Internet’s information highway potential

Examines the Internet’s potential for becoming an information highway. Defines the information highway and the Internet. Describes the characteristics of an information highway. The concept of an information highway puts some requirements on the infrastructure. The users of an information highway, who are located in the residential and business environment, have their share of requirements as well, but they focus on the requirements put forward by the services or applications they will use on an information highway. Checks whether the Internet has implemented these properties and how, or if work is going on to develop them. The framework for this discussion is the TCP/IP reference model. Places some emphasis on the IP next generation protocol, IP version 6 (IPv6). Provides an overview showing all the properties with an indication of how well the posed requirements are met. Concludes that the Internet certainly has potential for becoming an information highway.