Technology Trends
Mark Norris · 2001
In this chapter, we have looked at half a dozen of the major trends in communications. Specifically, we have explained the move: From Narrowband to Broadband, driven by greater volumes of communications and hence demand for more network capacity. From Voice to Multiservice Networks, driven by a desire to support the growing market for data along with the established one for voice. From Desktop to Core Network, where the end user is provided with all of the elements needed to control the resources at their disposal to deliver the desired information. From Wires to Wireless, driven by the ‘virtual worker’ who wants to have access to their network from anywhere. From Switched to Intelligent Network, so that new services can be added without having to change the configuration of the whole network. Finally, we looked briefly at the current state of Computer Telephony Integration as an indicator of the way in which computing and communications technologies are coming together.