by
A. Michael Noll
with a Foreword by Abe M. Zarem
Highway of Dreams is about how to perform strategic and critical thinking relating to the communication and telecommunication businesses. In Highway of Dreams, A. Michael Noll focuses his over three decades of experience in telecommunication research, marketing, management, and policy on today's telecommunication superhighway.
After parodying the technological Utopia offered by the superhighway, Highway of Dreams reviews history, pointing out how the telecommunication superhighway had its beginnings in the interactive TV and broadband highway of the wired cities of over two decades ago. Two-way videophones, talk-back TV, and other such Utopian services failed then, and Highway of Dreams predicts that they will fail again. Innovation, Noll argues, is not repeating the mistakes of the past.
Highway of Dreams explains the technological uncertainties of the superhighway and other futuristic services. The book also gives an understandable review of the technological principles behind today's modern telecommunication networks and systems. Recognizing that technology is only one factor in shaping the future, Highway of Dreams then analyzes the financial, policy, business, and consumer issues that undermine the superhighway.
Highway of Dreams concludes by showing that today's switched telephone network and CATV systems already form a telecommunication superhighway carrying voice, data, image, and video communication for a wide variety of services, which enable us to stay in contact with anyone anywhere on our planet.
Highway of Dreams is written clearly, with understandable explanations for the nonspecialist. If you have been having doubts about the superhighway, this is the book that will confirm your suspicions. If you are a true believer, Highway of Dreams will shock your beliefs. If you have been struggling in an attempt to understand the future, Highway of Dreams will give you the tools to perform strategic and critical analyses and thinking.
Highway of Dreams is published by and available from:
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$19.95 softcover • ISBN 08058-2558-4
$49.95 hardcover • ISBN 08058-2557-6