Requirements of components for future wide-band communications

The paper first discusses the technology of opto-electronic components for use in long-distance communications in broad-band ISDN systems, for which transmission over optical fibre cables alone comes into question, dealing with optical emitters, amplifiers and receivers, and emphasizing the possibilities of exploiting the more or less unlimited bandwidth of optical transmission. It then deals with similar components for use by subscribers, emphasizing the importance of the new technology maintaining compatibility with the old. In conclusion it discusses possibilities for the use of opto-electronic devices in exchange switching; among these are three-dimensional devices consisting of planar arrays of photo-diodes.