Institute For The Future

Now that broadband Internet access is widely available in the United States, what comes next? What business models and policy initiatives will help move beyond broadband to a hyperconnected world?

Up until now, the greater public discussion on planning for future communications in the US has focused on extending broadband service to everyone. But what happens now that we live in a world of gigabit connections and vast amounts of data in cloud-based computing.

Earlier this year IFTF was delighted to work with the Mack Center for Technological Innovation at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania to organize and lead the After Broadband Workshop comprised of leading experts who explored the deeper and nuanced  issues around the future of communications. This discussion led to a comprehensive report, After Broadband: Imagining Hyperconnected Futures, which captures key insights from over 40 experts on topics ranging from mobile broadband and wireless sensor networks to tidal waves of streaming video and social networking.

This day-long workshop brought together business leaders, researchers, technical experts, entrepreneurs, and futurists at Wharton’s San Francisco campus for a day long discussion—and deep-dive breakout sessions—into eight specific domains: Management, Operations and Analytics; Communications and Collaboration; Education and Learning; Commerce, Identity and Security; Health, Well-being and Life Management; Creation and Production; Social, Home and Community Life; and Entertainment. Guided by expert IFTF facilitators, the participants developed scenarios and identified six critical challenges that must be addressed.

Experts vigorously debated and discussed both the technical and social implications of a broad range of futures of technology developments like adaptive software defined networks, fragmented special function Internet Protocol networks for health, finance, science, entertainment, isolated large geographic internets in china, Iran, Saudi Arabia, ad-hoc mobile and embedded swarm networks, mobile health, linked supercomputing clouds, and the spiraling cyber security arms race.

More Information

• After Broadband Press Release
• After Broadband Report Website: The report website contains a gallery of expert interview videos, graphic recordings, a full list of participants as well as sponsors.