Ofcom’s Emerging Technology programme monitors developments in the trends and changes affecting the sectors it regulates closely. Earlier this year, Ofcom published its “Technology Futures” report, looking at the telecoms technologies that could pave the way for new ways for people to communicate in the coming years.

Ofcom says that it has continued its work to explore what the next game-changing innovations could be and has now published “Internet Futures”, which is a follow-up report that focuses on the technologies that could underpin how the internet operates in the future, and what that could mean for people and businesses.

The report includes contributions from industry, academics and technology experts from across the world, offering a sample of the many different innovative technologies being developed. The report summarises these views, with the following overarching themes emerging as the key trends:

• personalisation of experience, privacy, trust, and quality of experience for users;
• increased introduction of cloud technology and its extension closer to the end user; and
• environmental sustainability.

Ofcom says that it will continue to keep a close eye on how the communications sectors are evolving through the Emerging Technology programme. It welcomes further views on important technologies for the future. To access the report, click here.