ISDN: an emerging electronic highway for business data communications

The implementation of the Integrated Services Digi tal Networks (ISDN) in most advanced nations of the world marks the beginning of the end of the traditional piecemeal approach to developments in communication networks ISDN, which is a product of digital technology, aims to integrate the existing disparate networks into a single electronic highway tor the combined transport of information in a multiplicity of formats While the provision of a whole portloho of services on a single line sounds ideal for the business environment, unfortunately, the main thrust for ISDN, at the moment, is coming from technological push rather than from market pull Many putential customers are sceptical about the usefulness of the ISDN service for a number of reasons such as cost, standardisation problems and the need to upgrade existing hardware The purpose of this paper is to make a detour of the ISDN landscape of Europe, North America and the Far East to review current developments and applications, and also to examine the reasons for the present low customer base for the service The ISDN service is likely to remain as nothing more than an expensive and sophisticated technologi cal highway unless telecommunication vendors play a more proactive role in promoting customer awareness through the development and demonstration of a whole range of new business-driven applications.