wales@CS.UCLA.EDU.UUCP (04/13/87)
I received the following insert in my latest phone bill. (My phone
company is General Telephone; I'm in western Los Angeles.)
QUALITY AND CONVENIENCE . . . TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN THE 90'S
Today about 90 percent of the information carried over telephone
lines in the United States is through conversation, what we call
voice communication. But the demand for computerized data is
growing tremendously.
So we're working hard to make it as convenient for you to send
and receive both voice and data over your existing telephone line
as it is to use an electrical plug.
To do that, we're going to transform the existing public telephone
system.
Very soon, all kinds of telecommunications equipment, such as
telephones, alarm systems, computers and image facsimile machines,
will use a universal plug to connect to the telephone network. The
connection will be as receptive to your communications equipment as
electrical outlets are to appliances.
And unlike now, where each type of service often requires its own
telephone line, the future network will let you use a wide range of
techniques on a single phone line. For example, if you're install-
ing a burglar alarm, you won't have to install an additional tele-
phone line.
Services such as telecommuting (working by computer at home), elec-
tronic catalog shopping, electronic banking, electronic mail and
electronic libraries will be offered by businesses, financial insti-
tutions and merchandisers. Utilities will be able to read your gas,
water and electric meters remotely.
The potential of our telephone network is tremendous. And the con-
venience of having several services provided to you on a single
phone line will give you the flexibility to grow and change your
telephone service as the need arises.
Can anyone out there shed more light on what my local GTE people are
talking about here?
In particular, when they talk about "transforming" the existing system
so that everything will connect to it via a "universal plug", are they
thinking of the existing RJ11/RJ14 modular system, or something else?
-- Rich Wales // UCLA Computer Science Department // +1 213-825-5683
3531 Boelter Hall // Los Angeles, California 90024-1600 // USA
wales@CS.UCLA.EDU ...!(ucbvax,rutgers)!ucla-cs!wales
"Sir, there is a multilegged creature crawling on your shoulder."cuccia@UCBARPA.BERKELEY.EDU.UUCP (04/16/87)
In article <870413.184007z.01112.wales@DIANA.CS.UCLA.EDU> wales@CS.UCLA.EDU (Rich Wales) writes: >I received the following insert in my latest phone bill. (My phone >company is General Telephone; I'm in western Los Angeles.) > > QUALITY AND CONVENIENCE . . . TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN THE 90'S > > Today about 90 percent of the information carried over telephone > lines in the United States is through conversation, what we call > voice communication. But the demand for computerized data is > growing tremendously. > > So we're working hard to make it as convenient for you to send > and receive both voice and data over your existing telephone line > as it is to use an electrical plug. > >Can anyone out there shed more light on what my local GTE people are >talking about here? > >In particular, when they talk about "transforming" the existing system >so that everything will connect to it via a "universal plug", are they >thinking of the existing RJ11/RJ14 modular system, or something else? The head of ATT's CS research facility in Murray Hill came to Berkeley last month; he gave a talk on where network research at ATT was going now. Most of his talk centered on the Datakit processors, but the latter part orbited around ATT's recent work in both long-haul networking (ex: the new experimental network connecting Berkeley, UW-Madision, U. of Illinois, and Bell Murray Hill) and "local-area" networking. Work that has been done indicates that current wiring technology will allow data transfer rates on the order of 2 Mb. Not bad for non-twisted copper. One of the gizmos that has been built is a line-powered modem that plugs into the standard wall socket. Out the other end comes good old RS-232, all ready for your Blit or other terminal. ATT seems to be basing their work on current standard technology. I know nothing about GTE's work, though, so I can't say what they have up their sleeve... >-- Rich Wales // UCLA Computer Science Department // +1 213-825-5683 Bell Labs people: I'd like to find out more about the Datakit, and expecially the work that's been done implementing packet-based protocols (ie: X.25) on top of the Datakit "streams." Thanks, --Nick