 remains to be seen how things will ultimately develop. This chapter will provide you with an overview of what's happening now which may provide a basis for where things are likely to go. Introduction One predictable aspect of the telecommunications industry is that the terminology keeps changing. Convergence is the term currently being used to describe the coming together of voice and data communications in a variety of ways. John Jainschigg, editor of Communications Convergence Magazine observes that convergence incorporates elements of engineering, logistics and human behavior. Each of these needs to work together. This means: 1. The technology has to be available. 140 2. The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 7 2. There must be resources and capable people to put the technology in place. 3. There must be an acceptance of the technology and what it can accomplish by both individuals and organizations. Figure 7.1 Convergence ENGINEERING LOGISTICS VOICE & DATA CONVERGENCE HUMAN BEHAVIOR Just as terminology changes, what constitutes convergence has changed as well over the past few decades. An Earlier View of Convergence In the 1970's and early '80s, PBX manufacturers added ca- pability for switching data to their systems, hoping to have the PBX assume the role of connecting computers to each other, both inside and outside the office. Telephones were manufactured with a separate data jack providing a place to plug in the computer. The Telecom Handbook * 141 CONVERGENCE OF VOICE & DATA The circuit boards supporting the telephones included separate ports for data transmission. This approach did not succeed largely because the people in charge of the computers wanted nothing to do with the telephone system or the department that managed it. In addition, it was a costly approach and viewed as impractical. At the time, LAN technology was in its infancy. The primary use for the data port was to connect PCs to the outside world through modems connected to the PBX. However, PBXs were very over- engineered, and thus expensive, to a