Bordeaux in south-west France has recently played host to the first international conference on intelligent networks, and as reported in Electronique Actualites, the general consensus to emerge from Bordeaux is that intelligent networks herald the latest revolution in telecommunications. Intelligence in networks is neither new nor revolutionary, but the development of components that make the network itself intelligent, rather than concentrating intelligence in the software of switch telephones has revolutionary possibilities. Not only can intelligence broaden the exchange between diverse parts of a network, but more significantly, it opens up avenues in terms of development of services. The availability of new technology and new markets has ensured that intelligent networks are exciting interest in quarters previously uninspired. The telecommunications industry – confronted with a levelling of profits in traditional markets and active competition from computer companies involved in the application software and services that stem from intelligent networks – has good reason to nurture its own interests in their development. Inevitably, there are differing opinions on intelligent networks, and of late, a number of experts have reviewed the previously accepted definition by Bell Communications Research, BellCore. France Telecom in particular has developed new services that rely on two rather than the traditional four functions – Control Centre and Switch Access the first draws on the database and the second directs subscriber enquiries towards the Control Centre. Meanwhile the relationship between the Network base, Control Centre and Switch Access is laid down by CCITT number 7. Nonetheless, France Telecom is planning to introduce a new network system by 1991, largely because its current network is slow and nearing saturation point. The future of intelligent networks in France depends on the current system being able to accommodate a decentralised architecture, initially to the level of transit centres and then to local ones. By 1992, we may see a virtually private network capable of performing the same security and administrative functions as Transgroupe, as well as the diverse applications demanded of the telephone network. France Telecom undoubtedly intends that intelligent networks will be the warhorse in their battle to widen horizons and increase profits.
