And cable operators will be in a good position to sell the results of these developments. One example is video teleconferencing. Because the technology is not yet widely implemented, the full possibilities of this and other collaboration technologies have not been fully explored. Yet, as better Quality of Service spreads over the network, such services may come into their own. In all likelihood, IP networks will lead this and other developments in business networking.
Cable has the potential to be at the forefront.
Already, the technology exists to offer guaranteed and secure Internet access, along with virtual private networking for remote access or other purposes. The biggest challenge for cable operators is the degree of build-out that might be necessary to reach business users. This will obviously vary between regions and operators, and serves as an important economic consideration. The residential focus and history of the cable networks has given cable a big head start in the home broadband market. Many tend to assume that this is where cable will stay.