Abstract
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The world is currently witnessing the arrival of a new domain in
telecommunications, that of network and media convergence. This new
field was motivated by the desire to provide a unified interface capable
of supporting various services across the many types of delivery networks
that are available. This has resulted in a rush to develop and implement
new standards and protocols that can support a multiplicity of media services
such as the "Triple Play" (voice, data, and video), and the "Quadruple Play"
(voice, data, video, and mobility). Among the emerging standards is the IP
Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) that is an overlay control subsystem across
heterogeneous access networks. IMS will enable fixed and mobile convergence
and support service mobility. On the practical side, an intense competition
is underway among fixed and mobile network operators where each is fighting
to be the leader in providing fixed-mobile convergence in the least amount
of time. Concurrently, another competition related to application convergence
is gathering momentum among Internet Service Providers and Content Providers
to win customer ownership. One of the other important components in the
convergence realm is the need for adopting security techniques and policies
that ensure confidentiality, privacy, anonymity, availability, and
accountability. Clearly, the above activities cannot be sustained and
enhanced without developing an appropriate regulatory framework that
defines the roles, rights, and responsibilities of all involved parties.
In this talk, many crucial issues underlying network and media convergence
are identified. We also examine current activities and track future trends
that will help us grasp the bigger picture of this new and exciting realm-a
development that is expected to shape the way we live for many years to come.
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Short Biography
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Harley R. Myler graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1975
with a double major in Chemistry and Electrical Engineering. Following
military service as a missile systems officer in the US Army Air Defense
Artillery, he attended the New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New
Mexico and received the M.S.E.E. degree in 1981 and the Ph.D. in Electrical
Engineering in 1985. From 1986 to 2001 he was a professor in the faculty of
the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University
of Central Florida in Orlando where he was named researcher of the year four
times. In 2001 he accepted the Mitchell Endowed Chair at Lamar University in
Beaumont, Texas as well as the chairmanship of the Drayer Department of
Electrical Engineering. Dr. Myler has published four books, over thirty
refereed papers and over fifty conference articles and holds two US patents.
His research and teaching interests are in digital video, HDTV and broadcast
technologies.
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