The Future of Internet
Challenge 1
Viviane RedingCommissioner for Information Society and Media |
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The internet has become the critical infrastructure of the global knowledge society. Already today, 1 billion users are logging on. This number will continue to rise, as the internet evolves into a network of networks connecting fixed and wireless and ever greater numbers of users, objects and devices.
To meet this challenge the Internet will have to develop and change; it was never conceived to connect such a vast array of applications, nor to sustain today’s large digital economy.
For example, the billions of Radio Frequency Identification tags that are expected to come into use in the coming years will push the internet to its limits or beyond. Mobility, bandwidth-hungry media, stronger security and demands for symmetrical interactive services will also drive demand.
What will the internet of the future look like? How will its architecture change? What will be the new technological elements needed to meet the challenges of growth? How can we preserve the success factors of today’s internet in the design and definition of the future internet?
Some features will be essential. The internet is and must remain a conduit for pluralism and freedom of expression. Of course this new freedom must be used responsibly and lawfully, but independence and openness is crucial for a future vision of the internet. The security and stability of the internet is also essential. In these respects we must reassert principles of governance that are not only efficient and effective but also open, fair and non-discriminatory.
As it becomes ever more global, the internet must also more effectively respond to the growing diversity of users, in terms of multilingualism or content. This issue will become more and more important wireless and mobile technologies help us to reach the target of 3 billion users by 2008 – a tripling of today’s level of access.
These developments are good news for Europe. We are well placed to build on our leading industrial position in communications. But, more effort, in particular, more research and development effort will be required, which is why the new 7th European R&D Framework Programme provides substantial research funds for «The Networks of the Future 1 ».
This website is therefore timely. It does not give all the answers to the issues that are open, but it does act as a call to arms for industry, academia, governments and citizens and gives good guidance on the challenges and the responses that we must consider.