The spread of optical access broadband networks using Fiber to the Home (FTTH) has not reached the rural areas of developing countries. The current state of global deployment of ICT indicates that it is difficult to sell network systems as stand-alone products due to prohibitive costs, and the demand is for total services that include construction, maintenance, and operation. Moreover, there is a need to offer proposals that include various solutions utilizing broadband networks, as well as for a business model that takes the sustainability of those solutions into consideration. In this paper, we discuss the issues in constructing broadband networks, introduce case studies of solutions using broadband networks for solving social issues in rural areas of developing countries, and discuss the challenges in the deployment of the solutions.

This paper discusses and clarifies effectiveness of data-driven implementation of protocol handling system to access TINA (Telecommunications Information Networking Architecture) network and internet. TINA is a networking architecture that achieves networking services and management ubiquitously for users and networks. Many TINA related ACTS (Advanced Communication Technologies and Services) projects have been organized in Europe. In Japan, The TINA Trial (TTT) to achieve ATM network management and services based on TINA architectures was done by NTT and several manufactures from April 1997 to April 1999. In these studies and trials, much effort is devoted to development of software based on service architecture and network architecture being standardized in TINA-C (TINA Consortium). In order to achieve TINA environment universally in customers and network sides, we have to consider how to deploy TINA environment onto user side and how to use access transmission capacity as efficiently as possible. Recent technology can easily achieve application and environment downloading from the network side to user side by use of e. g. , JAVA. In accessing the network, there are several possible bottlenecks in information exchange in customer side such as PC processing capability, access protocol handling capability, intra-house wiring bandwidth. Authors, in parallel with TINA software architecture study, have been studying versatile requirements for hardware platform of TINA network. In those studies, we have clarified that the stream-oriented data-driven processor authors have been studying and developing have high reliability, high multiprocessing and multimedia information processing capability. Based on these studies, this paper first shows Von Neumann-based protocol handler is ineffective in case of multiprocessing through mathematical and emulation studies. Then, we show our data-driven protocol handling can effectively realize access protocol handling by emulation study. Then, we describe a result of first step of implementation of data-driven TCP/IP protocol handling. This result proves our TCP/IP hub based on data-driven processor is applicable not only for TINA/CORBA network but normal internet access. Finally, we show a possible customer premises network configuration which resolves bottleneck to access TINA network through ATM access.

Enhancing the ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) capability to cover broadband capacity will change the telecommunication world greatly. This paper discusses the way where telecommunication networks should be evolved, the main features of the ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) based B-ISDN, and its basic structure principles with the close relationship to customers' demands. ATM will play a key role in technology toward the B-ISDN. This paper proposes a concept of "ATMization" as the next technical revolution step coming after "digitalization". Firstly, various customers' views are summarized as four evaluation factors, and the scheme of the B-ISDN to reflect these customers demands are discussed. Then, by clearing the role of B-ISDN as the transport infrastructure, it is proposed that service control and OAM information be transferred by the ATM infrastructure. Based on these considerations, basic structure of B-ISDN and four scenario elements toward the ATMized B-ISDN era are further proposed.

As the telecommunications network provides a greater variety of services and more rapidly incorporates new technologies, it has become important to ensure modular functional growth of the network. As a part of the endeavor toward this goal, this paper discusses the functional architecture of a network, which defines the functional elements and the interfaces between them. Object-oriented paradigm is applied to develop this architecture. Because the objects which will be made in the software will become too numerous to manage, it is proposed to make a functional element out of a set of objects, grouped together on the basis of functional affinity, plus an interface object. A functional element communicates with other functional elements only via its interface object. The physical location of each functional element can be hidden from other functional elements by the support of distributed processing environment. To secure real-time performance, communications between functional elements are classified into two classes: direct and indirect communications. In order to examine technical feasibility an evaluate the various alternatives of functional architecture, and experimental system called EONS (Experimental Object-oriented Nodal System) was developed. The hardware equipment of EONS consists of a switching unit and workstations. The functional architecture implemented in the EONS is structured in two layers: hardware-independent, logical control layer and hardware-dependent, resource control layer. As an example of service application, universal personal telecommunication (UPT) service has been implemented.

This paper describes the effectiveness of stream-oriented data-driven scheme for achieving autonomous fault management of hyper-distributed systems such as networks based on the Telecommunications Information Networking Architecture (TINA). TINA, whose specifications are in the finalizing phase within TINA-Consortium, is aiming at achieving interoperability and reusability of telecom applications software and independent of underlying technologies. However, to actually implement TINA network, it is essential to consider the technology constraints. Especially autonomous fault management at run-time is crucial for distributed network environment because centralized control using global information is very difficult. So far many works have been done on so-called off-line management but runtime management of service failure seems immature. This paper proposes introduction of stream-oriented data-driven processors to the autonomous fault management at runtime in TINA based distributed network environment. It examines the features of distributed network applications and technology requirements to achieve fault management of those distributed applications such as effective multiprocessing of surveillance, testing, reconfiguration in addition to ordinary processing.

Intelligent Transport System (ITS), aiming to provide innovative services related to traffic management, road safety and convenience, has drawn much attention in academic and industrial worlds in recent years. Japan has been considered as an advanced country in ITS development. This paper first gives an overview of the current ITS operated in Japan including Vehicle Information and Communication System (VICS), Electronic Toll Collection System (ETC), and ITS-spot system. Then this paper introduces the trends and the directions of future ITS including the development of driver-assistant type of road safety system in Japan and USA, and the potential use of white space to meet the additional ITS needs in the future.

For getting the common view for the network management, this paper examines, firstly, the OAM (Operation, Administration & Maintenance) functional model, the principles for allocating OAM functions in the network and the method of processing OAM information in the network. Secondly, the intra-node transport architecture is investigated in order to specify the OAM function for the transport network. This research shows the needs for intra-node paths and for the intra-node and inter-node alarm transfer mechanism to be the same. Finally, the termination functions for each module in a node are proposed.