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This roundtable dialogue discusses the challenges and opportunities of multimedia and convergence in the Asian information society, including the benefits, visions, strategies, and regulation. It explores the development of networks capable of supporting multiple information types and the integration of voice, text, image, data, and video applications.
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Telecommunication Challenges in Asia: A roundtable dialogue14-15 June 1995Hongkong “Multimedia and convergence What converges in convergence?” Michael Minges International Telecommunication Union
Topics • Multimedia and covergence • Asian Information Society • Benefits • Visions & Strategies • Regulation
Multimedia • Integration of voice, text, image, data and video applications. • Multiple interpretations. In the telecom’s world, the development of networks (i.e. information infrastructures / information superhighways) capable of supporting multiple information types.
What is convergence? • Technical - Voice, text, data, image and video can all be converted to digital format • Organizational - telecommunications, broadcasting & computer companies are entering each others’ domains • Societal - Businesses and households are consuming more types of information converge v.i. come together or towards the same point. - The Little Oxford Dictionary
The Asian Information Society • Growing service sector • Growing information usage • Growing household information consumption • Growing share of economy
The Asian economy Source: Asian Development Bank.
The information economy Source: ITU.
Home information equipment Source: ITU.
Info-Communications sector Source: Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Japan.
Benefits of info-infrastructures • Social • Economic
Health & Education % of population without access to health service % school age not enrolled Source: UNDP.
Service sector development Source: Department of Electronics, India.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Source: ITU.
Brain Drain Reversal Source: Institute of International Education.
Leap frogging Capital costs per paying subscriber, US$, 1994 Traditional Hybrid telephone fibre/coaxial Component technology cable Wiring 1,000 - 1,500 180 -250 Switching 150 - 200 150 - 200 Electronics 0 370 - 530 Total capital costs 1,150 - 1,700 700 - 980 Source: First Pacific Networks.
Visisions & strategies • Governmental • The Global information infrastructure (Gii) • The Asian information infrastructure (Aii) • National information infrastructure (Nii) • Business
Global information infrastructure • ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference, March 1994 (according to US) • Private investment • Competition • Open access • Flexible regulatory environment • Universal service • G-7 Information Society Conference, Brussels, February 1995
Asia information infrastructure • Asia Pacific Telecommunity • Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Forum
National info infrastructures • China - Informatization of the Domestic Economy • Japan - Reforms toward the Intellectually Creative Society of the 21st Century • Korea (Rep.) - National Information Superhighway System • Singapore - IT2000:The Intelligent Island
SingaporeIT 2000: The Intelligent Island • A global hub • Improve quality of life • Economic growth • Linking locally and globally • Knowledge building
China: The 3 Goldens The GOLDEN Bridge The GOLDEN Card The GOLDEN Customs
Corporate strategies: From voice to multimedia “By 1998, businesses’ and governments’ use of data communications will exceed their use of voice services.” ¾ MCI
Fax and data traffic Source: Hongkong Telecom.
Data traffic Source: Telekom Malaysia.
Data revenues Source: Singapore Telecom.
ISDN Note: ISDN=Integrated Services Digital Network. Source: ITU.
Value-added services Note: EDI=Electronic Document Interchange. Source: Dacom Corp.
Fibre-optic • Drivers • Region geographically well-suited • Expanding communication traffic • Growth triangles • Initiatives • APC • ASEAN • APCN • Bi-lateral
Internet Source: Internet Society.
Multichannel TV Source: News Corp.
Regulation • Role of government • Competition • Universal access • Content
Role of state • Information vision • Regulatory convergence • Informatize its own functions
Competition Note: Cellular is for 1994, includes 20 minutes of airtime. Wireline is for 1993, includes free local calls. Source: Smart, PLDT.
Multimedia Universal Service • A broadband line? • Internet access? • Who? • Tariffs?
Content • Content • Pornography, violence, politics, culture • Intellectual property • Content poverty
Digital Babies“...the digital haves and have-nots will be less concerned with race or wealth andmore concerned with age. Developing nations will leapfrog the telecommunications infrastructures of the First World and become more wired. Consider Germanyand Mexico. Less than half of all Germans are under 40; more than half of all Mexicans are under 20. Which of those nations will benefit first from ‘being digital’? ”— N. Negroponte, Director MIT Media Lab
Being digital Source: ITU.
Digital babies Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census.