Officials from Alcatel's headquarters in France launched the IP-PCX in Manila recently. PBX stands for private branch exchange, the traditional way phone calls are routed in existing communications systems. Intead of circuit switching technologies currently used by phone companies, it uses packet switching, thereby allowing more voice signals to be packed in a single telephone circuit. This is a step further toward convergence. The caller does not need to care what type of switching method is being used.
Technology moves so fast.
Alcatel was then able to combine its PBX technology with Xylan's LAN-switching expertise to come up with what Alcatel said is the first communications service of its kind in the industry. This is why telecom firms have been partnering with networking companies such as Xylan. Prior to the Xylan acquisition by Alcatel, Northern Telecom acquired Bay Networks and Lucent Technologies acquired Ascend Communications. However, even as communications convergence continues to become a reality, many areas will not be able to avail of such services because of government restrictions. Such is the usual fix which service providers find themselves in because technology moves forward much faster than state-formulated rules.