Digitalization, Computerization and Packet based switching are the fundamental technological changes that have massively revolutionized the communication landscape during last two/three decades. As seen in the following, these technologies have massively improved resource utilization and increased the bandwidth capacity in the communication networks. Furthermore, these technologies have enabled possibilities for creation of new services and created conditions for gaining synergy in the technological development.
These changes have directly influenced the communication markets and the regulation framework, as they are the basis for the IP revolution, the convergence process and emergence of Next Generation Network (NGN) technologies, which in turn have reshaped and restructured different communication sectors.
This section is organised in three main parts:
- Digitalization. The development from analogue to digital is by far the most fundamental precondition for any other technological changes we have witnessed in recent years. Digitalization enables the integration of different services in the same network and enables synergy to be reaped in the whole value chain of service- production, distribution and consumption. Furthermore, digitalization enables expansion of resources in the access and core networks in a technical and cost efficient way.
- Computerization. Another vital fundamental development has been the deployment of computers in the production and consumption parts as well as within the network infrastructures. The role of Computers in production and consumption parts is quite obvious, but seen in the light of the objective of this report, it is important to emphasize the role of computers in the development of network infrastructures, including the deployment of computers in the Network nodes as a replacement for switches and as devices adding intelligence to the network nodes. Furthermore, the processing power affects the spectrum use and management.
- Packet based Switching. Packet switched technologies have had an important role in the more efficient utilization of the available resources in different network infrastructures and the creation of platforms enabling multi-service delivery in the same network, enabling real convergence. Different packet technologies have been developed with different advantages/disadvantages. Internet Protocol (IP) is the most successful packet-based technology and the dominant paradigm of today’s ICT infrastructures.