More intelligence and flexibility for communication network challenges for tomorrow's switching systems

The history of public communication networks is one of continuous development as regards their scope, the services they offer and their user facilities. Recently, fundamentally new basic technologies - microelectronics, fiber optics and optoelec-tronics - and a booming demand for communication have afforded considerable impetus to the development of these networks. The most important stages in this development are the digitalization of the telephone, network and the introduction of the 64 Mills ISDN that is now commencing on a worldwide scale. As the next and presumably (from the present point of view) last step in this evolution, work is now progressing on an intelligent; integrated broadband network that will supplement the narrowband infrastructure to an increasing extent and may finally supersede it at some time in the remote future. This process of evolution within tele-communications technology will demand particularly close cooperation between users, network operators and manufacturers. Research programs such as RACE (Research and development in Advanced Communications technologies in Europe) and German Bundespost's BERKOM project (Berliner Kommunikationsnetz) have to make an essential contribution to this develop ment.