The Marconi Society is pleased to welcome a new board member with extensive global reach, enhancing our efforts to address global challenges with global solutions. William Webb’s vision for “perfect connectivity” resonates strongly with the Marconi Society’s vision of a connected world, where information and communication technologies empower everyone to reach their full potential.
What is your vision for the Marconi Society?
I’ve spent my entire working life involved with telecommunications – mostly mobile. My goal is for everyone to have perfect connectivity all the time. So wherever you are and whatever service you want to access, the connectivity is there for you. In urban areas in developed countries we have broadly achieved this. Home broadband is faster than most need, and mobile connectivity is widespread and has greater capacity and speed than most require. But outside of urban areas this becomes less true, and connectivity is generally worse in developing countries.
What we need is a mix of lower-cost technology, directive government policy, sympathetic regulation, and a collective focus on the big prize that “perfect connectivity” brings. We know that the market alone will not deliver this – experience has shown that – and instead it requires vision and persuasion to align the various actors and elements. The Marconi Society is perfectly placed to act as the catalyst to bring connectivity to all, everywhere, and all the time. Guglielmo Marconi started the process of wireless connectivity and showed how it could become a commercial reality. The Marconi Society formed in his honor has the credibility, the gravitas and some of the world’s leading and highly respected experts who can perfect this connectivity.
Why are you excited to be part of the Marconi Society board?
Working with some of the finest minds in the world is always an honor and hugely invigorating. The Board is populated with an amazing set of industry leaders who collectively have astonishing reach and respect. I am excited because working together will be enormous fun, incredibly stimulating and productive. And because as a team we can achieve truly unique outcomes. And not least because I am sure I will learn so much.
What unique skills or expertise will you use to move our organization forward?
With such a talented Board, I hesitate to claim any uniqueness or skills that others do not already possess. I can, with confidence, state that I’m the only member from the UK, and since we are seeking global solutions to global problems, having greater global reach will be a benefit. I am also closely connected to telecom regulators around the world, working with them on multiple projects, and may be able to bring their perspectives and constraints into discussions. Finally, I have been giving the challenge of perfect connectivity much thought recently and have just published a book considering how it could be achieved, primarily with a UK focus, but many issues are multinational. My thinking here may be of some assistance to the Board.
How do you foresee shaping the future of digital equity?
It is sometimes said that an economist with a good idea can change whole economies – if their ideas are picked up by national leaders. Similarly, a few individuals with great ideas and a means to bring them to the attention of those who matter can bring about huge change. The Marconi Society can show how digital equity can be achieved and can highlight where there are gaps. It has the reach and reputation to gain the ears of politicians, regulators, and CEOs. In many cases relatively simple changes can deliver huge benefits. Perfect connectivity for all is actually within our grasp. We just need clarity of vision delivered persuasively.
