 the H.264 codec. Improvements in video communication standards and in hardware such as codecs, MCUs, cameras, and PCs are moving toward real-time DVD-quality video at 30 frames per second (FPS). USB and Firewire have simplified installation and reduced desktop and compact video communication costs. Infrared, Bluetooth, 802.x and now UWB and ZigBee are eliminating wires altogether. Such systems have eroded the conventional ISDN system end point market. ISDN-based videoconferencing comprises a large share of the business-quality videoconferencing market because it is still the safest bet. However, because it is circuit-oriented, it requires high per-minute costs. Moreover, it has long since been stigmatized as a legacy technology that IP has already supplanted. The perception is largely accurate; as WANs are becoming more robust, they are making packet-switched video communication more practical. CONCLUSION The Picturephone, was SO far ahead of its time that it seemed a failure. Nevertheless, it was far more important than anyone might have comprehended. Its developers recognized that people naturally communicate not just aurally but also visually. Today's markets are proving that those Bell Labs pioneers did not labor in vain, and that their vision simply transcended their era. Successful technology applications are not possible without pioneers: scientists, engineers, marketers, and sellers. As important as their work is, however, it would all be for naught without visionary early adopters. Video Communications: The Whole Picture Eventually, successful applications achieve broad-based acceptance and move into the corporate mainstream. A typical conclusion to the cycle of research and development finds these applications delivered to and embraced by the casual consumer. With market growth comes acceptance, and with acceptance comes greater demand for ease-of-use, new capabilities, and lower cost. At some point, the beneficiaries take for granted the brilliance of every technological development. The video communi