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Name: Rodrigo Dauster
Bio: Business advisor on all matters digital
Area of Expertise: Futurist/Consultant
Topic: Economic structures
Headline: Internet for free (becomes public service)
Nutshell: It will become evident that the Internet is such a source of wealth that governments and/or companies will elect to offer it for free to all.
Vision:Today, access to high-speed Internet is slowed by telcos who, in an attempt to extract maximum profit (as they should), invest conservatively and block competitors.
However, it has become clear that the Internet is a an enabler to tremendous wealth creation and beneficial to individuals. Therefore, it is that "the more Internet the better" we’d all be.
Google is already leading the way by offering free WiFi in San Francisco. They estimate that their economic gains will exceed their investment.
Soon other companies will follow suit. I predict that we will see groups of companies emerge (eg, Google, Cisco, Microsoft), perhaps one per country, paying to make broadband Internet available to all free of charge.
Date Submitted: October 3, 2006