Hi Troy,
Per our conversation :
At Work With ADSL: More Than Bandwidth
data.com
Cheers,
Tom
Ask the experts to list the ADSL advantages and they're likely to highlight two: higher bandwidth and lower
line charges. True, bigger pipes and smaller bills are big benefits. But they're also just the beginning. a The
best thing about ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) isn't the technology itself. It's the applications that
ADSL makes possible. Today, eye-popping apps like real-time videoconferencing, Web hosting, video
streaming, and video-on-demand are out of reach for most remote users. But use ADSL as a business tool
and the corporate network can be extended to telecommuters, branch offices, and business partners who
find T1 (1.544-Mbit/s) access economically unfeasible and ISDN inadequate. (Even with ISDN's multilink
facility delivering 128 kbit/s, the technology isn't up to the demands of bandwidth-hungry apps like image
transfers and heavy Internet usage-much less real-time videoconferencing. Remember, 128 kbit/s is barely
1 percent of Ethernet's 10-Mbit/s rates.)
ADSL exploits the unused spectrum capacity in ordinary phone lines, employing advanced modulation
techniques to transmit data at rates of up to 8 Mbit/s downstream and up to 1 Mbit/s upstream. And in spite
of that huge increase in capacity, regular phone service remains undisturbed. That means one ADSL line can
offer simultaneous channels for data, voice, and video services.
ADSL Advantages
Net managers who want to understand how those applications can be implemented may want to consider
ADSL's inherent advantages. Because ADSL connections are point-to-point, circuits are always up, just as
with leased lines. This continuous connectivity frees users from having to dial up every time they want to
connect to the network. And because ADSL isn't circuit-switched, it's unaffected by congestion at the
provider's POP (point of presence)-something that can seriously degrade ISDN performance given the
amount of dial-up Internet traffic now traveling over the local loop.
Point-to-point connections also give ADSL the advantage over ISDN and cable modems in terms of
security; ISDN travels over the public network, and cable modems mainly use shared-access media.
Moreover, ADSL allows integration of the last-mile circuit into an end-to-end architecture protected by
upper-layer mechanisms like VPN (virtual private network) tunneling.
ADSL enables reliable services that will not interfere with telephone service in case of power outages. If the
power is out, so are ISDN lines and cable modems. Although high-speed ADSL won't be available during
outages, the line can still be used for analog transmissions.
But remember, ADSL's real payoff comes in extending collaborative workgroup applications, such as data
and screen sharing, to remote workers.
Nowhere is this more true than in the area of CTI (computer-telephony integration). Because of its higher
bandwidth and low cost, ADSL is likely to spark major changes in the way telecommuters and SOHO
(small office, home office) employees conduct business.
To emulate the corporate office today, telecommuters and SOHO employees need multiple lines for phone,
fax, and data networking. But the typical home office has only a PC, a phone line, and maybe a fax line. This
just doesn't compare with the high-tech equipment back at headquarters.
ADSL is likely to change all that. It not only supports voice circuits but also offers add-on digital telephony
services that could extend the corporate PBX circuit into the home office.
On the data side, ADSL offers much higher-speed access to corporate information services. One nice
feature is its ability to scale as more bandwidth is needed. Further, carriers can (and probably will) price
ADSL at the "enough bandwidth" level to address particular applications. For example, companies are likely
to see separate tariffs for single users, multiple users, data services, and value-added services.
Another key advantage of ADSL? It's always online. ADSL circuits are permanent, not switched. That
means businesses can use ADSL links to connect Web servers to the Internet, keeping virtual storefronts
open around the clock. Similarly, users aren't inconvenienced by having to dial up every time they need a
resource on the intranet or Internet.
CTI En Masse
ADSL's benefits don't stop there. The technology also is useful as a broadcast medium. Product managers
could roll out a new product by using Internet telephony to make 50 phone calls simultaneously to corporate
users or sales forces, explaining a new product, drawing diagrams, and answering questions in real time.
Sales reps, in turn, can try out new products one-on-one with PC-savvy customers. And customer records
can flash up on the screen automatically when they call in. Or, if sales reps are out on a call, it's possible to
click on an icon to forward their calls to other employees. Internet messaging would allow them to check all
their pages, voice, and fax messages through their e-mail accounts.
It's also possible to use new CTI apps to set up sophisticated call centers with IVR (interactive voice
response) systems that give customers instant access to information they want 24 hours a day, freeing up
staff to work on more important things. A variation on this theme is hoteling. This refers to the practice of
sharing office space for workers that require it on a part-time basis, with the rest of their time spent working
at home or in the field. Office space or conference rooms can be rented virtually wherever telephone and
data access is available.
Martin Jackson is a director and Stefan Knight is a member of the ADSL Forum (Fremont, Calif.).
Their e-mail addresses are mjackson@virata.com and sknight@coppercom.com. |
