Research question - communication 2015

Introduction

These research questions were primarily used to generate discussion about the subject instead of a pure fact-finding exercise. Given the nature of most of the questions below, answering these questions could not be a matter of fact finding but, created merely the framework for a discussion on each of the team members' thoughts on these question. As a result, we created formal answers for only a few of the questions. The discussions about these questions lead to the systems diagram and the driving forces.

In addition to a discussion of the questions below, the team researched a number of practical matters such as numerical data on use of internet, studies by consulting firms such as Accenture, internal company reports and presentations from a number of academic institutions. Not all of these reports and presentations could, for copyright and confidentiality reasons be listed in the list of research documents.

Finally, in the research, the team was heavily influenced by the "McLuhan papers", a series of chapters from Marshall McLuhans books.

Research questions

- Are different technologies going to converge? (cable, wifi, Win Max,...)?
- As access to the Internet becomes virtually free, will communication/entertainment become a commodity? If so, how will providers differentiate their products? For what will people be prepared to pay extra
- Which trend can be identified in social/work behavior?
- How will technology as the enabler develop? Which is the current and future number of internet provider? Which is the current bottle neck for internet?
- What is the current driver of internet 2nd generation? Which is the bottle neck of current technology (satellite, cable, radio?
- How will people choose to communicate and access entertainment
- What will be the impact of security on communication? Will communication be put under control? Be nationalized?
- With the increase availability of information will the value of communication move from the mean to its features (select information, planning, guide,…)?
- Portable technology (e.g. mobile telephone) will become the most important object in people’s lives from which people will access the Internet, communicate, watch TV/Video, conduct banking transactions, operate security cameras at home etc…
- What is the major driver? Technology or demand for convenience?
- Will working practice change?
- If telephony goes via wifi networks and providers like skype, who will pay whom for what?
- What will be the role of the television channels (will they pay network owners scuh as KPN etc to be broadcasted or will KPN pay them or will customers pay both the network owners and the channels)
- How do you switch off from the connected world if you are on holiday?
- In a world where most communication matters will be dealt with on the internet through paid for accounts, how do you continue to manage the raft of passwords and loginnames for different communication services?
- Using technology like Google’s matching of key search terms to advertising and entertainment selection technology like Tivo will consumers be bombarded with adds.
- Will the functionality of Vonage (map 10 phone numbers worldwide to one phone) create more international businesses?
- What is the consequence for ISP’s if governmental organisations make available wireless internet to entire cities for free?
- What effect will the increase of VOIP have on office life and working from home?
- How to create a separation between work and personal communication or is there less need for this separation like is the case in China?

Answers and reflections of discussions on some of the questions

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