Do you know what PCS is? Are you aware it is expected to be the next big wave in technology over the next 10 years?
Many of us have not heard much about PCS. It stands for Personal Communications Services. According to industry experts, this term will be right up there with CD. (Did you know what a CD was 10 years ago?).
The September 1, 1995 issue of Computing Canada describes PCS as working much like other wireless devices. Voice and data from a PCS is sent to radio base stations, then forwarded to public networks. PCS's claim to fame: locating people regardless of where they are.
A recent report by Frost & Sullivan, an international high-technology research firm based in Mountain View, California suggests the technology "will change the way people live and work, blurring the line between public and personal lives."
In June, Canada's PCS policy was issued by Industry Minister John Manley. Manley announced, "The primary objective of this policy is to ensure Canadians have access to the telecommunications services they want, and in the case of Canadian businesses the services they need to remain competitive."
Several companies have already applied for licenses. Some experts expect the first Canadian PCS network should be up and running within a year. The cost of setting up a nation-wide PCS network is estimated at around $800 million with an overall expected Canadian PCS investment of $2 billion.
Computing Canada reports a wide range of benefits including: 30-40% cheaper than cellular; ability to assign personal numbers to an individual rather than a telephone; and allowing calls to be made regardless of location. PCS will also most likely use low power, light-weight pocket telephones and allow for small, handheld computers.
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