语音和数据的领域正在靠拢,因而控制它们的硬件也在靠拢。在VoIP(IP上的语音)竞争中的一个热点是分支办公室(branch-office)市场。亚特兰大的SuperComm商贸展销会上,能看到大量引人注目的VoIP产品。分支办公室VoIP电话非常经济,几乎没有什么费用。然而,Internet上可靠的语音至今尚未见到,因此供应商们都盯准了所管理的Intranet,它已经把分支办公室和中心办公室的数据服务连到了一起。冲在最前面的是Cisco Systems公司,它在数据网络化领域占有优势,而Lucent Technologies则是语音领域的巨无霸。Cisco的2600系列路由器,已在三月份推出,它允许四对模拟电话以多工方式将数据传送到中心办公室。Bay Networks公司夏季将推出一个语音Advanced The areas of voice and data are moving closer together, so the hardware that controls them is also moving closer. One of the hot spots in the VoIP (voice over IP) competition is the branch-office market. Atlanta SuperComm Trade Fair, you can see a lot of compelling VoIP products. The branch office VoIP phone is very economical with almost no cost. However, reliable voice over the Internet has not been seen so far, so vendors are targeting managed intranets that have linked data services in branch and central offices. Pushed ahead is Cisco Systems, which has an edge in data networking and Lucent Technologies, the giant for voice. Cisco’s 2600 series routers, introduced in March, allow four analog phones to send data to the central office in a multiplexed way. Bay Networks will launch a voice Advanced in summer