Telecommuters to drive high-speed demand

Telecommuters and remote workers will drive demand for high-speed Internet connections, according to a series of new studies by market research firm Cahners In-Stat Group. Broadband connections, which have had moderate success thus far, are capable of linking workers and remote offices with the main corporate network.

Cahners expects that more than 60 percent of the U.S. work force will be considered remote by 2005, when there will be 35 million telecommuters. U.S. businesses are expected to spend nearly $260 billion on communications equipment and services by 2005, up from $160 billion this year, according to Cahners.