Marketing perspectives for business broadband services in Europe

In the context of the RACE (Research and Development in Advanced Communications Technologies in Europe) program, the results of market research on business broadband services, led by the Commission of the European Communities and ETCO and covering the EEC and EFTA countries, are presented. Three possible scenarios for the evolution of broadband telecommunications services are analyzed. For each scenario the forecasts, in terms of users in 1966, are presented for the following services: videoconference, videotelephony, high-speed data transmission, high-speed facsimile, TV and high-quality TV transportation, and high-quality sound transportation. From the results obtained ETCO drew the following conclusions: first, a potential professional demand for broadband telecommunications services exists under tariff conditions that enable network operators to achieve financial stability in the long term after a demand-stimulation phase. Second, potential demand for broadband telecommunications services exists because the services will enable companies under these tariff conditions to improve productivity