The wireless Internet: promises and challenges

In the 1980s, the PC migrated from the hobbyist's den to the corporate desktop, a huge development in information technology. Ten years later, that honor fell to the Internet and wireless telephones, which until now have followed separate paths. The author predicts that this decade will see the convergence of wireless communications and the Internet. Although the commercial impact of wireless communications has thus far been limited to cellular telephones, the business and technical communities anticipate rapid growth in wireless data services. Almost daily, some prominent company announces plans for a "wireless e-commerce" enhancement to its business. The author examines the outlook for wireless data. Specifically, he considers the utility of wireless data services and why they have not been widely adopted until now. He also looks at the technology trends promoting wireless Internet convergence, and the obstacles preventing their implementation. As computing becomes increasingly mobile, the limitations of third-generation cellular telephony and the wireless applications protocol become increasingly apparent. The author asserts that only a new approach can make the Internet truly wireless.