(ISDN).
There are
more than 100
million telephone
subseribers in
the United
States, all of
whom will be
able to have
ISDN in the
- home, Origin:
-. cenceived as a global pase
| tlens network available to both business
and domestic subseribers, ISDN will
slowly become available to the domestic
subscriber network as an increasing
number of local communications loops
As central office switches in large ur-
ban areas are adapted to provide ISDN
services primarily to the business com-
munity, opportunities will exist to pro-
i -ISDN to the home. This will parallel

stel
A subscriber connected to an ISDN ex-
change will have access to ISDN services
at a premium and to other digital ser-
vices at lower costs.

ISDN domestic services will be provid-
ed by the standard 2B--D Basic Rate ac-
cess (in other words, two 64K-bps chan-
nels for either voice or data plus a 16K-
bps signaling channel). Until ISDN
services are available on a large scale,
they are likely to be expensive (between
two to four times the cost of an eguiva-
lent analog service). :

ISDN at Home
ISDN's development in the domestic
subscriber market will depend on the
cost. to the user, the perceived benefits
and the marketing of the service. ISDN
digital services for the home will include
a k a
video telephones, automatic voice-mail
answer-phone facilities.

and

exchange sline

yellow pages, stock
and in-

PC WEEKNAPPLIGATION DEVELOPMENT — o
APPLIED INTELLIGENCE

and may not be good enough for a con-
sumer audience.

The introduction-of ISDN, however, al-
lows the 144K-bps Basic Rate Access to
be used for videoconferencing. The two
64K-bps B channels can be used to carry
the video and audio signals within a
bandwidth of 128K bps, while the D
channel is used to set up, route and ter-
minate the call.

The availability of video transmission
at speeds as low as 64K bps will revolu-
tionize telephone communications. While
the cost of videophones may start off
high, the cost should fall as low as $100
by the end of the 1990s.

Today most data communications in

ehildren's grandparents, while sending
them a facsimile copy of the children's
latest drawing or school report. Both
lines can be used separately or together.
'Telephone features will be greatly en-
hanced. The basic push-button telephone
will become all digital. It will contain a
liguid crystal display and will have a
number of preset function keys and a
small alphanumeric keyboard.

When the telephone rings, it will dis-
play the name and number of the caller,
Once you answer it, other callers trying
to get through to you will have their
name and number displayed on your

phone, giving you the option'to put one
of the calls on hold or to ignore the call.

New ISDN .
- Services at Home

[€ Oniine access
| to databases .
če Onlne
|. burgar and

going to bet

či

The keyboard on the telephone will al-
low short text messages to be sent to
someone who is unavailable.

sage mailbox, similar
machine, available to

to an answering
them in their local i

home-shopping medium, because users

di more people will use on-line services [or

APRIL 17, 1989

SDN in the Home Will Revolutionize Telecommuting

Developments in videoconferencing
and the widespread introduction of vid-
eophones will replace much of the need
for actual, day-to-day personal contact.
In time, the normal telephone network
will offer worldwide videoconferencing,
making some routine trips unnecessary
and freeing time for important face-to-
face meetings.

Rapidly spreading information net:
works, including video, will allow corpo-
rations, especially those in the service
and information industries, to decentral-
ize by setting up small offices inter-
linked with sophisticated telecommuni-
cations networks. People working in
these minioffices will spend less time
commuting and will work in less expen-
sive surroundings, while still retaining
essential communication services.

Over the next few years, there is go-
ing to be an explosion in homerrelated
information and entertainment services.
Vsers will have much better access to
traditional information databases and
enhanced database services incorporat-
ing video.

Enhanced Videotex

Lackk of good graphics has been one of
a oi gocd Eu SP RABE ENA

cannot, accurately see what they are
buying. ced videotex based on
ISDN will allow a color picture to be in-
serted into a standard videotex frame,
allowing consumers to preview their

pi '

Software libraries will provide access
to a multitude of different applications
programs that can be downloaded di-.
rectly into a home workstation. Many

applications such as banking and stock- .
brokerdge facilities. Investments will be
managed on an up-to-the-minute basis