Outlook

Successful progress on the path to becoming an information society will determine the competitiveness of enterprises, societies and countries. The effective, efficient use of broadband Internet is critical to this progress. Without this infrastructure there can be no functioning information society. Our prosperity and development are at stake.

Data highways represent just one, if decisive competitive factor. The development of innovative products and services on the broadband Internet is also of key significance, representing a precondition for the sensible and beneficial use of the high-speed network. Furthermore, everyone in our society needs to learn how to use broadband Internet, regardless of age or social background. The Internet has to be free of social barriers.

The broadband market is a dynamic growth sector in our economy. It makes innovation possible and creates jobs at the same time. A growing number of people will have broadband Internet access in the future. The bandwidth and performance capability of Internet services will once again increase considerably. The introduction of VDSL is an expression of this trend.

Increased bandwidth will make new applications possible: Internet TV is one of the most important innovations for consumers. Internet TV and Video on Demand are also an expression of convergence, which is also occurring in entire industries.

An additional major trend is the Social Web. The future clearly belongs to the "participatory Internet", involving active people who will be shifting a considerable part of their social activities to the Internet. The convergence of the Internet and society is also apparent in the areas of e-health and telecommuting. Both of these phenomena will continue to grow. In the early days of the Internet, both of these areas were seen as positive future visions by many; now they have already become part of reality. A development, by the way, for which broadband Internet deserves much of the credit.

Viewed at a global level in particular, Germany and the rest of Europe need to more consistently exploit their opportunities in the information society. Nations can only reach an adequate level of competitiveness, growth and employment by being among the best Internet players. The deficits in this area are already well-known. There is no lack of recognition of this fact and no unclear issues in terms of the course that needs to be taken. The price that we will pay if Germany and Europe disengage themselves from the global trends is too high to be acceptable. It is a matter of the development potential and future of our society.

Above all, "Deutschland Online 4" proves the uniqueness of the opportunities and economic potential created by broadband Internet. It is now a matter of harnessing this potential and putting it to work for everyone.