ITU Telecom World 2009 In Review 2009 Geneva 5-9 October Session statements: Panellists noted that the world is not only ready for a next generation mobile broadband technology, but it actively needs it. There is a significant demand, yet there are difficulties in actually meeting that demand cost effectively. Regu-lators need to think of how they make spectrum available, in an efficient, effec-tive, harmonized way worldwide, whilst the standards bodies need to continue to drive for open, interoperable networks. The operators need to continue to serve their consumers, identify the technologies that best help them: be it through a mixture of broadband, wired and wireless, and the technology com-panies need to focus on what they do best , push the technology forward: “better, faster, cheaper”. Both LTE and WiMAX technologies play a very important role in mobile broad-band as part of the NGN. But consumers do not care about which technology is used: they care about applications, costs, quality service, and both tech-nologies can meet those needs. The real battleground will be how operators actually approach the consumer and what services and applications they bring. A lot of money is invested in technical equipment which will need to have multi-mode, multiband capability so that 3G will still be around for many years. Going forward we are likely to see a lot of use of 3G while 4G networks will coexist alongside them. Operators must decide what technologies are likely to enable them to deliver the services required, and the bottom-line is that all the technologies must co-exist. Depending where you are, there are different models and all of these will be needed together in order to successfully deliver universal broadband internet. End-users are likely to be the major beneficiaries of the new types of networks. Customers are also the public administrations, businesses and having avail-ability of low-cost, effective broadband networks fixed or wireless is likely to be extremely useful and profitable for them. In developing countries, if there is not a level of joint investment, virtualization and separation of transport services 108 Forum Summary Report