Abstract :
Summary form only given, as follows. The insatiable demand for data and connectivity at the user level, driven primarily by the everincreasing horsepower of the desktop computer, has dramatically impacted the evolution of the communications market. In a period of 20 years we have progressed from 300 baud modems to multi-terabit fiber backbones. However, the downside to rapid evolution is that it often creates industry fragmentation and broad market swings. The presenter will briefly review the history of the communications industry demonstrating how it has evolved in relation to the desire and need to move vast amounts of data swiftly and costeffectively. He will also examine the industry today - what new demands and requirements are testing today??s designers, how the current technology constraints are being addressed, and how and where Intel intends to play. Finally, he will discuss the complex requirements of the communications industry moving into the future and the likely direction of potential solutions to meet these rapidly changing demands.