MIT Media Lab

The Communications Futures Program (CFP) is a research collaboration that studies the future of the telecommunications industry. We operate as a partnership between university and industry, drawing on knowledge and experience that spans multiple disciplines at MIT and a cross section of industry partners. CFP's mission is to work with our partners to understand the opportunities, barriers, and threats in today's tumultuous environment. Our goal is to explore ways by which our members (and the industry as a whole) can better engage the future. CFP believes that while the role of technology in industry transformation is important, equally important business drivers can accelerate or slow this process. Drivers include widespread availability of broadband infrastructure, regulation, capabilities such as privacy and security, and effective business models. Other drivers include alignment across the communications value chain for speedy rollout of new services.