Dallas one of first U.S. cities to merge Internet, phones

The Dallas city government is planning to implement a network that combines the Internet and the telephone into a seamless system

By Richard Stenger
CNN.com Writer

(CNN) -- Dallas, Texas, plans to become one of the first major U.S. municipalities to implement a state-of-the-art technology system that blends conventional Internet and phone communications into one seamless network.

Industry experts predict such networks could become commonplace in the public and private sectors within the decade, making governments more efficient and affording individuals more convenience.

The Dallas city council this week approved a five-year, $30 million contract to replace the existing government computer and phone networks with one integrated voice and data pipeline.

"Dallas' current communications foundation is cracked. It is full of outdated equipment and software," said Dan McFarland, chief information officer of Dallas, in a statement.

The city selected Southwestern Bell to build the new system, which will include a Gigabit Ethernet LAN and specialized computer phones.

The network, to be completed within two years, is expected to offer 8,000 city employees at almost 300 locations a variety of powerful new communications applications.

For example, they could be able to combine voice mail with e-mail and faxes into a single message. Or have the system read e-mail over the phone if they are away from the office.

The system carries telephone calls as packets that run on the computer network

Integrating voice, data and video into one system, Dallas should save money by eliminating the need for multiple networks, said SBC Communications, the parent company of Southwestern Bell.

Eventually the network will serve as a "solid foundation on which we can build e-government services," McFarland said, allowing residents to conduct business with the city on the Internet.

For example, city planned e-government programs could mean residents can extend the due date of a library book or pay their utility bills online.

"We feel this is a milestone for IP Telephony, not only for large municipalities but for businesses in general," said Ashley Blaker, a spokesperson for SBC Communications.

With IP Telephony, the system carries telephone calls as Internet Protocol (IP) packets on the same network that supports computers.

An industry analyst with the Yankee Group predicts that within five years more than half the business telephone lines sold will feature IP Telephony.

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Dallas
  • City Council
Southwestern Bell
SBC Communications, Inc.
The Yankee Group

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