Good luck, sorry. You might like to try http://serverfault.com/ or http://www.groupstudy.com/ if it's Cisco gear, but they will only answer "study" questions, so make sure the two switches are Cisco, and part of your "at home testing lab".
It's something you will probably need to tone out with a coax toner. Even then, you will likely only be able to get one set up and running without the splitter. If you can visually trace the line and have a f-f coax adapter like this, go for it.
It is the billing between two carriers. In the US they will typically be LECs (ILEC/CLEC), CAPs, or LD providers. If you have any specific questions I can try to answer. I did interconnect billing and auditing for about 10 years.
When we had someone new start in the department we used to give them a copy of Newton's. It is a great way to get familiar with the terms.
https://www.amazon.com/Newtons-Telecom-Dictionary-Harry-Newton/dp/1736964909/
Aha.
Pretty much everything I use that's intended for use by telecom technicians has alligator clips like these which are specifically built for direct connection to 66 blocks like these: https://ast-labs.com/shop/test_clips/clips_bed_of_nails/alligator-clip-with-wire-piercing-bed-of-nails-and-single-spike-large-banana-female-4-mmangled-nose1-pair/
Most everything else has a modular cord coming off of it and works with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Siemon-TESTAR-2-Block-Adapter-2-Wire/dp/B00F3W7LES
The TS25D I had was a tank. I didn't see any of the screen issues, but this was also circa 2005, and it was a Harris before fluke bought them. The three biggest downsides I had with the 25D was the side switch would slide when I put it back in my bag, and then it would be on until the battery died. (I ended up getting one of these that I kept full of 9v because of that). The other issue I had was that it wasn't "Phone shaped" so when I would put it between my ear and shuldor, it would slip out half the time.
The reason I think the screen is essential (and why I went with the 52) is: 1. just by glancing I can see if the pair is reversed, the voltage on the line, if there is DSL data present, and in monitor mode, you can have a customer's prem equipment dial a number, and the DTMF will show on the phone's screen. Lastly I have my cell phone, and a few ANI numbers programmed into the speed dial so that i don't have to be fucking with dialing 10digits in the cold. Oh! also the TS25 buttons would double hit sometimes and that annoyed the shit out of me. The 52 doesn't do that.
Are you really trying to cut and strip 1/2" coax, or just normal residential coax?
For the latter, I just use this. Works fine.
It's old (seriously, 2002) and it's outdated, but that describes well a good chunk of the telecom/telephony infrastructure for a lot of organizations still, so it's a wonderful place to start. You can skip a good chunk of the broadband oriented part because: A. It has nothing to do with what you're trying to learn, B. It is really out-dated (Look forward to that shiny new cable broadband standard, DOCSIS 2.0!). But the telephony stuff at the beginning (ESPECIALLY the SS7 stuff if you end up with a serious dinosaur of a PBX to manage, it'll give you a good grounding in being able to read a PBX manual) is golden.