Although experts do not agree on a precise definition of what constitutes telecommuting, or telework, it is generally accepted that someone who works outside the office for a minimum specified duration of time, using some form of communications technology, is a telecommuter. The communications technology aspect is relatively straightforward to define. One could include a telephone, computer, fax machine, photocopier, laser printer and modem or high-speed Internet connection, such as ADSL, ISDN or cable, on the list of essentials for telecommuters. While some telecommuters have notebook computers and cell phones which let them roam freely across the city or country, others are more tied down to a fixed location, such as their home or a branch office. With the increase in Internet usage over the past five years, many companies are using it as a communications tool for telecommuters.
Telecommuting can encompass a wide variety of types of work, corporate cultures and job demands.
When Toronto radio talk show host Carol Mott was recovering from a hospital stay at home, CFRB installed equipment to allow her to be part of the broadcast without the listeners being able to tell she was not in the studio. When it comes to how much work at home makes someone a telecommuter, sources differ. A 1998 survey by CyberDialogue, a New York research firm defined a telecommuter as someone who works from home at least one day a month. They estimated that 15.7 million Americans, or eight per cent of the U.S. population were telecommuting. Companies have found dozens of tangible, measurable benefits to having employees telecommute.