Internet voice traffic has its problems … But as Net bandwidth grows, more and more such “parasitic” calls will join the traffic. In the long term they may force phone companies to lower prices to compete.
Predictor: Hapgood, Fred
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article about Internet telephony for Inc., Fred Hapgood writes: ”Internet voice traffic has its problems. For one thing, few people outside of universities and large organizations have the sort of high-speed Internet links required. For another, Internet traffic can be stop and start – no problem for e-mail, but annoying in a phone conversation. Delays between responses can reach 30 seconds, making even the most ardent long-distance lovers throw up their hands. But as Net bandwidth grows, more and more such ‘parasitic’ calls will join the traffic. In the long term they may force phone companies to lower prices to compete.”
Biography:Fred Hapgood took on the role of moderator of the Nanosystems Interest Group at MIT and wrote a number of articles for Wired and other tech publications of the early 1990s. (Author/Editor/Journalist.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Communication
Subtopic: Internet Telephony
Name of publication: Inc.
Title, headline, chapter name: Dialing Without Numbers
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?_m=679b09d3428fd2a7e4bd6140ef85b167&_docnum=1&wchp=dGLbVtb-lSlAl&_md5=aef73c1f80b58460da80a3e47e3f472d
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Gulbranson, Mathea