Essential Guide to Home Networking Technologies, The

SUMMARY

At present we are in a global socioeconomic transition period, changing from an industrial-based analog economy to an information-based digital economy. The impetus for this transition has been fueled by four converging trends:

• The global deregulation of the communications and utility industries.

• The decreasing costs and increasing power of silicon intelligence (microchip processors).

• New communications technology, like broadband local loop connectivity and in-home networks, that will bring high-speed Internet access to residential consumers.

• The adoption of the Internet as a commercial channel.

The growth of the emerging economy will be driven primarily by a new breed of digitized products and services, including:

• Virtual products, called ...