An increasing number are using video and audio streaming technologies, which are particularly data-intensive. But my teenage nephew told me that he and all his friends now download music directly from the Net using MP3 technology. They make their own CDs on their CD-Rom drive. Or they download the music to a new device called the Rio, which is now about the size of a wallet but will soon be the size of a credit card. An article in last week's New York Times noted that college students are not the only ones using MP3 technology.
Office works are now just as likely to download music from the Internet.
Video and audio streaming technologies will continue to play an increasing role in the future, as more film, music, and video is carried online. It's webcasting of Victoria's Secret's fashion show drew 1.5 million viewers in February. All of this is to show that our use of the Internet and other electronic services, and therefore our need for bandwidth, are growing at rapid speeds. Without high-capacity networks, gaining access to the Internet is like draining a pool of water with a straw, when what we really need is a garden hose. With high-capacity networks and broadband services, however, we will be able to pull down information services quickly and efficiently.