Telecom R&D focuses on immediate needs

• Published in: IEEE spectrum Vol. 33; no. 7; pp. 63 - 65
• Main Author: Gomes, L.E.C.
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-07-1996; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Air conditioning; Communication switching; Communications networks; Digital switching; Humidity; Intelligent networks; Optical design; Optical switches; R&D; Research & development; Telecommunications; Telecommunications industry; Telephony; Temperature; Vehicles; Brazil
• ISSN: 0018-9235; 1939-9340
• DOI: 10.1109/6.526869

The ongoing transformation of Brazil's telecommunications market is pushing R&D to the fore. Its new prominence is due to the economy's liberalization, with a gradual reduction in import tariffs, growing competition at home, and a move toward the international marketplace, not to mention the desire to privatize telephone operating companies. These companies are supported by CPqD (for Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento), the R&D vehicle of the Federally held Telebras. CPqD zeroes in on such areas as digital switching, operations support, service development, intelligent networks, and more. Among the noteworthy accomplishments are the Tropico R and Tropico RA digital switches, designed to withstand sweltering conditions at 80 percent humidity and temperatures up to 40/spl deg/C (without special air conditioning), a debit-card pay phone system, optical communications devices, and operations support software.