The ultimate intelligent network?

An `intelligent´ telecommunications network is a network that is capable of providing flexible control of its services and capabilities to both network operator and network user. The evolution to intelligent telecommunications networks began some thirty years ago with the introduction of stored programme control exchanges into the public switched network. Since then the introduction of digital switching technology, common channel signalling and network databases have advanced the concept. The evolutionary path now being followed by many network operators will lead from the universal voice telephone service to a universal information service in which the public switched network will be able to provide any combination of voice, data and image with maximum convenience and economy. Truly the ultimate intelligent network?