The project concerned developing a multimedia brokerage service mainly in the area of multimedia publishing and offering the customer the possibility of negotiating the purchase of data and services from suppliers, through a broker machine, using existing technology where possible (eg. Internet).The system would run on asynchronous transmission mode (ATM) networks and integrated services digital network (ISDN) transparently, integrating open systems interconnection (OSI) and Internet technology, guaranteeing security and intellectual property rights protection and management. A contribution is made to standardization on multimedia and brokerage services demonstrating the feasibility of this brokerage service that will allow the achievement of a more competitive position in the market-place, by reducing costs and time through the use of a broker machine. A good business case is developed for the introduction of electronic brokerage services, through ATM, in a real business environment.
The major achievements of the project to date can be summarized as follows:
specification of the supplier /customer systems, the broker machine, and the architecture of the whole system;
integration of Internet technology;
development of a Customer/Broker Machine access prototype;
clarification of the Security and intellectual property right (IPR) aspects;
specification of the communications modules, including Internet protocols;
standardization work with a lot of effort on document filing and retrieval (DFR), document manipulation and T.120 aspects.