Review #8 -- FCC and a Neutral Internet Over Wireless Networks

This article, written by Jared Newman of PC World, takes a different approach to government intervention into wireless markets. Titled Wireless Wars: Will Consumers be Collateral Damage, the piece looks at how the FCC looks to address wireless neutrality issues across different wireless platforms. It seems that Newman’s muse for writing this piece was the AT&T and Apple rejection of Google Voice for the iPhone. The application was supposed to be a bandwidth hog and subsequently clog the AT&T network. The FCC saw this as a block to Internet use and neutrality. The corporations may have had legitimate claims about the bandwidth use, but the FCC still wanted answers about why it was blocking a Google, a main competitors, product.

As discussed in my last post, the difference between urban and remote access to wireless networks is a hot topic issues within this country. The divide such access creates is stark and cannot be ignored. For this reason, the FCC is also investigating billing charges and difference between those implemented by wireless companies for these very different markets. Newman’s piece did not shed much light onto what they were exactly finding, but any intervention into issues such as these is something of note. Simple infrastructure issues could answer some of higher prices, but oligopolies and even monopolistic competition could be to blame. With high barriers to entry into these markets, lack of competition can be easy explained. This is why the government has had price controls on utilities within certain areas. Such intervention is certainly possible if they find that the fair market prices do not exist in these areas.

Industry analysts believe that this type of government interaction and enforcement of a neutral internet could eventually hurt the consumer. Many believe that wireless companies will be forced to use tiered pricing systems in order to combat high bandwidth uses. Newman points out that Smartphone use has become popular because users no longer need to meter themselves like they did before with wireless minutes. A tiered system could spell the end to flat rate pricing. This would make the use of such devices theoretically more expensive. So, there seems to be a tradeoff, at least according to industry analysts. This is between the use of a free and open Internet or having restriction set by companies in order to see lower prices. This is certainly not a substantiated claim, though. If some of competition models discussed above are true, consumers may not even be currently experiencing a fair market price. So, possible government interaction could solve both of these issues. Nothing I’m writing is based on research, just a thought on both sides of the coin. If the industry analysts are correct, it will be interesting to see what exactly happens in the future of wireless devices and networks.

Newman, J. (2009). Wireless Wars: Will Consumers be Collateral Damage. PC World, 27, 14.

Review #7 -- A National Broadband Plan

This article, FCC discuses barriers to national broadband plans by journalist Marguerite Reardon, introduces the topic of a national broadband plan. The author states that the current president has made it a priority for the national to implement such a system. Affordability is one the key components to this plan. Also, remote access is paramount. Cost is a huge barrier. The system is set to cost approximately 350 billion dollars. This cost will encompass everything from the infrastructure itself to new programs to aid in education about the system. Most of these costs will be derived from small charges on consumers’ phone bills which go into a Universal Service Fund. For the most part, this money is now being funneled into providing remote phone access. This could be moved into funding broadband projects.

The statistics introduced in Reardon’s article were quite alarming. She states that 90 percent of households making 100k or more have access to broadband systems this compared to only 35 percent of families making 20k or less. This stark difference is one aspect of why a system needs to be put into place. To me, having broadband access is far more important than the continued funding of phone access. With advances in technology, such as VoIP, with broadband access, remote users can use this connection to also make phone calls. This would obviously take education in the use of these systems, but that seems to already be a component that they are examining. Also, with the increased usage of cellular devices, having these phone systems is becoming less of an issue.

Government intervention seems to be the most feasible, if not only, solution to this problem. Private firms have difficulties in providing low cost broadband options to remote areas, a population of normally lower income levels. Reardon describes this as the “middle-mile” cost, or more simply stated, the cost of running the proper systems to these areas. Subsidies must be put into place to make companies able to provide these systems at affordable prices. The author states, “this means is that lower-income people, who have less disposable income, are often the ones forced to pay higher prices, while people who have more money pay lower prices for service.” Much like services in the past, subsidies can aid in providing equal opportunities. As technology advances, with the advent of such things as WiMAX or LTE, services such as broadband can be provided to large areas with little advance in needed infrastructure.

Reardon, M. (2009). FCC discuses barriers to national broadband plans. Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10400725-94.html

Review #6 -- Wireless Broadband Solutions in Latin America

This article, written by Martha Garcia-Murillo and Juan Rendon for Telematics and Informatics, addresses wireless broadband systems in Latin America. The authors establish the point that the nation’s physical infrastructure is lacking and, for this reason, may benefit greatly from investment in wireless technologies. Garcia-Murillo and Rendon state that “wired infrastructure was poorly maintained and rarely upgraded.” (p. 259) For this reason, they believe that wireless solutions could provide a solution to the digital divide present in these nations.

