Exercises to develop speaking skills

19. Read and learn these phrases necessary to start to re-tell a text:

The text	is about is devoted to Is entitled... is centred around focused on deals with gives a detailed description of provides a reader with data on contains a summary of offers a new insight into.. refers to... points out that... is a new conceptual framework for understanding..
The title The heading The headline	is
The purpose/ aim/ intention of the text	is	examine/ assess/evaluate...

20. Using the phrases above, tell about the text “Convergence technologies and services” (5-6 sentences)

21. Read and learn the dialogue.

Device manufacturer (D) and interviewer (I)

I - What are you doing these days?

D - To be honest, I don't know what to do these days.

I - What did you do in the past?

D - We used to make cameras and went digital.

I - What happened?

D - Then everybody wanted cameras on cellphones.

I - What did you decide to do then?

D - We started making those devices.

I - Were they popular among our population?

D - At first. But people are always wanting to upgrade and get the latest models or new gadgets.

I - Are you going to adapt your customers' needs?

D - We have to, if we want to remain in business. But it is not easy. I went to a technology fair last week and they were demonstrating this jacket and hat that was your phone.

I - Amazing!

D - Yeah, there are so many disruptive technologies, I don't know what is going to happen.

I - Can you make a guess?

D - Maybe we'll have to get into clothing.

22. Using the dialogue above, make up your own dialogue between a TV broadcaster and an interviewer. Use the following text to help you.

TV broadcaster

A lot of broadcasters like us are having a hard time. The problem is that there are lots more channels these days and people also get them through different media. I can download the latest films from the phone company. My children don't even watch TV. They watch video online and their friends send them clips on their mobiles. But we have to survive on our advertising revenue and at the moment that's falling. Things are really not easy, and I'm sure there are some broadcasters that will go out of business.

23. Read and learn another dialogue.

Fixed Telecommunications Networking Provider (F) and interviewer (I)

I - What do you do?

F - We own the fixed telecoms network.

I - How are you doing these days? (When there is convergence going on)

F - We've seen a big fall in revenues from voice calls.

I - Oh dear, why is that?

F - Because everything is IP now.

I - Yeah, right. You must be having hard times now.

F - In fact we are now in a great position.

I - Why?

F - Because we are putting intelligence into our network.

I - Could you explain what it means for your company, please?

F - Yeah, sure, it can become an enormous computer, capable of delivering applications.

I - It sounds interesting. Are you sure this new invention will meet your customers' needs? Are you sure they will have all the necessary equipment for that?

F - Absolutely. All our customers need is a broadband pipe into our network cloud and we act as an IT utility - and most people have already got that with an ordinary phone line.

I - You seem to have thought of everything for it to have a success.

F - Of course, it easily makes up for the money from traditional voice calls.

I - Really? What will you often then with the new capabilities?

F - We can provide TV, software, Internet access, email, teleconferencing, all sorts of things.

I - Good luck to you! Thank you for coming.

F - It's a pleasure.

24. Using the dialogue above make up your own dialogue between a TV broadcaster (interviewer) and a search engine provider. Use the following words and phrases:

run – управлять, руководить

search engine – поисковая система

market share – удельный вес на рынке данного товара (продукции компании)

software license – лицензии на ПО

employees - работники

applications - приложения

do all the data storage – выполнять хранение всех данных

do archiving – выполнять архивирование

do backups – осуществлять резервное копирования

run a data centre – управлять центром обработки данных

expensive laptop – дорогой ноутбук

desktop – настольный компьютер

RAM – оперативная память

Internet access devices – устройства с доступом в Интернет

access applications – получать доступ к приложениям

from anywhere – откуда угодно

Additional Reading and Speaking

1. Read the text to learn more about the topic:

Convergence technologies and services

Convergence services, such as VoIP, IPTV, Mobile TV, Smart TV etc., replace the old technologies and are a threat to the current service providers. IP-based convergence is inevitable and will result in new service and new demand in the market. When the old technology converges into the public-owned common, IP based services become access-independent or less dependent. The old service is access-dependent.

Convergent technologies can integrate the fixed-line with mobile to deliver convergent solutions. Recent examples of new, convergent services include:

Video on demand (VOD)

Video on demand (VOD) or audio and video on demand (AVOD) are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content when they choose to, rather than having to watch at a specific broadcast time. IPTV technology is often used to bring video on demand to televisions and personal computers.

Fixed-mobile convergence

Fixed–mobile convergence (FMC) is a change in telecommunications that removes differences between fixed and mobile networks. Fixed Mobile Convergence is a transition point in the telecommunications industry that will finally remove the distinctions between fixed and mobile networks, providing a superior experience to customers by creating seamless services using a combination of fixed broadband and local access wireless technologies to meet their needs in homes, offices, other buildings and on the go.

Mobile-to-mobile convergence

Mobile to mobile convergence (MMC) is a term to describe a technology used in modern computing and telephony. The term is an offshoot of fixed mobile convergence (FMC) and uses dual mode (cellular network and Wi-Fi) phones with a special software client and an application server to connect voice calls and business applications via a VoWLAN and/or through a cellular service.

Convergent technologies include:

IP Multimedia Subsystem

The IP Multimedia Subsystem or IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem (IMS) is an architectural framework for delivering IP multimedia services. 

Session Initiation Protocol

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a standardized set of formats for communicating messages used to initiate, control, and terminate interactive user sessions with multimedia services such as Internet telephone calls, video conferencing, chat, file transfer, and online games.

IPTV

Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as a LAN or the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.

Voice over IP

Voice over IP (VoIP) is a methodology and group of technologies for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet.