| Chapter 1: | A Global, Low-Cost Network Thrives |
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“Parts of this statement ring true, that a global network will be implemented that allows connectivity any time, anywhere. However, the prices will remain high enough that only citizens of well-off countries will be able to benefit from this connectivity. Attempts will be made to bring this connectivity to people traditiona-lly without this access, but it will have limited success because of the many other aspects needed to make communications and computing work— access to computing devices, reliable electricity, and training/language issues. Interoperability will not be ‘perfected,’ as new innovations stand to make previous network incarnations obsolete.” —Philip Joung, Spirent Communications
—Stan Felder, president and CEO, Vibrance Associates, LLC
“Perfection will not be achieved, but I fully expect high-speed optical links through the air, and software should be more robust. Taxes will have kicked in by then.” —Michael Steele, Internet user since 1978
“While it is probably technically feasible to provide the backbone capacity and local wireless access to achieve this goal, too many incidental barriers exist. There’s the question of whether the world economy will support it (I expect disruptions), whether international political affairs will be healthy enough to permit it, and whether the designers of the network can fend off attacks.” —Andy Oram, writer and editor for O’Reilly Media
“Low cost indeed! For all intents and purposes, the network will be free. However, people will subscribe, for a monthly fee, which will provide virtually all sorts of services including all telephone, television, music, radio, games, entertainment, Internet, etc. Advertisements will play a large role in allowing this low-cost service, but subscribers will do significant purchasing through this medium as well.” —Don Heath, board member, iPool, Brilliant Cities, Inc., Diversified Software, Alcatel, Foretec