According to Mr Michael Dell, Chairman of the Board at Dell Inc, the Singapore Government is doing the right thing in preparing the country and citizens for widespread Infocomm adoption.

According to Mr Dell, there are three things that are needed to spur growth in Infocomm adoption in a country. "And the Singapore Government and IDA are laying the right groundwork for all of this to be in place," he said.

Mr Michael Dell in Singapore as IDA's Distinguished Speaker

Mr Dell was invited as an IDA Distinguished Infocomm Speaker to share with the local industry his views on the role of Governments in Infocomm technology growth and digital access.

While some might say that governments should let the economy decide how best to be Infocomm-ready, Mr Dell believes that governments need to serve as a catalyst for Infocomm adoption and growth.

First, an educated workforce and Infocomm-savvy people must be in place. "Successful nations need people with 21st century skills," Mr Dell said. He added that initiatives such as introducing infocomm to the young through schools ensured grounding in the use of computers and related technologies like the Internet and digital productivity tools.

Second, there needs to be proper investment into building an IT infrastructure. Governments also need to ensure that the relevant infrastructure for current and future technologies is in place, for instance HSDPA(High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) and Wi-Max. He also praised the initiatives to open up the telecommunications market: "The more broadband connectivity a nation has, the better it is ready to take advantage of the Internet."

Third, governments must set ambitious goals. Whether for Infocomm infrastructure or preparing the people, governments have to be bold and ready to harness changes. The goal of granting digital access to all people within Singapore was one such example of an ambitious goal.

Through its Infocomm masterplan for Singapore, the government ensures that a roadmap is in place to lead the county into the future. Digital access is growing, and being ready to take advantage of it is important for a country's success, Mr Dell said.

All this development and growth means new opportunities for companies and new jobs for people, which would translate into higher living standards that will put Singapore on the road to making its mark in the global arena. The potential is only beginning to be felt. But, he said, with the level of support and initiative shown by the Singapore Government, "there is no better time to choose Infocomm as a career."