BBC NEWS | Business | The Telecom Revolution

One of the world's leading industries is undergoing a revolution. Telecommunications is changing at an astounding speed, driven by the convergence of technologies and the wave of mergers sweeping the industry. BBC News Online takes a look at the changes and their implications for businesses, consumers and markets around the world.

Convergence
Technology is changing faster than ever in the telecoms industry. Television, the Internet, and wireless technology are all converging, calling for huge investments which are reshaping the industry.

Also...

New phones for old

Gadgets galore

Phones of the future

Cabling up America

In the hall of mirrors

The rise of the mobile

From the archive...

High speed Internet battle

Is AT&T still @ home?

Globalisation
The old barriers are breaking down. National telephone companies are being forced to compete internationally as they lose the monopoly in their home markets. And companies are increasingly demanding a global service.

Also...

BT, Microsoft form wireless alliance

Psion and Palm establish links

Compaq exudes confidence

Satellite phone launched

Global telecoms extravaganza

French giant targets alliance

From the archive...

BT and AT&T form mobile alliance

Bell confirms Vodafone link

Mamoth mobile merger

Dialing up a partner

Hull 's �1bn windfall

Mergers
A new merger wave is sweeping through the industry. Over $400bn worth of mergers took place in the last two years, even before the world's largest merger between MCI and Sprint. Now even the biggest global giants could be vulnerable.

Also...

From alliances to mergers

Orange takeover agreed

France Telecom buys E-plus

Sun calls for Microsoft to be kept intact

Oracle calls for Microsoft break-up

Racal sells telecoms arm

World's biggest merger

From the archive...

Mannesmann to split telecoms arm

One-2-One sale agreed

NTL in UK cable deal