Convergence of voice and data telecommunications transmissions

Our insatiable need for instant information will continue to make telecommunication systems an increasingly integral part of our society, demanding ever more services for real-time data and, of course, reliable networks. Mobility in society is key today, and the ability to be "always connected" is crucial not only to business people, but to the general consumer as well. Couple this with the explosion of the Internet, and the stage is set for a tremendous growth in the telecommunications infrastructure that will be required to support this revolution. This paper examines the driving forces behind the growth, as well as the likely trends over the next several years. The demand for data is expected to increase fourteen fold over the next 4 years, while the demand for voice transmissions is expected to grow 30% a year. The transmission of these two previously distinct types of communication is now converging at high velocity via a unified telecommunications network. In this intense competitive environment, there is explosive growth in infrastructure that is behind the changes in broadband and the way companies are restructuring themselves or acquiring others. The author examines how these changes are affecting the types of telecommunication services we are seeing today, as well as what we are likely to see in the future, not only in terms of traditional telecommunication services but also how they may be bundled with data transmissions and how key telecom companies will deal with this changing business landscape.