The answer seems to be changing daily, just because of the explosive growth of the Internet. The consensus seems to be that the following developments will help support telecommuting and distance work in various ways:

Web-based conferencing (documents, video, audio) allows dispersed teams to share information and work together. Most of the technical tools available today are still a bit rough around the edges, but they will improve.

Java language will make it possible for remote workers to access a variety of applications no matter what PC platform they're using. Java is catching on quickly, so watch for Web site and intranet applications.

The telecommunications bottleneck is still the biggest problem that most remote workers experience. The more stuff there is on the Web, and the more people there are trying to access it, the slower the access time and the greater the frustration. The debate about the relative pros and cons of advanced telecommunications "pipelines" such as ISDN, ADSL, and cable modems (among others) continues and grows. Whichever one, or ones of these options or others becomes more popular, it's clear that something has to happen so most of us can get beyond the 14.4 or 28.8 kbps that we rely on.

2. My employer says that if I want to telecommute I have to buy my own PC. Should I get a desktop PC or a laptop?

There's no single, simple answer; here are some points to consider:

The more you'll be moving from location to location, and the more you'll be relying on one computer no matter where you are, the more you'll need a laptop.

Depending on what kind of work you do and how much you want to spend, your choice of laptop vs. desktop will be based in part on things such as keyboard size and arrangement, size and quality of monitor, CD-ROM drive availability, internal vs. external modem, and weight.

A laptop with a "docking station" might be the best of both worlds - you'll have the portability of a laptop and the full-size monitor (and other features) of a desktop.

Even though your employer says you have to buy your own computer, don't overlook the possibility of "salvaging" one from the office. For example, there might be a PC in the office that's not being used much and could get more use at your home. Or, there might be some laptops that are available for loaner use; if you only telecommute a few days a week, you might be able to borrow one instead of buying one.

3. Since I really rely on faxes, what about a fax machine at home?

The additional cost to get fax capabilities with a modem is minimal, and it's a good investment. This is a suitable solution in most cases, though it doesn't always work well for graphics-intensive faxes. The cost for a "plain vanilla" but workable fax machine is quite low; prices have dropped considerably, so if you really need it the extra cost isn't very much.

4. What's the role of ISDN in telecommuting?

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is a kind of phone service offered by most local telephone companies. It has many benefits, but most important is the ability to carry one voice and two high-speed data or video communications channels over existing copper wire in the home. This generally means there's no need to install new phone lines to give telecommuters the separate voice and data lines they often need. The cost of ISDN service is generally less than the equivalent number of separate lines. However, ISDN is not universally available in the US and other countries; thus, telecommuters and their employers can't always get access to it when needed. Also, there are one-time equipment costs for the special phones and for the devices needed to connect PCs to ISDN lines. On balance, it's a technology that should be considered but may not always be available, or cost-effective even if it is available.

5. How useful is videoconferencing for telecommuting?

There has been a lot of interest and discussion about this but not much action - yet. This will probably change as the software and hardware for true desktop videoconferencing becomes more widely available, and at lower costs, and as the quality improves. However, there are two potential obstacles for most videoconferencing for telecommuting: first, it generally requires access to an ISDN phone service, which isn't available everywhere yet. Second, some of the interest in videoconferencing is misguided, in the sense that managers want to use it to do the same kind of micro-management they practice in the office. The best use of video for telecommuting is for applications where there's a graphic or visual aspect that can't be conveyed with just voice or text, or for interactions where you really need to look someone in the eye.

6. Does it cost a lot of money to equip a telecommuter?

This depends entirely on the type of work done, the number of days away from the office, whether the employee already owns a PC, and several other factors. In general, the costs are less than many managers assume. Keep in mind that there are one-time costs (for equipment, software, etc.) and ongoing costs (for telecommunications).

7. How feasible is it to set up telecommuting in a call center?

Inbound call centers - such as catalog-order centers, reservations, customer service, etc. - are booming in general, and are one of the hot growth areas for telecommuting. The technology needed to distribute calls to homes or other remote locations is very widely available, and it generally depends on the features of the ACD (automatic call distributor) that routes all incoming calls to agents in the office or elsewhere. Many of the ACD vendors have become very interested in serving this market.

Sending the incoming call to the home isn't much of a problem, nor is providing remote access to customer files and other databases. The biggest challenge can be speed of access, however; agents in a physical call center are used to getting very fast response when they key in commands to get flight schedules, prices, etc. If they're working at home, there might be a time delay that isn't terribly long but long enough to be annoying to both agent and customer. That's why it's critically important to test out those response times remotely - and choose the right telecommunications tools so these delays are minimized.

8. How do we decide what systems or networks our telecommuters need access to?

It should be based on what they need and use in the office. In general, you'll want to make it easy for telecommuters to do as much of their job remotely as they need to do. If they have access to three LANs in the office but can only access one remotely, that could be a big problem - and could severely limit their effectiveness.

Fortunately, the technologies for remote LAN access have been steadily improving, and the vendors that provide them are working hard to continue this trend.