International telecommunications

Liberalisation and technology are increasing the international networking options open to implementers. At the same time, the globalisation of industry is increasing the market for international telecommunications. The lack of a homogeneous international market and the absence of agreed international standards, particularly for network management, means that it is technically complicated to implement international networks. As the PTTs and Telcos improve their commercial interface to customers, life will get easier. ISDN will provide an important vehicle for further development provided that it is properly marketed to stress its customer benefits and not `exciting technology´, and providing that particularly in Europe, PTTs do not use it as a vehicle to preserve domestic monopoly