Communicating the Future LS03 15.30-16.45 Abu Dhabi B The communications sector is on the cusp of massive change. Some say it has already passed the point of no return. Telco revenues are falling, traditional vendors are struggling and the telco supply chain has been disrupted. Federated, standards-based, interoperable global services are under threat. “Internet-time” start-ups are offering compelling alternative ways of communicating. And they are both global and largely unregulated. Is the vertically integrated model of regulation now outdated? Are the current changes working in the best interests of society or is the communications sector in danger of losing the trust of its customers? Protecting the Future LS04 15.30-16.45 Dubai C Respect for individuals and organisations is notably lacking in many communications platforms and ecosystems today. Despite regulatory pressure, data protection remains a major concern and attitudes towards privacy are changing with the emergence of powerful global internet companies. Privacy is no longer a ‘regulatory compliance headache’ but is about product acceptability. New generations of consumers initially seemed unconcerned but even they are beginning to lose trust in some dominant players in the ecosystem. Computer misuse in the form of spam grows unabated and intellectual property protection continues to be an issue with peer-to-peer and file sharing activities. Concerted efforts are required to deliver protection against abuse and dominance by unaccountable entities. leadership sumit 31