IN rollout in Japan

The evolution of the intelligent network (IN) services and architecture of the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation (NTT) is discussed. The hierarchical structure of network functions, machine independent service execution environment, advanced service creation environment and service-independent platform of the IN architecture are reviewed. Advanced IN's impact and the technical issues that remain unsolved are described     

IN rollout in the United States

Individual perspectives on advanced intelligent network (AIN) implementation are presented from four regional companies in the Unites States: Bell Atlantic, BellSouth, Ameritech, and US WEST. These perspectives range from trial to deployment activities and address a range of capabilities supported by the AIN architecture. AIN participation by all regional companies in the United States is summarized     

Supporting the rollout of broadband in Europe: optical network research in the IST program

The introduction of affordable broadband services and applications will drive the next phase of deployment of optical networks. Research on optical networks and related photonics technologies, which has been a key element of the European Union's Research Programs over the past 15 years, has evolved in line with industry and market developments, and will continue, with a strong focus on broadband, in the Information Society Technologies (IST) priority of the new Framework Six Program. The infrastructure to deliver "broadband for all" is seen as the key future direction for optical networking, and the key growth market for industry.     

Digital TV rollout [US digital terrestrial TV]

The author examines whether the United States has got it wrong with digital terrestrial TV since, today, new digital terrestrial network services in the US are creating little interest, receivers are expensive and sales slow     

3G迫近中国华为傲立潮头

● 日益上升的扩容压力和至少一年的建设和完善周期,中国发放3G牌照刻不容缓。● 全球的广泛采用、终端的进步和互通能力的提高,WCDMA标准渐成主流。● 巨大投入、不懈努力和强强合作,使华为在3G上迎来了领先的机遇。     

Engineering education in Europe

The characteristics of engineering education in Europe in general are presented and compared to engineering education in the United Kingdom. Issues relating to the type of engineers required for an integrated Europe, the comparison of the technicians and engineers in Europe, and the importance of enterprise in the initial formation and continuing education are discussed. The importance of international cooperation and industrial links for improving engineering education in an integrated Europe is outlined     

欧洲的数据广播方式--兼介北美CATV、DTV参与移植活动简况

1前言在数字电视广播中,所谓的数据广播是在电视广播、声音广播基础上开展的一种多媒体业务。据报道,日本于2000年12月开始的BS数字广播中,就开展了应用广播记述语言(BML:BroadeastingMarkupLanguage)的数据广播。在欧洲,则由欧洲数字广播标准团体DVB制定了,称作“多媒体家用平台MHP(MultimediaHomePlatform)”规格的数据广播标准。这个DVB—MHP规格使所接收的多媒体应用,包括双向(互动)广播、游戏等业务均可实现。目前,它不仅在     

Broadband adoption in Europe

The widespread availability and adoption of high-speed broadband Internet access by consumers is increasingly viewed in all developed nations not only as a key driver of information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities, but also of the overall prosperity and well being of the economy of a developed nation. Developed nations are seeking to promote rapid deployment of broadband, coupled with rapid adoption by consumers. Some countries, notably the United States, have sought to rely on competition among multiple broadband media to achieve broadband deployment. Since cable deployments tend to be limited in most European countries, the European approach has been heavily dependent on procompetitive regulation in order to achieve intramodal competition. In this paper, the author discussed the broadband adoption in Europe. It details the upsurge in broadband technology as well as the regulatory and policy issues.     

VLSI reliability in Europe

Several issue's regarding VLSI reliability research in Europe are discussed. Organizations involved in stimulating the activities on reliability by exchanging information or supporting research programs are described. Within one such program, ESPRIT, a technical interest group on IC reliability was formed to formulate particular needs and necessary improvements in education and research. In addition to ESPRIT research projects, there are smaller projects on reliability subjects. Two examples, one dealing with plastic-encapsulation and the other with electrostatic discharge, are treated in some detail. Some achievements in the areas of oxide breakdown and plastic encapsulated ICs in temperature cycling are also presented. A few opinions are offered on trends in reliability engineering, including reliability circuit simulation     

Cable Television in Europe

Cable television (CATV) is developing in Europe in response to three primary demands: the improvement of over-over-the-air reception of both television and FM radio channels, the provision of increased program diversity through the reception of additional foreign and domestic signals, and the reduction of numerous unsightly antennas. Technical advantages that cable provides are the primary reason for its success in meeting these demands and will largely determine the direction of the industry's development in the future. An awareness of the technical application of CATV in Europe is therefore important and is the principal focus of this paper.     

Lasers and Photodetectors in Europe

This paper reviews the European activities on fiber optic semiconductor devices for optical communication. Progress in the development of lasers, LED's, and photodetectors and also first attempts of monolithic integration are reported. Emphasis is put on materials and devices for the wavelength range of 1200-1600 nm and for high-speed transmission. Results of recent work are highlighted. So, for example, extremely high reliability and high optical output power of LED's and Fabry-Perot lasers have been achieved. MOCVD growth techniques are increasingly applied for device fabrication; for lasers, highly reproducible characteristics have been demonstrated. Development of dynamic singlemode lasers (DSM) is under progress with low threshold currents and good optical characteristics reported. First electrically tunable single-mode lasers and DSM lasers with parallel coupled cavities have been realized. Long wavelength p-i-n photodetectors have reached maturity. InGaAsP and CdHgTe avalanche photodiodes show excellent properties for high-speed long-haul transmission. First steps of monolithic integration of several optical and electrical functions have been made and specifically for p-i-n-FET combinations good results have been achieved. The plans of European PTT authorities to implement fiber optics in trunk lines and subscriber loops will further push the activities on optoelectronic device technology.     

Optical LAN activities in Europe

This paper provides an overview of European activities in the field of optical local-area networks (LAN's). The fully developed systems are currently at the process control and automation stage. Comparative estimates of the cost effectiveness of optical and electrical LAN's in industrial applications favor the optical systems. To date, deterministic protocols have predominately been used. Statistical access protocols are favored by Ethernet and are gaining in importance. Recent developments aim at mixed protocols which allow simultaneous transmission of both speech and data. The most important characteristics and results obtained with different optical LAN's are compared in a table.     

New data networks in Europe

This short paper, which serves as an introduction to the four papers that follow it, comments on the plans for international data communications in Europe. It points out that plans for public data networks, while understandably varying from country, to country, have a promising degree of compatibility and commonality.     

Telecommunication tariffs in central Europe

Higher telephone penetration and the availability of other telecommunication services are prerequisites for the overall development of economics in central Europe. Therefore, many of the countries in that region have commenced ambitious programs for the modernization and expansion of their telecommunication networks. The outdated tariff structures, inherited from periods of massive excess demand, could jeopardize these programs. The existing tariffs are briefly analyzed and a set of principles, based on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) experiences, which might govern tariff policies in central Europe in the future is presented     

Digital satellite networks in Europe

Developments of digital satellite networks are progressing in Europe at international as well as national levels. EUTELSAT and its signatories are actively setting up two regional networks based on the ECS satellites built by ESA. One will carry large bundles of telephone circuits between national gateways; the other will provide special services to corporate organizations and businesses. On the other hand, several countries are implementing or planning their own national networks, all for small-station services. These are France with Telecom 1, Sweden with TELE-X, Norway with NORSAT II, Italy with ITALSAT, the Federal Republic of Germany with DFS/Copernicus, and the United Kingdom with UNISAT. These projects are described here and their characteristics compared. The paper brings out the great diversity in the approaches, as illustrated by Telecom 1 where the accent is on the development of an ISDN, TELE-X where it is on the low cost of user stations, and ITALSAT on the flexibility of the network.