The increasing digitisation of the global economy and the associated spread of digital services among consumers, businesses and governments has not only created millions of new jobs, but also led to a significant increase in gross national product. The flow of information and networks have developed across borders in a way that would have been unthinkable before the advent of the internet, the global spread of mobile telephony, social networks and the rapid growth of broadband networks.
Business models have been redefined, start-ups have turned into large companies, and the entire functioning of society (education, health, security and data protection) is changing. Networking and the intelligent use of big data, and with it increasing privacy and security issues, have significantly changed the use and provision of telecommunications services. The so-called ‘Internet of Everything’, an intelligent connection of people, processes, data and objects, is affecting all industrial sectors and is a driver of innovation and productivity growth. Ever-changing rules and market participants are creating dynamic global competition. This is forcing companies to constantly adapt and realign themselves.
