Broadband ISDN - the Next Generation Telecommunication Development

This paper discusses the technology base for Broadband ISDN (B-ISDN) developments, the evolution of telecommunication standards towards B-ISDN and the emerging broadband services driving network developments. The B-ISDN features a packet oriented Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) for the carriage and switching of all customer information. This common transport is adapted, as needed, for service applications using the ATM environment. Australia directly participates in the B-ISDN standardisation process. CClTT is expected to approve 13 Recommendations for B-ISDN this year. They cover: service, network and architecture aspects, ATM and adaptation layer specification and User-network interface structures. Within Australia a market drive towards B-ISDN service applications will be satisfied by using Metropolitan Area Networks and (potentially) Synchronous Digital Hierarchy facilities in advance of B-ISDN. From the mid-1990s, an initial data oriented B-ISDN network is expected to be established in Australia, with a truly multi-service B-ISDN being established over the subsequent 10 year period.