Take a moment to consider what you are trying to achieve against the fast pace of change in the industry today. The industry is rapidly and radically changing. Revenues from voice will continue to contribute a lower percentage of the bottom line as data transmission becomes the major focus of business for our employers. There are new alliances taking place almost weekly among the most unlikely partners, each believing its technology will give them an edge. As these partnerships indicate, the convergence of telephone and computers is expected to result, for the first time, in a marketable product.
Analysts also predict that the growth of cable telephony is only a matter of time.
In addition, we need to get ready for another wave of potential competition from the power companies. It is clear POTS plain old telephone service will never be the same. It is imperative that union leaders and union members understand that globalization and new technology are creating new products and services, and that our employers must offer them if they are to survive much less grow and prosper. Communications companies will need scale and scope to compete globally. Business Week clearly believes that cable telephony is in our future.