Bereczky – Question 1
Paradigm Shift in Telecommunication Technologies
1
Introduction
The world is one of paradigm shifts. That of telecommunication technologies is driven by consumers of information and communication tools and services, who have an insatiable desire to instantly gratify needs for efficient, reliable and precise technologies. The society of today is one whose needs are reliant on technologies that aim to bring together data from varied sources. Similar to the notion of sustainable development, technological convergence is an evolving concept. In this sense, one needs to understand that it calls for the balance of knowledge between opportunities and challenges for the industry, policy makers and for society at large. This brief essay first attempts a definition of the concept at hand and, second, describes major trends within the industry.
2
Defining the Notion
The term ‘technological convergence’ is one defining a process. At the very least, its definition should reflect five key elements characterizing the industry. First, there is an integration of the infrastructure, network platforms and related services that transmit any given data. Second, the former is regulated by policies and legislations through governmental and market institutions. Third, content is the reason for the birth of telecommunications technologies: therefore, its integrity and accuracy are vital to the process. Fourth, the devices, machines, that enable the consumption of the transmitted information are the lifeline for the execution of the process. Finally, the delivery of the content and its consumption are invaluable when speed of delivery is as its peak. The timeliness of the information and the ease of its consumption are an integral part of the process that is ‘technological convergence’. These five elements circumscribe the notion of ‘technological convergence’. This process demonstrates certain trends: six forming the paradigm shift of the industry are noted in the next section.
3
Shifts that set Trends
Six elements are offsetting the tradition roles and players of the industry. These refer to the broadcasters (one-to-many) and the telecommunication services providers (one-to-one), both of whom have previously set the scope of the information available, the spread of this information and the time of the information’s diffusion. Today, the following trends have created a notable paradigm shift in telecommunications.
1. Consumer driven industry: Consumers drive the change in technology through their specific
demands of content and of supportive technologies that allow them to make the best use of audio-visual material in innovative ways. 2. Innovative infrastructure technologies: As the consumers demand content of different nature and speed, engineers have had to develop routes that are most supportive of these kinds of data. Routes taken may be terrestrial, satellite, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), undersea cable systems, or Internet communications protocols. Newer means to deliver information of different nature are likely to emerge as speed and accuracy of information content increase in demand. 3. Innovative consumer technologies: As the change in the types of information consumed occurs and the infrastructure to deliver these also varies, newer personal devices are required to support these requests. As such, machines that sustain more ‘multimedia’ performances are increasingly emerging and further enabling interaction on two fronts. First, there will be more ways that consumers can interact with one another through smaller
1
Bereczky – Question 1
personal devices. Second, consumers will be able to manipulate data more efficiently and store larger quantities more accurately and timely. 4. Harmonisation of technologies: With the increase in the kinds of personal devices available to consumers, there is a great risk that some of these will not be compatible. Indeed, fears industry secrets are a vital concern. However, given that consumers are likely to move from one kind of personal device to another depending on the advantages observable at any given time, compatibility between most is essential. This will enable consumers the widest scope of appreciation for technologies and their consumption of desirable information. 5. Harmonisation of legislation and policies: Together with the latter point, issues of data control or data access for national security purposes are important. However, these should not be enacted at the expense of recognizing consumer privacy and freedom to access to honest and transparent information of all type. Governments in this sense have a role to play in minimizing their impact on freedom of information sharing, while maximising their efficiency in protecting the welfare of citizens. 6. Closing the technology gap: While there is an increase in the availability and use of telecommunications technologies and including the developing world, there is a growing understanding that technological innovation aims to make the most efficient use of resources. As such, using newer technologies that make use of convergent engineering can revolutionise the efficiency of use of available technological and natural resources to create a world that is more sustainable. In this sense, newer devices are likely to be used as means to connect consumers with know-how to provide e-health, e-education and remote-communication.
4
Concluding Note
The process of ‘technological convergence’ offers massive opportunities for the development of new value-added services. Indeed, it can provide unparalleled conveniences, efficiency and the expansion of consumer choice. In essence, there is an evident growth in the demand for machines that support digital technology that allow both traditional and new communication services to be provided over the same networks, at higher speeds, lower prices, and with more accuracy and efficiency. Technological convergence is a process that promises to be a catalyst not just for the integration of the world economy, but also for the sustained living of our world’s people through the better manipulation of information. What remains a challenge, however, is the proper channeling of the know-how that novel telecommunication engineering has developed so to provide every corner of the world with the chance to succeed in a healthy and safe environment.
Word Count: 951
2