Given that humans communicate via the 5 senses (visual, aural, olfactory, taste, and tactile) it comes as no surprise that the ­telecommunications services are focused on those senses which lend themselves to “long-distance” communication e.g. sight and sound. But even here the communication is limited to non-stereoscopic images, and mono-aural sound. Stereo-sound is possible, whilst stereoscopic or 3D image projection is still in its infancy. It is interesting to note that there are initial attempts being made at tactile telecommunications, especially using force-feedback techniques (e.g. remote control of a surgical robot). There are even attempts being made at handling the olfactory sense (smell).

Increasing bandwidths, improving quality


From the invention of the telephone, up until the development of frequency modulated radio signal, telecommunications was primarily concerned with the transport of mono-aural, limited bandwidth, audio frequencies (300 Hz to 3.4 kHz). The FM radio of the late 1930s improved the quality (bandwidth), and in the late 1950s was the basis for stereo-sound. The "cable" networks have been used for standard quality video/sound broadcast transport for many years. Stereo sound and high bandwidth mono-sound were not addressed by the point-to-point mass market networks (wired or wireless) until the arrival of the packet based IP networks.


Until recently sending (point-to-point or broadcast) information has required that the transport network be "tailored" to support the information being carried. For example: To improve on the analogue PSTN quality, and to support a higher bandwidth, the ISDN was developed. Many TV companies used ATM networks to transport the high bandwidth TV signals between studios and transmitter stations. The "cable" networks were or are being upgraded to HFC (Hybrid Fiber Coax) and then to digital transmission to support high definition TV.


IP networks are the standard today


The creation of the current generation of packet based IP networks has proved to be a "double-sided sword" for the network operators. They have found that it is possible, and economical, to deliver multiple services that require different transport capabilities over a common (IP) transport infrastructure.


The problem, at least for the network operators, is that end-users have discovered this too.
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