Highway of Dreams - A Critical View Along the Information Superhighway

This important volume reviews the history of the telecommunication superhighway pointing out its beginnings in the interactive TV and broadband highway of the wired cities more than two decades ago. It explains the technological uncertainties of the superhighway and many of its futuristic services, and also gives an understandable review of the technological principles behind today's modern telecommunication networks and systems.

Recognizing that technology is only one factor in shaping the future, the author, a well-recognized telecommunications expert, analyzes the financial, policy, business, and consumer issues that undermine the superhighway. The book concludes by showing that today's switched telephone network and CATV systems already form a telecommunication superhighway carrying voice, data, image, and video communication for a wide variety of services that enable us to stay in contact with anyone anywhere on our planet.

Highway of Dreams is written clearly with understandable explanations for nonspecialists. It challenges the technological utopia offered by the promoters of the superhighway and suggests that consumer needs, finance, corporate culture, and policy often have far greater impact on the future than technology alone.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Contents: Foreword. Preface. Introduction. A Technological Utopia. Historical Perspective: Lesson From the Past. History Repeats Itself: Lesson From Today. Technological Uncertainties. Financial Viability. Consumer Need. Business Considerations. Policy and Regulatory Issues. The Internet Exposed. Pitfalls of Trials. A Secret: The Superhighway Is Already Here! Dreams of the Future. A Final Perspective. Appendices: Technology Primer. Financial Tables.

Über den Autor / die Autorin

Noll, A. Michael

Zusammenfassung

Tracing the history of the telecommunications highway, this text explains the technological uncertainties and many of its futuristic services. It examines the impact of financial, policy, business, and consumer issues that effect and undermine the superhighway.

Produktdetails

• Autoren: A Michael Noll, A. Michael Noll, Noll A. Michael
• Verlag: Taylor and Francis
• Sprache: Englisch
• Produktform: Taschenbuch
• Erschienen: 01.10.1996
• EAN: 9780805825589
• ISBN: 978-0-8058-2558-9
• Seiten: 252
• Gewicht: 470 g
• Serie: LEA Telecommunications Series
• Themen: Sozialwissenschaften, Recht,Wirtschaft > Medien, Kommunikation > Allgemeines, Lexika; HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, COMPUTERS / Networking / General, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Industries / Media & Communications, COMPUTERS / History, Social and cultural history, History of engineering & technology, Computer networking & communications, Media, Information & Communication Industries, Internet Guides & Online Services, Internet guides and online services, COMPUTERS / Internet / Web Services & APIs, Computer networking and communications, History of Computing, digital and information technologies