ICT convergence is driven by a continuum of advances in software, hardware, and telecommunications capabilities; exchanging synergies and creating 'endless' end user possibilities. Evolution towards converged service provisioning and consumption may take various alternate paths from current state-of-the-art in each of the constituent industry disciplines. Not at all anything like 'hype', the term "convergence" is a materializing fact at all facets:

• » Mobile communications service providers are convergeing with conventional ISPs, in preparation for expanding Internet wirless access over 3G and 4G technologies to operate side-by-side to DSL-WiFi. Further, deregulation is evolving to allow mobile providers to offer fixed phone services and vice-versa (aka unified license). Value added service providers are evolving to offer innovative niche/custom services on top of the giant providers that own and/or operate transport infrastructure.
• » Transport network technologies have converged into a flexible universal three layer model - MPLS/IP over ATM over SDH/SONET. This triad is scalable at its three levels and is expected to make up long-lasting basis for converged services-oriented ICT application layer over TCP/UDP.
• » Network access technologies are converging into "diametric-based" wireless geaographical coverage; at wide, metropolitan, local, personal, and near field area ranges. Broadband DSL continues to bridge the wired-metro wirless-local area access in competition to direct "cellular" wide are coverage. Space-based wireless access is an evolving Internet-any-where wireless access technology that will complement essential coverage in rural areas with poor infrastructure.
• » Services are also converging at multiple facets: unified communications, Web services & semantic Web, and cloud computing constitute an all-services over one access-transport infrastructure through application protocols for real-time and interactive services that allows seamless user access.
• » Devices are also converging into similar-looking differently-sized personal computers: from smart phones to tablets and power notebook PCs, the same services can be accessed with varying degrees of custom priority and hence access quality. Yet, all devices veirtually access all services from within similar operating environments.

The interest is limited to access technologies that promote convergence, so GSM based technologies and others that may still be in operation but are not convergent are not considered.

• » WAN/MAN access: 4G technology is a LTE (Long Term technology) evolution. WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), IEEE 802.16m, is designed to provide 30 to 40 Mbps data rates that cover a metropolitan geographical space. In 2008, the ITU-R specified a set of requirements for 4G standards, named IMT-Advanced (International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced) specification, setting peak 4G speed requirements at 100 Mbps for high mobility communication (such as out-of trains and cars) and at 1 Gbps for low mobility communication (such as pedestrians and stationary users). 5G is a visionary term that denotes capabilities beyond those defined in the current 4G standards. It is not yet referenced by any standards body, and is rather meant to target technologies foreseen to surface by year 2020 that include the IoT (Internet of Things), IPv6, wireless sensor networks, and numerous other technolgies in development/deployment.
• » LAN access:
• » PAN access:
• » NFC:

• » Unified Communications:
• » Web Services:
• » Cloud Computing:

• » Notebook PCs:
• » Tablets:
• » Smart phones:
• » Wearables: