5 years ago... Videoconferencing hailed as key business tool

08.09.98 IT directors lack understanding of visual communications which are going to be key business tools in the future, according to a spokesman for video company, Tektronix.

Stephen King, vice president of Tektronix's video and networking division, explained the problem. "It's a chicken and egg situation because videoconferencing technology has been so shaky up till now," he said.

Brian Collins, IS manager at Royal College of Surgeons of England, is sceptical about the state of the technology.

"The quality of videoconferencing products hasn't been high enough for me to investigate. I'm not going to waste my time or my users' money with systems that don't yet appear workable," he said.

08.09.03 The DTI reckons that within a decade a quarter of the UK workforce will be able to work from anywhere, at any time. Mention such a thing and some people will think of a sci-fi future of seamless conferencing, pictures and all. Now we know that isn't likely to be the case.

This may never be the boom sector some predicted it to be. And we'll all still get by if it isn't.