The Digital Highway: Off Ramp to the Home

Abstract

The digital information super-highway has become a reality in the business world. The combination of LANs (real high-speed data) and high-speed modems (relatively low-speed data) has allowed business to begin transferring large amounts of information electronically. E-mail is rapidly becoming a universal communications tool. The next great challenge is delivering the benefits of the digital highway to the home. The transmission network is in place and the real challenge is delivering high-speed data overthe so-called 'last mile. This last mile has been the subject of much debate between designers of telephony, cable TV and satellite systems. There are many factors beyond technical issues that will influence the final solution. These include economic, political and cultural influences. Most experts seem to agree that the driving force behind providing home access to the digital highway is video services. These services require a very large bandwidth with most of the bandwidth going in one direction. Two-way video that requires high bandwidth in both directions is not yet developed to the point where one can be certain of public demand for it. This scenario is very different from business applications of the information super-highway that are dominated by two-way data transfers. The business world has embraced the super-highway and is using it. The home market is waiting for cost-effective access to new services before it will embrace the super-highway. The major solutions being proposed for the home access include solutions that build upon existing access means to the home. The telephony solution extends the fiber distribution system to the local loop (FITL) to either the home or curb to provide the off ramp. The cable TV solution uses a fiber hybrid coax (FHC) system to provide the access via the coax system that now is used for cable N. The satellite industry is looking at direct broadcast satellite systems with small dishes on each home as the access means to the home. Other solutions include using local radio or microwave links to provide wireless access to the home. The technical problems involved in providing the off ramp from the digital highway are very real but they are only part of the problem. All of these solutions must provide off ramps that include all capabilities available today plus new services without adding significant cost for the consumer. Basic services must be supported during emergencies and loss of power. These systems will require adoption by a high percentage of consumer to become economical. There are numerous regulatory issues that must be resolved. The role of various technologies such as ISDN, HDSL, ADSL and ATM will be explored by this panel. If multiple solutions evolve they must be compatible at both ends of the local system - the super-highway and the customer equipment that is used in the home. The opportunities and challenges for the communications industry are great entering the age of the information super-highway. The consumer must be provided with a seamless easy to use system that is cost effective and provides new services that are important to the consumer. The rewards of success will be great and the winners will dominate the industry for many years tocome.