The prediction, in brief:

The biggest threat to unmetered Internet access can be express in one phrase: “Free International Long-Distance Telephone.” It is now possible with software to have an almost real-time voice conversation over the Internet. This has the potential of putting a huge amount of new traffic on the Net and of competing with the phone companies that own much of the Net.

Predictor: Kadie, Carl

Prediction, in context:

In a 1994 article for The Guardian, a London-based newspaper, technology commentator Mike Holderness quotes Internet commentator Carl Kadie. Holderness writes:”As regular Net-commentator Carl Kadie says, ‘I think the biggest threat to unmetered Internet access can be express in one phrase: “Free International Long-Distance Telephone.” It is now possible with software to have an almost real-time voice conversation over the Internet. This has the potential of putting a huge amount of new traffic on the Net and of competing with the phone companies that own much of the Net.'”

Date of prediction: June 1, 1994

Topic of prediction: Communication

Subtopic: Internet Telephony

Name of publication: Guardian (London)

Title, headline, chapter name: High Anxiety for Hitchhikers on the Infobahn: Just as Millions Outside the Groves of Academe Discover the Joys of Essentially Free Global Communications on the Internet, it’s All Changing

Quote Type: Paraphrase

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.poptel.org.uk/nuj/mike/articles/gdn-netb.htm

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney