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 Microsoft’s vision of empowering people through great software — any time, any place, and on any device — depends on helping consumers and businesses advance from today’s narrow-band world into a broadband future. Even now, the majority of consumers — along with many small and medium-sized businesses — still access the Internet via their regular telephone lines. The result is that the rich world of real-time interactivity remains a dream for most consumers, while many businesses are reluctant to put videoconferencing or multimedia on their networks, because they fear it will crowd out transaction traffic and other high-priority communications.
Our core strategy here is to make investments that will accelerate the deployment of high-speed broadband networks and to collaborate on the technology that will make interactive services for consumers and businesses run seamlessly across these networks. To that end, we are working with companies that will play a leading role in making broadband Internet and multimedia access widely available. We are enthusiastic about the many technologies that will deliver this, which is why we continue to invest in various infrastructures such as wired and wireless telecommunications, cable, and interactive television. Some of our exciting relationships include AT&T, Nextel Communications, NTL, Rogers Communications, WirelessKnowledge, Concentric Networks, Wink Communications, and more.
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