Eric Engstrom, CEO, Wildseed

The word “broadband” doesn't often come to mind when discussing Eric Engstrom. The CEO of Wildseed is best known for his work on DirectX, the program that allowed gaming and multimedia on Windows. And his current work lies in the realm of wireless data, creating custom mobile phones to push content to the world's teen market.

But according to Engstrom, broadband is exactly what he's about. In his mind, “broadband” equals “entertainment,” and entertainment has been the driving force behind his work for the last decade.

“Narrowband has always been a business tool,” Engstrom said. “With low connection speeds, you're talking about exchanging words, e-mail going back and forth. With the introduction of broadband, that's when things start getting interactive. That's when you start getting video, animation, games — things only a high-speed connection can support. That's when things get entertaining.”

Engstrom believes that same premise applies to wireless, though the rest of the telecom world seems to disagree. Next-generation wireless data is now marketed as the businessman's best friend — a tool only professionals have the know-how and money to adopt. But Engstrom feels youths aren't given enough credit, and given the entertainment possibilities of palm-held devices and the flexibility of broadband connections, wireless data could be as big a hit among the pimpled and sullen teenage masses as it is among corporate jetsetters.

“Sure, broadband right now has a painful lack of impact on my life,” Engstrom said, “but that's because there isn't enough of it out there and it isn't fast enough. When those pipes are ready for true entertainment applications, though, you'll start seeing things happen.” —Kevin Fitchard