Tuesday, May 25, 2010 - Overcast
At the first theme forum of the World Expo, experts focused on the hidden concerns of life in the high-tech era.
Unraveling Seven "Question Marks" Brought by Information Technology
By reporter Wang Wei
On May 15-16, the first theme forum of the Shanghai World Expo was held in Ningbo, focusing on "Informatization and Urban Development."
While participants, including scholars, experts, and industry professionals, marveled at how "informatization makes urban life more spectacular," they also steered discussions towards several pressing issues that need to be addressed—how can we optimally use information technology to better serve urban social development? How do we maintain harmony in human habitats during the 'information explosion' era? And how should we respond to the dilemmas and bottlenecks brought about by the rapid advancement of information communication technologies?
**Question Mark 1: Who cares about the staggering waste?**
Mohammed Al-Suwail, Chairman of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, said that we shouldn't just see information communication technology as an effective means to achieve economic development and boost GDP, but rather as a way to reduce waste. "Currently, more than half of the world's population lives in cities, which means we will face various issues such as health care, transportation, and other obstacles to development. The negative impact of information technology is not yet widely understood. Globally, about $15 trillion worth of resources are wasted annually, equivalent to 28% of the global GDP. Such resource wastage could prevent the sustainable development of cities."
Al-Suwail noted that information platforms in various fields are almost developing independently, "each doing their own thing," optimizing individually without considering the overall picture. For instance, despite the advanced logistics information platform, container waste could amount to as high as $68 billion annually. Globally, about 50% of food, 35% of water resources, 25% of electricity, and $250 million worth of medical resources are wasted annually. Additionally, problems like traffic congestion, environmental degradation, and fuel waste could be significantly reduced if improvements and optimizations were made to information communication technology. This could potentially save up to $4 trillion globally each year.
**Question Mark 2: How to improve return on investment?**
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has set a goal to achieve "connecting the globe" by 2015, especially for those currently unconnected, ensuring modern information communication technology is accessible to everyone everywhere. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of the Strategic Planning and Membership Department of ITU, mentioned that one practical issue now is that the cost of broadband access in developing countries seems too high. Statistics show that in the most developed 21 countries, fixed broadband monthly rental fees account for about 1% of the average monthly income, whereas in the least developed 28 countries, broadband monthly rental fees are almost equivalent to the monthly income of an average worker.
Another statistic indicates that from 2009 to present, the cost of global broadband usage has decreased by 42%. In fact, with just a 10% increase in broadband technology application, GDP can grow by approximately 1.3%. Moreover, the cost-effectiveness of broadband networks will be very high, meaning the money invested in network usage will bring substantial actual benefits. Martin firmly believes that the next decade will be the broadband decade, expanding the use of broadband networks in areas like healthcare, education, energy, and transportation. All investments will eventually result in significant returns through the reduction of actual operational costs.
**Question Mark 3: What are the bottlenecks for 'triple network convergence'?**
'Triple network convergence' refers to the mutual penetration and compatibility of telecommunications networks, broadcasting networks, and computer communication networks, gradually integrating into a unified global information communication network. After 'triple network convergence,' people can make phone calls with TV remote controls, watch TV on mobile phones, freely choose networks and terminals, and only need to pull one line or connect wirelessly to complete communication, television viewing, and internet access.
Last year, China formulated a plan to adjust and revitalize its electronic information industry, explicitly proposing to promote 'triple network convergence.'
Regarding the timetable for 'triple network convergence,' Hequan Wu, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that in March this year, the State Council released an "overall plan to promote triple network convergence." Currently, the leadership group and expert panel for 'triple network convergence' are preparing pilot plans which will be issued this month. He indicated that 'triple network convergence' isn't purely a technical issue but a systemic one, involving mainly telecommunication enterprises and broadcasting enterprises. Although both sides are working together to promote 'triple network convergence,' they have different positions, thus differing starting points when considering issues.
Wu added that China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom are state-owned, and cable TV companies will integrate into a nationwide cable TV company, which will also be primarily state-owned. In this situation, the interests of both parties must be balanced.
**Question Mark 4: How to manage massive amounts of information?**
Having someone of Robert Kahn's caliber, known as the "father of the Internet" and President and CEO of the Corporation for National Research Initiatives, was a notable highlight of the Ningbo forum at the Shanghai World Expo. However, he spent a large portion of his speech discussing his concerns about network information management. He said this might be a significant challenge we face over the next ten years. "For example, in the publishing industry, we can see very convenient e-newspapers and e-publications; just click the mouse, and you can access a wealth of information. The development of information systems and the improvement of communication infrastructure should inherently possess intelligence, enabling self-control of operations and better influence on the surrounding environment, thereby continuously enhancing citizens' informatization levels. Through this network, we can better predict future important events, depend on such a network to solve current problems, or eliminate developmental obstacles."
