Sunday 04 October Youth Forum 14:30 – 18:00 YF2 Interactive Session Room C Innovative Technologies and Services: New Vision It’s hard to imagine, but when most Youth Forum participants were born, very few people in developing countries had access to a telephone. Even in developed countries, phones at the time were largely fixed line terminals except for a few mobile devices that looked like big bricks. The Internet had not yet gone commercial and bulky personal computers (PCs) were just making their debut. Today, there are more than 4 billion mobile voice subscribers, the vast majority of them in developing countries. Innovative broadband technologies promise to put both voice and high-speed Internet services within reach of almost everyone, even in locations that were once thought to be beyond reach. Some of these technologies include FTTH (fibre to the home), largely for high-end markets, and fibre backbone networks coupled with a range of broadband wireless technologies, such as 3G, HSPA, WiMAX and LTE serving more markets. The development of low-cost laptops and smart phones means it’s no longer necessary to have an expensive computer to join the Information Society. New applications and content tailored for nearly every user, including content generated by users themselves, continue to drive demand for ICT services from all segments of society, all regions of the world. Technological advances have changed the very way we communicate. For many young people, texting and online chat are the dominant forms of communication, whether on a mobile phone, smart phone, PC or gaming console, together with the self-generated photos and videos they upload on their favorite social networking sites. These developments have been spurred by innovation in technologies, the creation of new products and services and access to information. Young people have been at the forefront in driving this process as users, researchers, developers and the entrepreneurs that have established many successful ICT-based businesses, demonstrating how the Internet and ICT-based solutions can be used as an enabler for business and social development activities around the globe. 99