Jorma Ollila : Communications technologies are a catalyst for economic and social development

He made these remarks in a welcoming speech for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva, Switzerland. The WSIS is hosted under the auspices of the United Nations and convened to develop ways to address the information revolution.

"The ambition of universal access is to create, by 2015, an information society in which half the people of the world, an estimated 4 billion, will have access to tools and services that help them interact more, know more and achieve more," Ollila said. "The role that information and communication technologies play is recognized as a catalyst for economic and social development, and as a key enabler in reaching the Millennium Development Goals."

Universal access to communications technologies is the most powerful solution in the fight against social exclusion. The ability to access technology, knowledge, information, business and educational content can make a significant economic and social difference - for individuals and nations. Ollila stressed that no one organization can reach this goal in isolation. Universal Access is a mutual goal and responsibility of the private and public sectors as well as civil society.

Today, over 1.2 billion people worldwide have access to data, voice and personal communications. While this is a significant start to bringing communications technologies to a large population, technology alone is not the answer. "In reaching our aim of universal access, mobility clearly offers the fastest and most economical solution," said Ollila.

He went on to stress that technology must be backed by affordable solutions, supportive governmental policies and regulations, and competitive markets. In the telecommunications industry, these supporting pillars have been put in place through standardization, privatization and liberalization. In both rich and poor nations, this has opened markets for service competition; lowered usage cost; led to the development of new services and innovation; and increased affordable technology.

The decision of adopting policies that stimulate growth in the information and communications technologies sector at the national level is not easy. But experience has shown that the longer-term societal benefits clearly outweigh any short-term objections. "Affecting such policies is an investment by society into its future," Ollila stated.