Planning for the Future

Who knows what the future of the Internet holds? No one knows for sure, but some have educated guesses. Bill Owens, CEO of Teledesic, sure does. His company is deploying satellites that will raise bandwidth and lower connection costs worldwide. Want to know more about the future of the Internet? Listen to Owens - he's in on it.

Prepare for the Web Being Everywhere

Lack of bandwidth is one of the major stumbling blocks for the future, Owens says. But it won't be for long. With the rise of high bandwidth connections, new forms of communication will be possible, and they'll be everywhere - not just on your computer.

"We're entering a kind of ever-net world, where you're always connected whether you're in your home or on the street. You'll be able to talk to the device and have it do what you want it to do - give you directions, deposit your checks in the bank, etc.," Owens forecasts. Owens isn't looking into a crystal ball. The future he's predicting is already in the works. Mobile PCS phone users in Helsinki can get data to their phones today at 384kb, much faster than America's 9.6kb. "This allows you to video conference on your mobile phone in Helsinki today," Owens says. "That's what we call "third generation capability," and it's going to be worldwide. We're going to see huge bandwidth on our mobile phones." Mobile phone communications are one possibility, but others will emerge as bandwidth becomes less of a problem. Is your business ready to take advantage of this higher bandwidth?

Realize the Global Possibilities

There was a time when succeeding in a particular industry meant having a location at that industry's center. But not for long, Owens says. "In the years ahead, we will be connected in ways that allow us to do global business. Boundaries will continue to disappear," he says. Business to business companies that use the strengths found in various international locations will be primed to succeed.

"The ability to interface with people in other parts of the world who can help you to make money will be a natural for us in the business to business world," Owens says. "We can put a request for whatever we're looking for on our website and expect to draw much more realistically from the rest of the world's marketplace in the same way that Priceline draws from the American marketplace today." Companies that facilitate these types of communications will be big in the net's global future. Can your business find a niche in the coming globalization?

Keep Your Eye on the Future

No individual business can predict all future trends, but you can do some simple things to stay on top of the curve.

"It's especially relevant for smaller businesses to think about what the marketplace is going to offer and try to see six months into the future," Owens says. "We can't gaze through years into the future because it's just too hard. But you can at least try to get your mind into the present and look perhaps six months into the future." Stay connected to advances through news services, magazines and conferences that address the IT possibilities for your field, Owens advises. They won't provide you with that crystal ball, but they will let you know what's possible today and what's coming in the near future.

Every business needs help keeping up with the speed of net business. In just a few years the web has turned the business world upside down, and the changes keep coming. If you want to stay in step with the future, you've got to know what's coming. Keep your eyes and ears open. Your business will thank you for it.