Implications of new technologies on future networks

Today's networks have been designed to handle voice traffic with speed and accuracy, but the needs of sophisticated customers can not be met easily with currently deployed technology. New technologies have arrived that can help the evolution to intelligent, fiber optic networks that are capable of serving customers' diverse voice, data, and video needs. In this paper we discuss advances in several areas of network technology that support increasingly demanding customer needs. As fiber in the loop becomes economical in the 1990's, the backbone network gives exchange carriers the opportunity to provide new services such as high bandwidth video transport. The fiber foundation, coupled with new network protocols and switch technologies, allow rapid, efficient routing and switching of varied customer service information. Increasing modularity of network components allows for rapid introduction of new services and technologies and provides an environment that stimulates competitive vendor products. The advances in technologies we discuss can provide capabilities to meet customer and business needs for high bandwidth and flexibility.