In a generation where the internet is the backbone of almost every social and economic activity, reimagining its future is highly significant. The Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative aims to reinvent the internet to reflect fundamental human values, addressing both the opportunities and challenges of our digital age. As we navigate through an increasingly connected world, the NGI seeks to ensure that the internet remains a force for positive change, emphasizing values such as openness, inclusivity, and privacy.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the internet’s pivotal role in maintaining societal and economic functions. The crisis revealed the importance of having a resilient, secure, and privacy-preserving online infrastructure. While the internet has proven indispensable, concerns around personal data protection and transparency remain vital. The pandemic also highlighted the growing demand for more user-centric services and greater control over online experiences. This growing need underscores the urgency for the NGI initiative to place people at the heart of its vision for the internet’s future.
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Key Objectives of the NGI Initiative
The NGI initiative is driven by a mission to develop the next generation of internet technologies that adhere to the core values cherished by Europe. These values include:
- Openness: Ensuring that the internet remains accessible and interoperable across various platforms and services.
- Inclusivity: Making sure that digital solutions cater to diverse needs and are accessible to all individuals.
- Transparency: Promoting clear and understandable practices around data usage and privacy.
- Privacy: Protecting users’ personal information from unauthorized access and misuse.
- Cooperation: Encouraging collaborative efforts among stakeholders to foster a unified digital environment.
- Data Protection: Safeguarding users’ data against exploitation and ensuring secure data handling practices.
To achieve these goals, the NGI initiative supports a wide range of grassroots projects, spanning multiple layers of internet infrastructure. This includes open hardware, networking and transport technologies, firmware, operating systems, and middleware, among others. The initiative’s support extends to decentralized ledgers, traffic supervision tools, and vertical applications, highlighting its comprehensive approach to shaping the internet.
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Building and Sustaining the NGI Ecosystem
The NGI initiative recognizes that the internet’s foundational technologies were pioneered by researchers, developers, and innovative SMEs. Today, it seeks to revitalize and sustain this ecosystem of innovators. Through providing funding through a cascade mechanism, NGI empowers grassroots innovators to drive the evolution of the internet. This approach ensures that novel ideas and cutting-edge technologies can make an important impact.
Through its ongoing projects, the NGI supports a broad spectrum of digital solutions, from new networking paradigms to advanced software tools. By fostering an environment of innovation, the initiative helps shape an internet that is more resilient, secure, and aligned with European values.
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Supporting European Values and Sovereignty
The NGI initiative aligns closely with the European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles, emphasizing key aspects such as privacy protection, user control, and decentralization. This vision supports the development of a global, interoperable, and secure digital ecosystem.
With an initial investment of over EUR 250 million from the European Commission (EC) between 2018 and 2020, the NGI initiative has supported more than 1,000 researchers and innovators. The renewed funding under Horizon Europe further underscores the commitment to advancing internet technologies. This support is not only financial but also includes mentoring and support, helping innovators transform ideas into successful businesses.
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Benefits for Telecommunications Companies
For telecommunications companies, the NGI initiative represents a transformative opportunity to enhance their service offerings and operational capabilities. By embracing NGI’s focus on open-source and decentralized technologies, telcos can innovate more rapidly and offer differentiated services that meet evolving customer demands. This includes implementing advanced networking solutions, such as improved IoT connectivity and next-generation virtualized networks, which can significantly enhance service reliability and efficiency.
Additionally, the emphasis on privacy and data protection aligns with the increasing consumer demand for secure and transparent digital experiences, enabling telcos to build stronger trust with their customers.
Furthermore, the NGI initiative’s support for new technological and grassroots innovation provides telcos with a rich ecosystem of emerging technologies and solutions. By collaborating with NGI-supported projects, telcos can gain early access to technologies and integrate them into their infrastructure. This not only positions them as leaders in digital transformation but also helps them stay abreast in a highly competitive market. The initiative’s focus on interoperability and cooperation can also foster partnerships with other stakeholders, creating synergies that drive industry-wide advancements and operational efficiencies.
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As the NGI initiative progresses, it remains committed to fostering a more inclusive and trustworthy internet. The integration of advanced technologies like AI, IoT, and decentralized systems will play a crucial role in achieving these objectives. Through addressing the challenges of data privacy, transparency, and user empowerment, the NGI initiative is poised to create a more resilient and human-centered internet.
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