Cyberspace Unplugged

The age of wireless is upon us. As the growth of Wi-fi extends throughout the known world, we ask what does it all mean.

While many continue to rejoice at the advances of high-speed broadband technology, others have moved on to the next level- Wi-fi a.k.a. wireless fidelity. Broadband may have rocked cyberspace, but Wi-fi is setting it free.

No longer are internet users confined to a room or a building to check their e-mails or get the latest news, it can be done in a coffee shop, on train or even in the park. Wi-fi technology has enabled internet users to connect to the internet at broadband speed through a wireless network with ‘no strings attached’.

According to internet user Richard Edwards from London: “This technology given a chance will change the way we all can communicate through the web. My Wi-fi range is now 3 miles, with two £60 aerials. Through this I can call anyone via video in the world, and I have no telephone line in my street…my life is now in one box…the more Wi-fi the better.”

The wireless revolution, once a dream is becoming a reality. In the UK local councils and networks have joined forces to introduce blanket Wi-fi zones across the country. Norwich is just one of many cities where a scheme has been introduced to offer a free Wi-fi service for all.

Hashim Ul-Hassan an avid fan of Wi-fi says: “I believe these blanket Wi-fi zones can only be a good thing for our cities. Everyone from businessmen to the technology layman could be able to connect to the internet easily and most importantly free…no one wants to pay for internet on demand!”

With more than 10,000 Wi-fi hotspots in the UK, it comes as no surprise that Wi-fi provider iPass’s report on Wi-fi usage (based on its virtual global network) revealed that more people in London used Wi-fi hotspots than in any other city. iPass collected the data between July and December 2006 and found that overall worldwide Wi-fi usage had increased by 44 percent over the past year. They also concluded that the UK usage of hotspots had increased a staggering 75 percent.

The heightened drive towards Wi-fi hotspots around the UK has lead to a shift in the way people interact with the internet. In an interview with BBC News, George Polk, chief executive of The Cloud, a Wi-fi provider said: “Providing ubiquitous wireless broadband access, over a network that is available to millions of Wi-fi devices and other applications will have a major impact on the way we communicate, work and play in the city centres.”

While businesses thrive through this new technology, non-business internet users have also embraced the wireless age. Through communications companies such as BT offering BT Fusion Wi-Fi handsets people are introducing Wi-fi into their homes to allow usage of the internet anywhere in the house.

The growth of the Wi-fi enabled PDA, laptops, MP3 players and mobile phones has also driven the usage of Wi-fi. In January of this year Nokia and The Cloud began a partnership offering anyone in the UK purchasing a Nokia N800 Internet tablet free access to the internet for a month. This partnership indicates the mobile companies drive to take advantage of the new wireless technology. Techworld.com says: “The trickle of Wi-fi phones is becoming a flood, with products such as Panasonic and Lyinksys becoming available.” Here is a demonstration of the gadgets in action from skypeteer:






The increase in wireless enabled devices is having an impact in the usability of Wi-fi technology in the UK. In an interview with Techdigest.com Owen Geddes director of business development at Wi-fi hotspot network. Said: “I think Wi-fi and mobiles are largely complementary, but that’s quite a big subject in its own right. We have to look at the devices people want to consume media on.

“Do I want to watch some programming on a 1.5 inch screen? No. Do I want to watch it on a screen the size of a PSP or internet tablets? Yes”


As more people decided to switch on the internet instead of the television due to wireless technology, broadcasters are responding by providing programs on demand over the internet. Channel 4’s ‘4 on demand’ service and BBC’s up and coming iPlayer are examples of how broadcaster are adapting to the change in the way people interact with the media.

Stepforth New Editor Jim Hedger says: “The Internet and the web, while remarkably versatile, has become a vital link in distribution for the largest traditional media companies, including major TV networks.”

Wi-fi has been widely welcomes with open arm by thousands but some say it is unreliable, expensive and unsafe. A critic of Wi-fi Carl says: Wi-fi technology is risky- your laptop with Wi-fi technology us basically transmitting a signal all of the time saying ‘here I am come and use me/my account and as a bonus I might even give you my credit card details.

“Anyone with moderate IT skills can use another persons Internet remotely (a car parked outside your house or a neighbour etc). Even with encryption it is not totally fraud proof- security of Wi-fi is a problem.”

In an article for InfoWorld.com Leon Erlanger pits Wi-fi against 3G wireless technology:

The problem with Wi-Fi is that the service is decentralized and
chaotic. Wherever you’re traveling, you first have to find out where Wi-Fi is
offered and then hope it’s either free or falls into your subscription plan. If
not, you’re likely to pay somewhere between $8 and $12 for a day’s usage, which
can add up to more than a monthly 3G subscription if you’re a frequent business
traveler. Every corporate office has its own policies for visitor Wi-Fi access.
And there are times when you end up fighting with dead spots, slow performance,
and frequently dropped connections due to interference and overloaded access
points.

The big enticement of 3G is its locally pervasive availability. If
it’s offered in your metro area, you don’t need to look for a coffee bar or
pirate someone’s home connection. You can hook in from a park bench, a moving
taxi, or a commuter train, and you’ll always be using the same service and
software. When you’ve tasted that kind of freedom, it’s hard to give it up.
Performance is a little slower than Wi-Fi, but because you’re dealing with a
closed network, 3G tends to be more consistent. The big difference for now is
that upload performance is generally a fraction of download, whereas with Wi-Fi
they’re basically the same. If you intend to send a lot of large files, such as
photos or videos, you’ll notice the difference.

As with all technology Wi-fi has issues, it is still largely being used by business types who can afford to pay five pounds an hour for the luxury of being connected on the go but Wi-fi providers such as The Cloud with their flat fee of £11.99 per month to use their 8,500 around the UK is trying to reach the masses.

Bobby Sarin, COO, The Cloud said: “For too long, public Wi-fi has been over-reliant on high voucher pricing for revenue which has hindered frequent usage, despite Wi-fi’s high performance and popularity.”

Whether it’d be Wi-fi, Wimax, Bluetooth or 3G, wireless technology is pushing the nation into the wireless era.