What If Telecoms... Were the Key to the Third Industrial Revolution? Global Edition

Description

Telecoms are a one of a kind economic sector, which has experienced unparalleled growth over the past 20 years. During this time, the relative portion of household budgets spent on telecoms has more than doubled. This book goes beyond the obvious boom of mobile phones and the Internet to show how telecoms are a sector which supports vasts areas of our economy. This phenomenon is observed in developed countries (for example in the health or surveillance sectors) as well as in developing countries, where telecoms contribute to socio-economic development.

How long will this dynamic last? If telecoms, via the much debated phenomenon of « convergence », are the basis for a 3rd industrial revolution, what challenges lie ahead in future decades? What are the prospects of telecoms in 2030, and how can we sharpen our forecasts? These are the key themes tackled by the authors of this book, whose prospective answers are based on their own extensive experience.

CONTENTS:

1. Introduction: A world of maybes • A brief history of telecoms • The risky business of forecasting telecoms' future • Telecoms' contribution to the World

2. Telecom consumer habits: background and perspective: A significant economic impact • Overview of previous industrial revolutions • Telecoms: the steam engine of the XXI century?

3. Convergence... Convergences : Convergence, part1 : information technology/telecommunication/media • Convergence, part 2: landline/mobile/Internet • Convergence, part 3: cross-sectoral

4. Onceupon a time...There was a digital divide: Young urbanites...But what about the others? • The elderly • Handicap and illness

5. Adapting to serve economic development: Telecoms and development • The case of emerging countries post-2000 • How far can telecoms go?

6. The new barbarians? : New players in the telecom field • Telecoms and local districts • A new generation enters business and public life

7. Telecoms tomorrow : The trivialisation of telecoms? • The integration of telecoms? • Waiting for Star Trek