Geneva Calling: Isdn And Satellites At Telecom 87

34 EE February 1988 TEL,GENEVA CALLING: ISDN AND COIlito A brief look at some of the new technical concepts introduced at Telecom 87, the world"s largest and most comprehensive telecommunications exhibition held in Geneva last October. SATELLITES AT TELECOM 87 The main technical topic at Telecom 87 was integrated services digital network- ing, ISDN. The underlying principle of this far-reaching technical concept is the total integration of all electronic com- munication equipment in a network that allows continuous data transfer in all directions, at the highest possible speed. Ideally, wait times are eradicated, and every communication unit, whether this is an electronic typewriter, a telex, a grade-4 facsimile machine, or a voice synthesizer in a telephone exchange, can communicate direct to every other unit in the network. Communication is, therefore, interactive at all levels. An ISDN structure can only handle digital data, so that all types of analogue messages, including voi...