Digital communication of voice: development of Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN) and its implications for Information Management

The implementation of a digital switched transmission net work, whilst primarily for voice, offers several advantages over the traditional analogue mode of transmission. One of the most important benefits to be offered by digital switched networks is that they provide the opportunity for the integration of a whole range of voice and non-voice traffic on an end-to-end digital link. Indeed, the facility to access information in a wide variety of formats and media through integrated networks is becoming increasingly important for information services. Most leading industrialized nations are developing such Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN). Developments in the UK and the RACE (R&D in Advanced Communications Technol ogy for Europe) programme initiated by the EEC are discussed to give a taste of things to come. The implications of the availability of ISDN for information management are also examined very briefly.