No other communication technology has developed more rapidly or dynamically than the first generation of the Internet. In less than a decade it has assumed a central role in many of the critical functions of our society and interactions with the global community. The Internet has become a media platform capable of producing radical transformations in production, collaboration, and distribution. It has also proven capable of reinforcing inequities within our society. In many ways it has raised as many new questions as it has new ideas. The opportunity to advance these ideas and answer these questions is before us as we build the Next Generation Internet.

The promise of today's Internet is challenged by the lack of full broadband deployment in the United States. In order to develop and deliver the types of collaborative media applications we all imagine possible there needs to be a massive upgrade in the existing infrastructure. Just as in the first generation, today Universities are leading the way in advanced research and education networks. Major companies are also designing and building new networks and services to increase the capacity available to consumers. Now is the time to bring the diverse set of stake holders together to create a vision that will lead to a new phase of development in areas ranging from software engineering to public policy.

As we continue the work of designing the Next Generation Internet, all of us have the opportunity to promote a vision and practice that works for everyone. Communication technology will continue to converge in ways that have major implications in education, government, and economic development. If the U.S. is going to thrive in the new knowledge economy we must become an innovator in how that knowledge is created, disseminated, and accessed. The Institute for Next Generation Internet will be a leader in developing applications, strategic partnerships, and consensus for the Next Generation Internet. We invite you to join us.