Global distributed objects - opportunities and challenges

The global telecommunications market is becoming increasingly deregulated, competitive and dynamic. Existing systems used by established operators typically lack the flexibility required to respond quickly to new customer requirements and opportunities. Distributed object technologies promise major benefits in systems integration leading to cost-effective rapid service deployment. In addition, they can facilitate the development of open interfaces between businesses, essential for effective ca-operation. Are the claims justified? In this paper we discuss our experience with the current state of the technology and assess what remains to be done to meet the future needs of the world's largest distributed software systems.