As I look around today at the many amenities produced by the technology industry, I pause to think about what it must have been like when these conveniences did not exist. How did we get anything accomplished back then? In particular, back in 1875 when the Brumby Rocker was first introduced, the telephone had not yet been invented. Thus, instead of picking up the phone, if someone wanted to send a message quickly they had to send it via telegraph. Similarly, without the option of sending a quick e-mail, someone would have to write a letter and send it through the postal service - a method of delivery that took several days. Technology has certainly changed our lives by providing us with these conveniences that generations before us probably never dreamed of and that we often take for granted.

The benefits that technology has brought us do not end here with improved methods of communication. The advances in person to person communication alone are remarkable, but even more so when considering how communication has been amplified and grown into something that can improve our health care system, the environment and business structures and make them more efficient. As evidenced in our daily lives, technology has a myriad of life-changing benefits.

The same technology that allows us to make cell phone calls to family and send e-mails to friends also allows us to work and study remotely when we are not feeling well or if we do not live in close proximity to our school or place of business, and even access innovative telemedicine applications that can shorten hospital stays and make available a host of other life improving applications. Broadband Internet access allows us to complete every day transactions - such as transferring money into or out of a bank account, paying bills almost instantly, or making a last-minute purchase - all from the comfort of our own homes and with the simple click of a button.

These benefits are more than we would have even imagined 15 or 20 years ago. These technological capabilities are all significant, and are the direct result of thoughtful effort on the part of those who had the freedom to innovate and improve on new inventions.

As with any industry, as the telecommunications industry began to grow and become more robust, laws were put in place to regulate the industry. You might be surprised to hear, however, that despite regulatory reform throughout the years, some components of Georgia telecom law still reference the telegraph. I would guess that many consumers are not familiar with the telegraph, so I find it slightly disconcerting to hear in this age of ubiquitous cell phone service and high-speed Internet access we have laws referencing a technology that hasn't been in use for many years.

This is just one example, but it leads to a larger point - that Georgia's current telecom laws may not be ideal for today's communications world. We need updated telecommunications laws which will incite investment in new Internet and digital technologies that will benefit Georgia citizens by creating more options for connecting to high speed internet.

These policy changes will spur economic development in Georgia communities and allow for the innovation and investment necessary to create an environment that is conducive to discovering 'the next big thing' in technology - like the next Blackberry or the next iPhone. Given the advances in communications technology in the past 10 years alone, who knows what the future of innovation holds?

Modernized telecommunications laws will incite investment in new Internet and digital technologies that will benefit Georgia consumers, allowing for the innovation necessary to produce new technologies that Georgia citizens need and want.

The next big thing in communications technology is going to happen somewhere; it is only a matter of time. Why not here in Georgia?

John Watson is chair of Citizens for a Digital Future, an organization that supports public policies that encourage broad deployment and robust enhancement of broadband and digital technologies.