ELECTRONIC commerce is about to expand beyond the boundaries of the internet as we know it now, leaving companies the stark choice of embracing e-commerce or dying.

This is the stark message from the fast-growing IT consultants Cambridge Technology Partners (CTP).

Matthew Cohan, a CTP director, says that with new technologies, such as digital television and interactive kiosks, emerging and expanding the reach of the worldwide network, there will be a revolution in the way we do our business.

"The forward-thinking companies are finding out today what all this means and they're starting to build infrastructure and architectures that will support multiple types of interaction at the front end. "If they can find an appropriate segment of their customers to develop a web application for, then they do that. They get that experience of 'how do I segment, how do I deliver service and transact through that particular channel?'

"What they are learning will be directly applicable to things such as digital television or kiosk technology," says Cohan.

It is in CTP's interests to promote internet-based solutions. The company, which was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1991, was recently rated number one in the website development sector by the market researcher Forrest.

Since its inception, CTP has grown to 52 offices and 4,200 employees worldwide, with its UK headquarters in Reading.