The Next Technology Driven Cultural Change?
I don't have a land line phone. I haven't had one in years. I've had the same mobile number since 1999 - it's like my own ID number. I am not tethered by a line in the wall for people to reach me.
The wireless Internet, however, is not as mobile or productive. Mobile wireless Internet has slow upload and download speeds, causing people to be frustrated by the service and inevitably, not being frequently used.
Technology has been focused to change this problem. By the end of 2005, Nortel and LG Electronics hope to be offering High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA). The downstream speed is near broadband DSL transmission. Other companies, such as Nokia are also already focusing on this technology.
There is also WiMAX technology which offers much faster larger bandwidth and better upload and download speeds, but it is not entirely mobile yet - it works on a fixed radius and is not scheduled to hit the markets until next year.
I am thoroughly interested to where this will lead - these two technologies seem to be the front runners in this space and will drive each other to become faster and more mobile. What will this mean to the consumer? Free Internet? No more cable or DSL? No more TV through lines? Bye bye Satellite?