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This article reports that a growing number of independent operating companies are inheriting the debate over fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) technologies, transforming what was once a hypothetical exercise in colorful diagramming into pragmatic decisions about the blood and bones of their own individual networks. About half the homes currently passed by FTTP networks in the U.S.--including both private and municipal networks--are passed by broadband passive optical networking which is based on Asynchronous Transfer Mode technology, according to research firm Render Vanderslice & Associates.

Focuses on several issues and access products that must be considered by incumbent local exchange carriers (ILEC) to stay competitive. Upgrading of digital subscriber line (DSL) technology to support advanced applications; How to solve the distance constraints of DSL; Migration of switching systems to handle packet-based technologies; Integration of voice and data access platforms for corporate and residential customers. INSET: Software still rules.

Discusses the capabilities of carrier-class access switches for telecommunications systems. Facilitation of service and revenue opportunities; Operation in the transmission and routing of data and voice packets; Physical characteristics; Costs and benefits of access switch deployment.

Describes various aspects of the cellular digital packet data (CDPD) network. Comparison with circuit-switched mobile data networks; Applications; Description of the mobile data base station and the mobile-end systems of the CDPD network; Diagram illustrating CDPD channel hopping; Information on CDPD's forward and reverse channels. INSET: CDPD operation..

Discusses the implementation and technology testing on the general packet radio service (GPRS). Significance of information on the GPRS technology; Forecast on the applications of the GPRS technology. INSET: Briefly.