The unpredictable certainty : information infrastructure through 2000 / NII 2000 Steering Committee, Computer Science and Telecommunications Board, Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). NII 2000 Steering Committee.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Information superhighway--Government policy--United States.

Information superhighway.

Information networks--Government policy--United States.

Information networks.

Telecommunication policy--United States.

Telecommunication policy.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (297 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1996.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

We have available an impressive array of information technology. We can transmit literature, movies, music, and talk. Government, businesses, and individuals are eager to go on-line to buy, sell, teach, learn, and more. How, then, should we go about developing an infrastructure for on- line communication among everyone everywhere? The Unpredictable Certainty explores the national information infrastructure (NII) as the collection of all public and private information services. But how and when will the NII become a reality? How will more and better services reach the home, small businesses, and remote locations? The Unpredictable Certainty examines who will finance the NII, exploring how technology companies decide to invest in deployment and the the vain search for "killer apps" (applications that drive markets). It discusses who will pay for ongoing services and how they will pay, looking at past cost/price models relevant to the future. The Unpredictable Certainty discusses the underlying technologies, appliances, and services needed before the NII becomes a reality; reviews key features of important technologies; and analyzes current levels of deployment in telephone, cable and broadcast television, and wireless systems, and the difficulties in interconnection. The volume explores the challenge of open interfaces that stimulate new applications but also facilitate competition, the trend toward the separation of infrastructure from specific services, the tension between mature services and new contenders, the growth of the Internet, and more. The roles governments at different levels might play in fostering NII deployment are outlined, including R&D and the use of information infrastructure for better delivery of government services and information.

Contents:

The Unpredictable CERTAINTY

Copyright

Preface

Contents

1 Introduction and Summary

DEFINING THE NATIONAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE

DRIVING DEPLOYMENT: BUSINESS TRANSITIONS, BUSINESS MODELS

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INTERNET

As a Barometer of Potential

As a Laboratory for Development of Workable Standards

As a Basis for Critical Flexibility

As a Vehicle for New Market Structures

Whither the Internet?

REALIZING THE NII'S POTENTIAL-THE USER PERSPECTIVE

DEPLOYMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY

Access

Flexibility and Interoperability

Additional Technology Concerns

User Interaction with Networked Infrastructure

PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE OBJECTIVES

ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT

NOTES

2 Making Technology Work: Individual and Organized End Users

WHO IS THE END USER?

WHY THE NII MUST REACH THE HOME

EVOLVING DEMAND FOR NII CAPABILITIES

THE END USER AS CONSUMER

ACCESS DEVICES

The Personal Computer

The Television

Advanced Television

The Telephone and Other Access Devices

Toward a Fully Integrated Home System

WHAT INCREASING USE OF GENERAL-ACCESS DEVICES IMPLIES FOR NETWORKING TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT

High Data Rates to the End Point

Adequate Bandwidth in Both Directions

Multiple-Session Capability

Continuous Availability of Service

Real-time, Multimedia Communication

Nomadicity

Security

CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS

3 Where Is the Business Case?

FACTORS SHAPING INVESTMENT IN INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE

INVESTMENT IN FACILITIES

The Problem of How Much Bandwidth to Invest In

Federal Licenses as an Influence on Deployment of New Wireless Systems

Investing to Achieve Infrastructure Generality

FROM FACILITIES TO SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS

Balancing Investment-Software ''Capital.

The Separation of Services from Facilities- Broadening the Potential Content

THE INTERNET AND ITS USE FOR BUSINESS

Effects on Provision of Goods and Services

The Internet-Layering, Incrementalism, and Diversification

INCREMENTAL INCREASES

ARRANGEMENTS FOR INTERCONNECTION

ECONOMIC MODELS

Usage-based Fees for Communications and Information Services

Embedded or Domain-specific Services

The Broadcast Model

End-User Devices Paid for by Consumers

The Access Subscription Model

Payment Models and the Internet Phenomenon

4 Technology Options and Capabilities: What Does What, How

THE CHANGING NATURE OF TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

HOW TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY ARE CHANGING COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES

Separation of Infrastructure Facilities and Service Offerings

Building Services on Each Other

The Tension Between Supporting Mature and Emerging Services

RESOLVING THE TENSION: THE INTERNET AS AN EXAMPLE

The Importance of the Internet

The Coexistence of New and Mature Services

CURRENT TECHNOLOGY-EVALUATING THE OPTIONS

Hybrid Fiber Coaxial Cable

Fiber to the Curb

Digital Services and the Telephone Infrastructure

Data Over the Telephone System

Asynchronous Transfer Mode

Local Area Networks

Wireless

Broadcasting

Satellite

Power Industry as Infrastructure Provider

The Internet

Change and Growth

Transport Infrastructure to Information Infrastructure

Open Interfaces and Open Standards

STANDARDS AND INNOVATION IN THE MARKETPLACE

MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE

5 Technology Choices: What Are the Providers Deploying?

INTRODUCTION

WIRELINE TELEPHONY

Summary and Forecasts

Local Access and the Larger System

Integrated Services Digital Network

Telephone Industry Fiber Deployment.

Demand for Telephone Services

DATA COMMUNICATIONS

Data Services Provided by Telephone Carriers

Business Networking

CABLE TELEVISION AND TELEPHONY: ADVANCED SERVICES TO THE HOME

Advanced Cable and Telephone Services to the Home

ON-LINE SERVICES AND INTERNET ACCESS FOR CONSUMERS

On-line Services and Internet Access

WIRELESS AND BROADCAST INFRASTRUCTURE

Wireless Telephony

Wireless Data Networking

Terrestrial and Satellite Broadcast Television

Wireless Cable

Direct Broadcast Satellite

6 Public Policy and Private Action

Public-Private Engagement

NII Systems Issues

DEFINING ROLES FOR GOVERNMENT

Regulation, Rules, and Norms

Protecting the NII: Ethics and Mechanisms

Security, Reliability, and Architecture

Government as User and Service Provider

Technology Development Through R&amp

D

Architecture and Networking

Information Management and Ease of Use

Standards

International Issues

Systems Data and Analysis for NII Assessment

Government as Convenor

CONCLUSIONS

Bibliography

Appendixes

A Workshop Participants and Agenda

Participants

Agenda

B Forum Participants and Agenda

Forum Agenda

C Call for White Papers (Abridged)

Responding To The Call

Format Requirements Summary

Computer Science And Telecommunications Board

White Paper Criteria And Format

Criteria

Format

A. Statement of the Problem

B. Background (approximately 4 to 5 pages)

C. Analysis and Forecast (approximately 12 to 15 pages)

D. Recommendations (approximately 3 to 4 pages)

E. Additional Resources (optional)

D White Papers Received

E NII 2000 Liaisons

F Letter from Vice President Albert Gore March 6, 1995.

G Acronyms and Abbreviations Used.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 235-248).

ISBN:

9786610192151

9781280192159

1280192151

9780309596657

0309596653

9780585021133

0585021139

OCLC:

42328822