Communications trends

End users' needs are changing. Today, the business user is dependent on the network to work reliably in order to be productive. Network interruptions are slowing productivity. New installations and upgrades take too long. Applications are running slower as more people use the networks. E-mail is swamped with junk mail. Voice mail unblocked some communication, but even voice-mail boxes are overflowing. Users are experiencing excess information. These concerns are driving the demand for more reliable networks with higher bandwidth, more network management capabilities, and intelligent information processing. Technology evolves to meet the changing needs of the end users. Lower power management technology is being developed to increase portables battery life. High integration and innovative battery technology is being developed to lighten the loads of mobile end users. New audio video capabilities in personal computers will bring multimedia services to the desktop. Isochronous LANs will connect multimedia PCs together so that desktop video conferencing can be used to connect people and their workgroup tools together. New technology and applications revolutionize how people communicate, work and play.