Kahn believed there is great potential in information management where humans can achieve much, such as medical records, financial data, and various types of information, which can be handled using real-data storage methods and conveniently retrieved in the future. He stated that when initially developing the Internet, no one anticipated it would incorporate so many intelligent systems, so now is the time to comprehensively plan all network infrastructures.
**Question Mark 5: How long will the double-edged sword continue to swing?**
"Many problems arising from the network have already attracted the attention of governments and ordinary people, especially the significant impact of the network on children," said Deborah Taylor Tate, winner of the 2009 ITU World Telecommunication and Information Society Award. The Internet has a profound impact on children, such as cyberbullying, account theft, young people liking to text while driving, which poses risks to their lives, economic cost issues due to internet subscription fees, and even virtual suicide issues online.
Existing issues like internet addiction and cybercrime affect our children. Tate said, "Now, 75% of teenagers in the U.S. own mobile phones. The network age indeed brings us many new opportunities and benefits, but we must not forget that it is a double-edged sword, and we should control its adverse effects. This is particularly important for children."
**Question Mark 6: What are the obstacles to the Internet of Things (IoT)?**
The Internet of Things refers to connecting any item to the Internet through information sensing devices according to agreed protocols, enabling information exchange and communication to achieve intelligent identification, positioning, tracking, monitoring, and management.
So, when will the Internet of Things become a reality, and what are the biggest obstacles? Jianzhou Wang, President of China Mobile Communications Group, said at the forum that IoT technology is already mature enough to start implementation. The key is to establish standards and norms across industries and departments, such as electronic payment methods, whether mobile payments or card payments, which should be standardized.
However, some experts at the forum reminded that the current IoT craze should be approached with clarity to prevent redundant construction, especially learning from the lessons of the Internet bubble burst from 1995 to 2000. During the peak of the Internet concept hype, many companies invested in fiber optic production, resulting in fiber prices being cheaper than noodles per unit length today. The development of IoT faces similar issues, requiring government planning to avoid blind projects.
**Question Mark 7: Who is responsible for global warming?**
Zhi-Kuan Chen, President of Synopsys Inc., said that global electronic consumer products are having a significant impact on global warming. There are currently one billion personal computers and 2.3 billion mobile phones worldwide, requiring a considerable amount of electricity generated by wind farms and thermal power plants. So, why don't we design low-power or non-power-consuming chips when developing new information communication products?
"Using a lot of energy to bring more convenience to our lives is an outdated traditional notion and is no longer appropriate," said Nobuo Takeda, Chairman of the Japanese House of Representatives Environment Committee. In the future, we should strive towards making life more convenient while drastically reducing energy consumption. Under this concept, all technological progress may focus on the field of information technology. "Since information technology itself consumes a large amount of electricity, saving energy through further technological research and development becomes necessary. More importantly, efforts to address global warming, such as reducing carbon emissions, building smart grids, and improving energy efficiency, all rely on the development of information technology. Therefore, information communication technology will take on the primary responsibility in addressing global warming."
**[Focus Attention] Building Digital Shanghai to Assist Urban Development**
By the end of this year, the 3G network will fully cover the central urban area and suburban towns, forming a widely covered informatization application pattern, with informatization fully integrated into various aspects of city construction, management, economy, and social development. This is the news disclosed by Jian Liu, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Economic and Information Commission, at the Ningbo forum.
"Building Digital Shanghai to Assist Urban Development." Jian Liu said that promoting urban construction and management informatization has improved the intelligence and refinement level of urban management. Shanghai, characterized as a megacity, actively explores scientific allocation of human flow, vehicle flow, logistics, etc., utilizing space, land resources reasonably, and enhancing urban operation and management efficiency. For example, the urban grid management platform initiated in 2005 has covered the central urban area and some streets and towns, promptly discovering and handling issues in municipal engineering, landscaping, sanitation, etc. The city has built an intelligent traffic management platform, exchanging various traffic data in real-time, releasing traffic information through radio, television, websites, and roadside guide signs, providing convenience to travelers. Shanghai has also constructed a spatial geographic information platform, sharing foundational information extending from land to underground space and marine areas, serving different industries and users, with professional and social applications constantly expanding based on it. Furthermore, the city-wide unified emergency linkage platform has been established, supported by information technology, becoming an essential carrier for ensuring urban safety.
It is reported that in the past five years, Shanghai has cumulatively invested over 60 billion yuan to improve and optimize the city’s communication network. The internet user penetration rate has exceeded 60%, and the number of household broadband access users has increased more than tenfold compared to 2002.