29TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOCIETY

Towards a digital future: Turning technology into markets?

Today, information and communication technologies (ICT) are an integral part of our society and economy. Ever increasing numbers of people have access to mobile handsets and the Internet, revolutionising not only how we communicate but also creating a myriad of new products and services.

The most recent of new products and services are often prefaced with the term ‘smart’. ‘Smart’ ICT applications facilitate productivity improvements, aligning supply with demand and improving goods and services. They also generate substantial amounts of data, allowing an often very detailed understanding of the users of smart applications to be gained by companies and governments alike. This data encourages innovation, which has resulted in new products and services that can create jobs and bring countless benefits to users.