NEW MEDIA
COMMUNICATIONS
· New generation mobiles
offer high information rate
The third generation of mobile telephone has now entered a trial phase and will be launched in 2001 in Japan, with advanced European and Asian operators following soon after. It offers wide area coverage with data rates of up to 384 kbps, rising to 2 mbps at a local level. This is a unique feature of third generation mobile phones and will be one of the fundamental technological components of the information society. Data rates above 100 kbps open up a new set of applications for business and personal use.
· Mini communication base
gets your life into shape
The Communicator fits in your pocket and contains all you need to communicate a phone, a fax, e-mail, the World Wide Web, a calendar and a notepad, and it has been on the market in some countries since 1996. It is compliant to the global GSM standard for mobile telephones and can be used in almost every corner of the world to send and receive e-mail.
· The dream of a virtual
office comes true
Unified Messaging makes global telecommunication cheaper and more efficient. For a small sum of money you can rent a phone number in a city of your choice. All incoming faxes and voice messages will be automatically transformed into attachments and forwarded to your e-mail address. Now you can get your mail at home and never miss a call wherever you might be.
NEWS AND
ENTERTAINMENT
· Digital video transmission
open new horizons
New standards in digital transmissions are opening up more digital possibilities. In 1998, a number of digital television services were launched worldwide. Compressing existing bandwidth allows it to be used much more efficiently, and enables hundreds of digital audio and video channels to be received via satellite, cable, and terrestrial antennae.
· Digital audio broadcast
is the future for radio
DAB provides multiplexes, or packages, of up to six stereo services at a time in digital format. Unlike the older car radio systems, it delivers a consistently high quality reception on the move. Stations can transmit data along with the audio signal, so listeners could listen to continuous traffic, or alternatively be told which song is paying or hear tour dates or promotional information.
· Data-casting and surfing
the Internet via satellite
Various European satellite operators including Astra, Eutelsat, and Hispasat have implemented data broadcasting via satellite. With more than 16 million PCs bought in Europe in 1996, and more than 30 million households with direct access to satellite transmissions, there is already wide acceptance of the technologies involved.