Within the study, the authors examine technologies such as WiFi and third generation cellular devices, the later being more expensive, but both providing similar results in terms of access. Socioeconomics become the main thrust of the article. The authors focus on how different sectors of the country need to be the focus of different technologies. For those with lesser incomes, WiFi is the most ardent solutions to their access needs. On the contrary, third generation provides a more convenient, yet expensive, solution for wealthier sectors. While this article focuses on Latin America, this realization is even true within the United States. Third and fourth generation technologies are targeted towards major metropolitan areas. The free market dictates almost all of us. These populations are more affluent and sheer numbers drive investment, but it seems that investors in developing countries would have similar interests.

I found this article intriguing because it highlights a different aspect of the digital divide, this being social standing within nations. Solutions to this seem to be in having varied technologies that fit the need, and level of income, for the population. The authors state, “Wide income disparities allow the adoption of state of the art technologies such as 3G wireless – for some. Poorer segments of the population can access the Internet through WiFi in commercial establishments.” (p. 261). Examining situations where major infrastructure investment is needed, this example being a developing nation, allows a user of these technologies in a developed nation to reflect upon the reasons behind having this infrastructure. As stated before, without a market for the technology, none of this happens, at least from a private sector standpoint. Examination of the needs to populations, such as this study, can hopefully drive these investments into being made. Careful investment will hopefully lead to profits and allow systems to be maintained, a problem present in the past. This is a nice examination because it provides viable alternatives for different populations and doesn’t simply attempt to blanket everyone into a one-fit model.

Garcia-Murillo, M., Rendon, J. (2009). A model of wireless broadband diffusion in Latin America. Telematics and Informatics 28 (2009), 259-260.

Review #5 -- A Failed San Francisco Muncipal Wireless Broadband System

This article, written by Heather E. Hudson for Telematics and Informatics, is a case study of a prospective citywide wireless broadband system in the city of San Francisco. The author analyzes why the system eventually failed and also examines methods employed by similar Silicon Valley communities. Lessons are derived by this failed effort. Hudson illuminates those and elaborates on them for guidance in future municipal wireless projects.

One of the most interesting aspects of Hudson’s article is her examination of comparative statics. These position the United States against other industrialized nations, comparing their overall broadband access. For example, she states that the United States ranks 15th among these countries in access and pay, in some cases, ten to twenty-times more for like access. These numbers seem staggering. Infrastructure within the States is something we mostly take for granted. Statistics such as these call this into question. Our technological infrastructure is not evenly allocating resources throughout the nation evenly. The conclusions of Hudson’s article offer insight into this issue.

San Francisco wanted to establish a basic wireless coverage that extended to 90% of the city. This would be free, but would also allow users to subscribe to a fee based plan with additional security features. Two companies, Earthlink and MetroFi, were those bidding for the project. Without in depth analyze, after concluding research, each company felt that it would be difficult to make this endeavor profitable. This could be the main reason for our nation lagging behind other industrialized nations in terms of access. Most of our nation’s infrastructure is built by the private sector. If projects like these are not profitable, they feel little need to invest.

Hudson also found that financial constraints and lack of technical savvy from the user side as hampering the appeal of the project. This article raised many key questions about municipal wireless systems. It seems that as a nation, if we find wireless broadband access important, we need to find ways to make investment inviting for companies. This could either be through government subsidies or even educating populaces on how to use these technologies. If a market doesn’t exist because potential users are not informed on the technology, then investment will obviously not be profitable or even fruitful. This article touched on many points and it is difficult to be thorough in a short blog post, but I would encourage reading the piece and exploring more of the author’s points.

Hudson, H. E. (2009). Muncipal wireless broadband: Lessons from San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Telematics and Informatics 27(2010), 1-9.

Review #4 -- The Social Geography of Wireless Networks: When Does Constant Wireless Access become too Much?

This article by Laura Forlano, “WiFi Geographies: When Code Meets Place,” examines how wireless technologies, mainly WiFi, are shaping how society is beginning to view the physical spaces they occupy. Forlano states the study as “a yearlong empirical study of WiFi users, this article describes the way in which WiFi networks interact with broad socioeconomic trends to reorganize people, places and information” (p. 344). Wireless digital technologies are beginning to break down the public’s perception of what constitutes public and private spaces. Constant access to technology once only enjoyed in the home or office is allowing more flexibility in how we live our everyday lives.

Forlano examined places once only considered public in nature, examining how their inhabitants were now using the spaces. Coffee shops were a focus of the study. The author states, “when choosing between two coffee shops of similar characteristics and quality, 75% of respondents answered that they would choose one that provides WiFi access over one that does not, 20% say they might; and 5% said that WiFi would not be a factor” (p. 346). Society now expects constant access to wireless technologies; this is clear from these statistics. Patrons of these coffee shops are even beginning set up pseudo-office spaces within their walls. For freelance workers, this may be the cheapest solution in solving their technology needs. Forlano states, “In this way, the laptop computer and mobile devices themselves become the office” (p. 350).

