Transitioning the public switched telephone network into the 21st century

The public switched telephone network has served as a universal backbone of human communications for more than 130 years. It is not only an important technological achievements, but has also been governed by a social contract including universal service, competition and public safety. As the traditional circuit-switched, copper-based landline technology is replaced by packet-switched fiber and wireless and technology, we need to revisit fundamental aspects of the PSTN to make sure we can maintain the key aspects that have worked well for the past century. I will discuss the issues, choices and opportunities we have for overall architecture, universal service, numbering and naming, security, public safety and competition.