work we hear 80-90% have since moved their voice traffic on to virtual networks, so much about today, the customer will demand and get totally as the price of switched voice service has fallen. unregulated competition. The trends in customer needs, technology and regulation are How will this new technology platform evolve from today's combining to create an entirely new kind of network, with new network? We will see increased utilisation of wideband access. Foreword Initially there will simply be more and smaller sites, but once in the form of B-ISDN, broadband video, or other services, by connected experience has shown that data traffic, especially LAN adding interfaces at the ends of the network and service nodes to LAN interconnection, increases dramatically when all sites of a within the network. business can flexibly communicate with each other. Five hundred years ago a European voyage of discovery led to the Next we will see interswitching of wideband service - once opening of new markets and new worlds. Today the telecommuni- businesses can transparently connect at arbitrary rates, there will be cations world is embarking on a similar voyage, with even greater an accelerated drive to switch data. Initially this will be between potentials. But on this voyage our pole star must be the needs of corporate locations, but soon after there will be a demand to connect customers, for it is customers who create new wealth and prosperity. with networks from other companies. These needs will be met by By doing SO we will succeed in building a new economy - a the addition of service nodes, for example a frame relay switch, as networked economy - for the greater benefit of all. required at the most convenient points in the network. Finally we will see the evolution to broadband. Since fibre will be used in both the access and transport networks, there will no longer Desmond F Hudson be an inherent limitation to broadband service. Therefore, as the President and Chief Executive need surfaces, it will be possible to intro