Business Standard

'Connected' life

CONVERGENCE

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Tamal Bandyopadhyay Mumbai
Imagine this. You and your family members are watching a show and talking to each other. Nothing striking, except that each one of you is watching the show from rooms in different parts of the world. And in the near future, television, telephone and web services will all flow into our living rooms over the Internet.
 
The "connected life" concept "� which Cisco Systems President, John Chambers wishes to demonstrate "� envisions an intelligent device which will provide a consistent data format and information set (such as a single calendar, contact list, and universal phone number). This is expected to open up endless opportunities.
 
For instance, one will be able to control through remote management temperature of the room, TV set-top boxes and and other systems and even make video phone calls with friends, family and co-workers that project images onto the television screen.
 
The beginning has already been made. In 2003, Cisco bought Linksys which makes wireless routers that can spread blankets of high-speed Wi-Fi over a home.
 
Recently, it completed the $7 billion acquisition of Scientific Atlanta that builds video systems and sells TV set-top boxes that cable and telephone companies place in consumers' homes. Cisco is using all these home networking products, including wired and wireless routers and modems, to create a complete home network.
 
As services become virtualised across interconnected networks, interactions with other people, content, and resources will grow more dynamic, simpler, and much more streamlined "� opening up a world of collaboration.
 
Possibilites are endless in the telecommunications space too where the service-delivery platform has shifted from traditional telephony systems to broadband data networks that use the Internet.
 
A business can now build a virtual call center that provides personalised, local service to customers in many geographic locations while reducing the number of customer-service agents required.
 
What does all this mean for an entertainment-crazy country like India? First, broadband penetration is alreadly allowing home users to download the latest chart-topping music and movies. This will soon happen at the click of a button. Thanks to online gaming, children at home will have access to the latest games and would be able to play with multiple players online (they are already doing so but will be able to do this seamlessly).
 
Children will also have more access to the repository of information on the internet from an education perspective. Working professionals can download their emails at home and connect to their company's networks, remotely allowing them to work effectively and simultaneously be able to spend more time with the family at home.
 
Enterprises and individuals are expected to start leveraging broadband to deliver services like complaints, bill payments, online shopping, online education and customised entertainment content at your doorstep.
 
All this is just the beginning. Broadband will be speedier and readily available. Home networking will soon progress far beyond the mere sharing of a broadband Internet connection by multiple devices.
 
To sum up in the words of Charles Giancarlo, Sr VP and Chief Development Officer, Cisco Systems, "Savvy home users will soon manage their communications and messaging in ways they have grown comfortable with during the workday, such as 'listening' to e-mail or 'reading' voicemail."

 
 

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First Published: May 17 2006 | 12:00 AM IST

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