| Chapter 1: | A Global, Low-Cost Network Thrives |
“The real question is what kind of wireless. It seems increasingly inevitable that we will be moving to pricing structures that will require a premium for higher bandwidth. So, ubiquity, but not at speed.” —Alex Halavais, assistant professor, Quinnipiac University
“I doubt the necessary investments will be made in many of Africa’s countries. I suspect commercial interests will continue to compete for dominance and that we will still have different standards (for example, the European and U.S. global positioning systems). Just trying to use my mobile in different countries of the Caucasus and Eastern Europe convinces me we have significant challenges.” —Leigh Estabrook, professor, University of Illinois
“I doubt the issues surrounding proprietary standards and protocols will exist so long as they provide a perceived economic advantage. I doubt a single mobile data network will operate in Nigeria, East Timor, and Tasmania. In many cases, I expect it will be on the client side (tri-mode phone? Try oct-mode or duodeca-mode) that many of these issues will be addressed, and that many of these solutions will be hacks that try to integrate disparate systems underneath.” —Michael Cannella, IT manager, Volunteers of America-Michigan
“It will be recognized by all that the velocity of knowledge, like the economic velocity of money, will enrich everyone.” —Charles Hendricksen, research collaboration architect, Cedar Collaboration
“To build a system like that, you need not only worldwide technical solutions delivered by idealistic and perfectly honest providers, you also need world peace, to end famine and free education for all. That is too tough to deliver in 14 years.” —Torill Mortensen, associate professor, Volda University College, Norway
“I’d be extremely surprised (pleasantly, of course) if there were universal access in the world’s 50 poorest countries by 2020.” —Peter Levine, director of CIRCLE (Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement), University of Maryland