching has always been automatic.

Final Answer:
T-switched network (operator-assisted telephone switching)