Together, these technologies are revolutionising the rules governing space, time and form. For example, convergence is creating electronic storefronts, service centres and bank branches where the old constraints of physical space are eliminated. It is compressing cycle times and eliminating time-of-day constraints.

Convergence is even removing form constraints from all types of information content by capturing text, audio, video and human expertise in electronic media.

Convergence is transforming information technology's impact from cost reduction to exponential performance improvement.

Joe Carter
managing partner of Andersen Consulting's Centers for Strategic Technology.

The notion of convergence has been a recurring theme in the technology business for the last several years. Now, however, the term is a reality rather than a prediction. The indicators are clear and significant.

Marketplace penetration of the PC is so deep, and its use as a business and personal tool so ingrained, that it is an effective platform on which to build new applications, products and services that require significant processing power.

Information itself has become a product, so that delivery devices- be they consumer electronics or PC – have become tools to access, process and display the enormous range of content choices available.

The regulatory obstacles that had inhibited competition or cross-industry alliances in the communication arena have largely been removed, unleashing a torrent of deals and promises of 21st –century services.

And perhaps most significant, a new medium is emerging that perfectly encapsulates the notion of convergence – bringing different industries, marketplaces and technologies. Internet has gone from a function but somewhat prosaic tool of research and academic establishment to an industry in its own right. In the process it has given rise to new classifications of content-based products and services, as well as a plethora of access and delivery devices that blur the distinction between consumer electronics, IT and communications.

The trends, and the opportunities that underlie them, are breaking down the barriers between industries and marketplaces at a speed that surprises even the most optimistic industry pundits. Responding to these opportunities requires cross-industry knowledge, cross industry access and distribution relationships that span the full spectrum of technology and marketplace.

Shri N Vittal

The convergence of technologies is an important development, which is having wide ranging indications. there was a time when specialization in technology was the norm. One wondered whether like the Centipede which did not know on which leg to move the specialization in science would become very narrow and communication would be difficult.

On other hand, thanks to pervasive impact of digital technology, we are seeing the coming together of computers and communications leading to the development of the Information Technology. And even here, the handling of information in the form of data or text or picture or audio has also been made possible because of the convergence of technologies in computers and communications.

These converged technologies are versatile in application. They are applicable in any area of manufacturing or services and hence, become the dominant factor in the economy, which is emerging. Information technology will dominate the future and its strength arises from the phenomenal convergence of technologies. An intelligent and imaginative appreciation of the potential and opportunities of the convergence of technologies is a must for any one concerned with the industry or business.

In the Indian context especially after the liberalization policy introduced in 1991. We are in the process a closer integration with the global economy. India has already become a member of the Global Telecom Agreement and the Information Technology Agreement (ITA). Systematic effort for upgrading the information technology infrastructure in India and taking advantage of the convergence of technologies therefore is very vital for India to play its role in the global economy in the future.

Shri N. Vittal
former Secretary to the Department of Telecom, Government of India.

The Business of Convergence

Shortly India will have deregulated environment; applications developers are essential to the telecom providers. Telecom operators suddenly will have to deal with transmitting data along with voice. IT vendors and software developers find a need to talk directly to telecom providers, and vice versa. To do it effectively, service providers need to understand the needs of the corporate users and application developers, who are independently developing data-dependent communications solutions. Each side has to understand what the other is doing and where they are headed.

• Digital PCS and enhanced analog wireless services
• ISDN, frame relays, ATM and gigabit Ethernet services
• Intranet gateways to the public Internet
• LANs and WANs to LANs networking
• Network and service management, operations support services
• Computer-telephony integration, including server-centric solutions and services.
• And many more applications and solutions

Converging technologies are shaping the dynamics of the new marketplace in India. As the world moves toward a global information highway, India's cellular and LCS operator's satellite service providers, local and IDD Carriers and Value added network operators will have to integrate their various stand-alone networks into "India's network of networks," the advanced intelligent network.

Bandwidth, once a precious commodity, will be in abundant supply, as value-added carriers compete to turn up their networks central to that competition will be large business users, hungry for ever more network intelligence, greater control over their own information, and bandwidth on demand.

As the new era of advanced services is ushered into India, a country that continues to record staggering growth in computer sales, it's easy to see why India is one of the most lucrative emerging markets in the world.

The Top companies from all sectors of distributed computing and intelligent networking, will have to couple their know-how with India's carriers and vendors to accelerate deployment.

Software and Support Systems : Network management and support systems are the new tools of modern business education and research, and production and manufacturing in India.

With this has also come greater emphasis on new software approaches, including object technology, to develop new services and, perhaps more significantly, to manage networks and support systems.

India's carriers fully appreciate the portent of the Telecommunications Management Network global standard, and the next-generation flavor of TMN that makes it possible for multiple protocols to coexist, such as an integrated and logical communications facility.

Corporate Business Users, Telecom Service Providers, Application Developers, Hardware and Software platform providers, System integrators will now have a venue that provides that all important close up to Telecom and IT, where they can work as true partners, all equally responsible for understanding and meeting the needs of the business user.