digital world

Ptc ’85

Towards a digital world

As mentioned here earlier (PIM May, ’B3), the Honolulu-based Pacific Telecommunications Council was founded in early 1980. It is an international, non-government and non-pro fit organisation which promotes the development and beneficial use of telecommunications throughout the entire “Pacific Hemisphere. ” This is defined as North, Central and South America; Northeast, South and Southeast Asia; and Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.

PTC members include users and providers of telecommuni cations services, educational in stitutions, government agencies and individuals such as academics, engineers, broadcasters, and other tele communication specialists. An annual conference in January of each year brings together these diverse interests in Hon olulu, and mid-year seminars are held in different locations.

To date, seminars have been held in Tokyo, Washington, D.C., Manila, Wellington and Mexico City.

Richard J. Barber, PTC’s ex ecutive director, was in strumental in the creation of the organisation, and remains at its helm'. Barber reports that PTC’s membership now stands at 165, a gain of a dozen during the past year. The membership comes from 21 countries, Paci fic members being from Austra lia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Hawaii, New Caledonia, and New Zealand.

The seventh annual confer ence, PTC ’B5, is scheduled for January 13-16 of next year at the Sheraton-Waikiki Hotel.

According to Barber’s tally, over the first six conferences, more than 65 papers were presented which were speci fically oriented to the interests of Pacific Island nations and territories.

About the agenda for PTC ’B5, Barber indicates that it will focus on the introduction and

use of digital technology for communication. Digital systems allow for flexible and multiple uses of systems primarily for telephone and computer com munication. Integrated digital systems are being installed worldwide, and many people look to a fully integrated worldwide network in the not too distant future. These deve lopments result from the mar riage of computers and com munication. As NEC (Nippon Electric Company) puts it, “C and C For Everyone.” At PTC ’B5, experts will explore several aspects of this move to a digital world, from the point of view of engineers, economists, policy analysts and businessmen.

A number of papers and sessions should be of interest to those in the Pacific. The South Pacific Telecom munications Development Program will be discussed by Jim Wilkinson, Program Coor dinator of SPEC’s decade-long

project which is expected to cost about $lOO million. This program clearly recognised the need for basic and reliable telecommunications for econo mic and social development, especially the need to link rural with urban areas. Mr Wilkinson is expected to relate these fac tors to the introduction of new digital technology to meet cur rent and future needs. In such a process the difficulty of plan ning in a time of rapid tech nological and policy changes becomes quite evident. Case studies of countrywide telecom munication developments will be presented in a visual, printed and oral format. • A thorough description of New Zealand’s transition to di gital telecommunications is being prepared jointly by the New Zealand Post Office and the New Zealand Communica tions Advisory Council. New Zealand’s application of digital technology to both urban and sparsely populated rural areas should prove instructive. The case study will cover network descriptions and social impacts as well as the planning and implementation process. • A second case study will be presented by the Office of Posts and Telecommunications of New Caledonia. Officials from Noumea will provide an over view of current telecommunica tion systems, uses, and policies as well as a look forward to planned changes and antici pated issues arising from such change. • Of particular concern to Is land countries is the availability, reliability and cost of using small earth stations for satellite communications. In a session organised by M. Lopianowski of Cantel Engineering in British Columbia, engineers from IN TELSAT, NASA, Japan and Canada will discuss the pros and cons of Digital vs. Analog for thin route service applica tions via the INTELSAT system.

PTC ’B5 will feature speakers, panels, working groups and papers concerning many topics related to telecom munications development such as: International Standards De velopments; Financing Tele communication Infrastructure; Information Developments; User Requirements; Regulatory Issues; Choosing Technology for Domestic Systems; and

Training and Human Re sources.

One afternoon will be de voted to informal discussions in the form of working groups which will focus on topics in cluding health information net works, education, teleconferen cing, etc. Some 35 exhibitors including Hughes, GTE (Hawaiian Telephone), AT&T (American Telephone and Telegraph), Alascom (Alaska’s telephone and satellite system), NEC, will show products and share information regarding their latest equipment and service offerings an educa tion in itself.

Immediately following the FTC ’B5 the PTC and East- West Center will jointly offer a two-day telecommunication skills workshop designed for managerial professionals who do not have an extensive technical background in tele communications. Topics will in clude: digital tutorial, office automation, fibre optic technol ogy, teleconferencing systems and infonets, understanding UNIX and teleports.

A number of representatives from Pacific Islands participated in PTC ’B4, with several being supported by PTC through a grant from the U.S. Information Agency. It is expected that funds will be awarded again for

Ptc ’B5.

For more details about PTC ’B5 and its following workshop, one may contact Richard J.

Barber, PTC Executive Director, 1110 University Ave nue, Suite 308, Honolulu, HI 96826; Telephone (808) 941- 3789; Telex 7430550 PTC. -

Robert C. Kiste.

The annual PTC conferences are among the best promoted in the region.

A View from Honolulu

Robert C. Kiste looks at the Pacific