People's ability to progress culturally is linked to their ability to expand human potential through new technology. An area that is rapidly advancing today is telecommunications. This book looks mainly at one segment of the telecommunications industry - specifically, teleconferencing. It examines the current status of teleconferencing technology and presents emerging technological trends and issues.

The term "teleconferencing" refers to two-way electronic communications between two or more groups, or three or more individuals, who are in separate locations. In order to interconnect people, teleconferencing systems use telecommunications channels that range from regular telephone lines to satellite links. The only requirement is that the medium be interactive, giving people at each location the opportunity to actively participate in the meeting.

Today, teleconferencing is generally thought of as a young industry. In many ways it is. Although its roots - the first applications - go back to the 1930s, it has only been discovered, or rediscovered, by a broader public. Its emergence on a wider scale is based on the coupling of two major factors: better teleconferencing technologies and the socioeconomic climate of today.

Teleconferencing appears to answer many of today's problems: productivity, communications, information management, decision-making, continuing education, and travel and energy costs.

In a broader context, the driving force is change. The world is changing at an unprecedented rate, affecting the structure of our societies and the way we live and work. Call it the Information Age, Global Village, or Computerized Society, the basic premise is the same. We are rapidly moving into a new era.

Change is bringing with it a need to readjust our traditional approaches to communicating. Change also demands new responses to new challenges: an international marketplace with expanding competition; volatile economies on a global scale; the exponential growth of information; the rapid obsolescence of knowledge and skills; the shift to an information and service economy; the quickening pace of technological developments and computerization; shrinking supplies of traditional energy resources; and the need for rapid communications on a worldwide basis.

Like other aspects of society, teleconferencing is in transition. It is an industry marked by new technologies, new applications, and new suppliers. Interest in teleconferencing has increased dramatically since Desert Storm. And, spurred by economic conditions, many organizations are assessing and/or implementing teleconferencing as a management tool and as an alternative to traditional communication patterns.

Better technology is another factor attracting people to teleconferencing. Recent developments include improved equipment, more transmission options, the introduction of digital devices like video compression codecs, and the convergence of teleconferencing technologies to the desktop through personal computers. Teleconferencing is also part of the trend to extended networks that integrate information processing and communications in the automated office.

In addition, we are seeing a more competitive teleconferencing industry as new vendors and service providers enter the market. The result is not only an increase in teleconferencing products but also more companies that provide services and related products or services, such as turn-key systems, integrated room designs, furniture, publications, and consulting.

There is little doubt that teleconferencing has changed markedly in the past two or three years. Market projections say the industry will grow to a $3.5 billion market by the year 1995. Some people share the optimism and hop aboard the bandwagon. Others look at the history of teleconferencing and express skepticism about its future. Much of the skepticism centers around human factors. The technologies may be advanced, but can people apply them effectively? Beyond the technology, what factors are critical to successful implementation?

The implementation of teleconferencing also brings change. Changes in the way people communicate, learn, do business, access information, make decisions, and relate to others. It affects the organization and the individual. The future of teleconferencing depends not only on the technology, but also on how people respond to it and how it is integrated into the infrastructure of our organizations.

It is time to take a close look at teleconferencing. It is time to assess the technologies, the applications, and the major trends. We need to identify where teleconferencing is today and where it may be going. We also need to place teleconferencing within a broader context that includes driving forces, human factors, and possible barriers to growth.

This book attempts to provide some answers that are related to the various technologies. It is a primer - a book that covers the basic elements of teleconferencing technologies. We hope that it also raises questions which will motivate further exploration into the dynamics of teleconferencing.

In mapping the teleconferencing territory, we take a logical progression by beginning with an overview and then following specific threads in more detail. To set the stage, Telconferencing System Options defines the common factors that contribute to a shared definition of teleconferencing, presents an overview of the primary forms of teleconferencing technologies, and explains the three basic technical components that are found in any type or size of teleconferencing system. Audio Teleconferencing Technology, Audio Graphics Technology, and Video Conferencing Technologies delve into the specific technologies for audio, audio graphic, and video teleconferencing that are available today. Emerging Issues and Trends briefly summarizes emerging technological trends and issues. The Glossary has been provided as a resource for general teleconferencing terms.