Potential Impacts of the Video Telephone

The current status of video telephone technology is reviewed briefly, and the form of the video telephone of the future is projected. Likely impacts of these future devices are then described and assessed. The impacts considered are: influences on personal behavior; delivery of medical care; increased communication among the deaf; expanded educational opportunities; changes in the structure of organizations; limited substitution of communications for travel, short and long distance; economy of scale in transmission facilities; competition for investment capital; effect on balance of payments; and near outlooks in utility regulation.