Telework gets strong backing from new consortium

Last month the Software Productivity Consortium - a group of over 100 private and public organizations ranging from AT&T to Xerox, and including many defense and civilian government agencies - created the Telework Consortium, an umbrella organization dedicated to accelerating the adoption of telework.

The new group has big plans: to launch telework pilot programs in Northern Virginia, build a telework laboratory that will test and showcase various remote access and collaboration technologies, and raise awareness of telework's high return on investment.

The group's message is interesting: Ultra-high bandwidth and video collaboration tools are key to the widespread adoption of telework. According to SPC President and CEO Werner Schaer, one of the biggest roadblocks to widespread telework is what he calls the "face-to-face issue."

"This can be solved with enough bandwidth," he argues. "With 20M to 30M bit/sec connections, you can have people communicating over video connections, helping bosses interpret physical cues."

Conversely, Schaer's group believes the killer application that will drive the growth of ultra-high-bandwidth services to the home won't be entertainment as is generally assumed, but telework, or more specifically what Schaer calls "interpersonal communications."

"If you look at some of the studies conducted by the Brookings Institute, they've determined that building infrastructure for high-speed bandwidth in the United States will add half a trillion dollars to the U.S. economy. That won't be added by people watching movies, but by people doing actual work," he says.

If the research is correct, businesses will pay the cost only if they see a high ROI, the group reasons. "That's where we come in," Schaer says. The Telework Consortium's pilot programs and lab will focus heavily on demonstrating telework's ROI. The lab, which will be located in the SPC's Washington facility, is expected to open next May.

At first glance, it isn't apparent why the SPC would choose to dive headlong into telework. But Schaer explains that telework is a natural fit given the SPC's broader mission, which is to improve business results based on software engineering practices. In recent years, the member companies and government organizations have become increasingly interested in the security aspects of telework, as well as in learning ways to effectively collaborate across large distances within their companies, which lead them to telework and virtual work.

And at second glance, it isn't immediately apparent how the Telework Consortium's efforts will lead to the roll out ultra-high-bandwidth services in Northern Virginia. To date, providers in the area such as Open Band are concentrating on new construction, primarily businesses and upscale communities.

But John Starke, consultant to the Telework Consortium, points out that "there's a reasonable possibility that as this starts to be recognized to have some value, we'll see communities demanding that all new construction at least have the capability put in."

Even so, that doesn't solve the problem of how to retrofit existing homes and buildings. While Starke says wireless service from Spectrum Access that delivers 100M bit/sec makes sense, the technology limitations and cost make it a poor fit for widespread residential use.

However, if the Telework Consortium is successful at proving ROI, cable companies may choose to retrofit their networks, and companies such as Open Band may offer additional services. The government could even step in and offer subsidies.

As luck would have it, 1,600 miles away, WideOpenNetworks of CastleRock, Colo., is offering just what the Telework Consortium is looking for: residential data service up to 10M bit/sec.

WideOpenNetworks, which uses SwitchPoint's Ethernet technology, is in the early stages of building its network. Local residents can get voice, cable TV and data services over a dual network (one for TV, one for voice and data) at affordable rates. The 3M bit/sec data service (over Ethernet) costs $44.95 per month, and the data and TV bundled service costs $79.95. Even better, the 10M bit/sec data service costs $64.95 per month.

Toni Kistner is managing editor of Net.Worker. Contact her at tkistner@nww.com.

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