Many would see this constant availability of wireless networks as a great benefit to society. For the most part, I would agree, but it also begs the question: When is it too much access? Within the Forlano article, she quotes R. Oldenburg and his article “The great good place: Cafes, coffee shops, community centers, beauty parlors, general stores, bars, hangouts and how they get you through the day” as he states: “third places – places that are neither home nor work – are necessary for the functioning of urban social life. At the same time, he fears that these third places are rapidly disappearing” (p. 345). Oldenburg sees these third places as essential to how society currently functions. The advent of constant access to wireless networks can produce a situation where these places essentially become the home or office in terms of how we use them. This makes every physical location essentially the same. This homogenous environment is something entirely new for society. Instant access to those we socialize with is now the norm. This may be a positive thing, but it also does not allow individuals to escape certain situations, such as work, as they were once allowed to before. This seems to be the fear that Oldenburg is focusing on. Having places for escape, or as he states “get[ting] you through the day,” is important for the human psyche. Wireless access seems to be hindering this type of mechanism.

This post is not written to somehow state we should cease all developments in wireless technologies; I personally love having the Internet constantly at my fingertips. It does introduce theories that usually are not readily being discussed by today’s technology hunger individuals. Society certainly functions much differently than it did merely a decade ago. As access increases at what sometime seems like exponential rates, we need to accommodate for this in how we live our lives. Oversaturation in these technologies could lead to some type of psychological effects we have not yet witnessed in society. Farlano states in her conclusion, “As our homes, offices, cities and spaces are increasing layered with digital information networks, it is vital that we develop new conceptual categories that integrate digital and physical spaces” (p. 351). These categories could become vital in how we structure our lives in the information age.

Forlano, F. (2009). WiFi Geographies: When Code Meets Place. Information Society 5(25), 344-352.

Review #3 -- Calculating the Digital Divide: The Positive and Negatives of the "Standard" Calculation

“Information Technology Use among Individuals in Rich and Poor countries: The Disappearing Divide” by Jeffrey James of Tilburg University (Netherlands), is an interesting examination of how the digital divide is numerically calculated and the changes in this calculation the author suggests. James looks at the non-weighted approach traditionally taken when addressing the divide. This weights each country equally, regardless of population, in calculating the disparity in information technology between developed and developing nations. James uses China and India as the central focus of his argument. The two most populace developing nations account for the same proportion as smaller developing countries, he finds this to skew the actual reality of the digital divide. Once each country’s population is accounted for, James finds the actual digital divide between individuals in developing and developed nations to be bit minimal, if not actually reversed.

James makes a fairly good point in his argument. It is certainly unfair to completely disregard the amount of individuals accessing IT within developing nations, but this does not mean his statements are not flawless. In terms of population, China and India are complete outliers in overall populations. Any government interactions to help close the digital divide in those nations will have an astounding effect on the proportion of individuals having access to the internet and mobile devices. This looks great from an individual social welfare standpoint, as it simply provides more individuals with access, but does little to help influence other developing nations to enact polices to help close the gap. What I am trying to state is that just because the same amounts of individuals have access to IT devices in developed and developing nations does not mean the digital divide is closed. A glut of users in China or India does not bring nations in Africa, as an example, closer to using available technology.

The author attempts to help alleviate this issue by comparing individual’s technology use in regions of the world, instead of just countries. James states, “Conventional measures of the digital divide assign the same weight to each country regardless of its population size. Yet from a welfare point of view it surely makes more sense to use size as a device to weight countries in rich and poor regions of the world. From then one derives for comparison than absolute number of Internet users and mobile phone subscribers in these two different parts of the world” (p. 321). By examining these issues regionally, this could provide a clearer picture of the prominence of the digital divide in certain areas around the globe. More importantly, this could stir action between neighboring countries to help create the infrastructure needed to implement these technologies. A more driven focus could be made to locate and then help those regions that are most affected by the widening gap. These theories could identify and provide numerical data to illustrate these issues in a global sense.

This article provides a nice prospective for my topic as it examines what calculations are used when examining the use of wireless technologies around the globe. James brings up many faults of the standard calculation. He attempts to put forth a more accurate system, but even his methods to do fully account for all aspects. A combination of both theories seems to provide the most holistic view. This seems plausible as little to no extra data needs to be taken to use both calculations.

James, J. (2009). Information technology use among individuals in rich and poor countries: The disappearing divide. Telematics and Informatics 26 (2009), 317-321.

Review #2 -- WiMax: Potential to revolutionize wireless broadband access?

WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is an emerging technology which may revolutionize the way users connect to wireless internet networks. Comparing WiMax to Wi-Fi is certainly fair. The two essentially operate in very similar ways. WiMax has advantages in terms of higher speeds, greater coverage areas and expansion of user bases. This is a slight expansion of the initial scope of this blog, but I believe I am shaping this into something more focused on issues concerning access. Mainly looking at how emerging wireless technologies can positively affect the digital divide, it is important to first introduce those. Also, efforts are being made to bring this technology to cellular devices. This could either challenge or possible replace efforts being made in three and four g networks.

The site I used as an introduction into this technology is: http://www.wimax.com/education/faq. It is authored by WiMax.com Broadband Solutions, Inc. and provides a thorough introduction to all aspects of this standard. This FAQ sections provides answers to questions such as: What is WiMax? Why is WiMax important for fixed/mobile broadband wireless? Can I get WiMax on my cellular phone?...etc. It essentially covers the gamut in terms of possible inquires. It does a nice job providing specific answers without relying too heavily on technical jargon; it simply gets the point across. This is not written as a technical report, but instead something as an introduction to users.

As stated above, WiMax could be crucial in providing high speed access to remote areas. Sending information wirelessly could limit the infrastructure needing to be built in order to transmit signals across great distances. Low density population areas could now simply have information broadcast over many miles with the creation of a single tower. This still obviously requires some infrastructure, but could be potentially less costly than methods before. Interesting articles discuss the future possibilities of this technology. Written by Jonathan Jager this article titled, “Q&A: WiMax’s potential to deliever rural broadband,” provides insight into how both individuals and businesses can benefit from the emergence of this technology.

Q&A: WiMAX's potential to deliver rural broadband. (2008) Network World. Retrieved from http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/100708-wimax-rural-broadband.html?page=1

Review #1 -- Implementation of 4g networks -- Not as easy as once believed

For an initial entry, I thought I’d look at an article discussing 4g wireless networks as an “emerging technology.” While this is still very much true, I examined an article from 2001 titled “Issues in Emerging 4G Wireless Networks” by Upkar Varshney and Radhika Jain of Georgia State University. The authors give perspective on the perceptions that where held nearly a decade ago on the future of these technologies. They held the belief that 4g wireless technologies would be unveiled around 2006, with full implementation sometime soon after that. Varshney and Jain also questioned whether this technology would simply bypass 3g wireless networks. None of this has obviously happened; we are just beginning to see these 4g technologies coming to fruition.

For a more current take, I examined an article by Mark Sullivan titled “Not all 3g Wireless Networks Are Created Equal.” Being both fairly brief, these writings in conjunction provide a nice overview of past expectations along with current realities. Sullivan reviews the major 3g wireless providers in the United States (Verizon, Sprint, At&t, etc.) and speaks to the strengths and weaknesses of each. Without diving into specific comparisons, it is interesting to note that even in 2009 each still experiences challenges in overall functionality. This is in stark contrast to Varshney and Jain’s belief that 3g networks may simply be superseded by superior technologies. The curve in terms of implementation was far steeper than these two authors expected. Sullivan speaks to not only the speed of a network, but also its reliability. He states, “That wireless service — so often an afterthought to smart phone buyers — is hugely important: it connects your new phone to all the fun and useful apps and services that made you lust after a smart phone in the first place.” The author speaks of the different qualities of networks. This was also a major theme in the other article. Varshney and Jain believed for a quality infrastructure each network must have a certain quality of service (QoS). While each company got adequate reviews by Sullivan, it is still of note that differences certainly exist between providers and that not all wrinkles have been removed from 3g networks.

Reading these two articles in conjunction provided me with perspective about the relative difficulty in implementing these technologies. During the early 2000’s , there seemed to be limitless potential for wireless networks. Projections made by Vershney and Jain have certainly been off. They believed 4g technologies would be prominent almost 3 years ago, but they are just now emerging. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a huge problem, but it does show that infrastructure is more difficult to implement than many believe. It will be interesting to see when 4g technologies are simply the baseline for wireless connection.

Varshney, U., Jain, R. (2001). Issues in emerging 4G wireless networks. Communications , 94-96.

Sullivan, M. (2009). Not all 3G wireless networks are created equal. MSNBC.

Welcome

Hey all –

My name is Bryan Schneider and I am a graduate student in library and information science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. While I do enjoy physical libraries themselves, my main interests lie in the digital world. Currently, I am employed as a metadata librarian for the Internet Scout Project. At Scout, we mine the web for quality resources for educational uses.

This interest in the digital world of libraries has influenced the content of this blog. I will look to explore the world of mobile devices and the networks that allow them to function. This will mostly consist of literature on 3 and 4g networks, and how there emergence is changing how users obtain information. As I continue on, this blog will take a more defined shape in terms of focus and scope.