It's quite remarkable to follow the evolution of the Internet; more so now that it’s been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. From big chunky servers that occupied what could only be considered Area 51-like warehouses to a globally spread (yet much more streamlined) initiative, the Internet is still constantly evolving and expanding.
The vastness of cyberspace is even more accessible now thanks to it trickling down into the mobile phone segment. From last decade’s Pocket PCs and Palm Pilots, we’ve progressed to handsets that are being designed around users' need to access the Web. The mobile Internet made its humble appearance over a decade ago back in 1997, and was called WAP: the Wireless Application Protocol. Those of us who remember this know how antiquated that now sounds, but it was still better than what might have been which was WIP—the Wireless Internet Protocol. As odd as WAP sounds it’s better than WIP.
WAP might not have been fast at all, but back in the day this was the best you could get. If you happen to be of the older mobile generation just recall the prices and that’ll give you a clue. As slow as it may seem by today's standards, back then WAP and later WAP 2.0 (2002), was the easiest way to get information quickly for pretty much anything you were looking for, even to settle silly arguments. Of course all of this was before social networking, in the time when we would call or message someone to ask what was on their mind.
Next up was General Packet Radio Service or as we know it, GPRS (2.5G), which made the mobile scene a little faster. It rolled out sometime in 2000 but was just a few steps above WAP. It did however open up avenues a little more, and people found they could get more than just information. We were able to check email and even have online chats. Of course this also meant hefty bills as unlimited plans were inconceivable!
Next came Enhanced GPRS, EGPRS, which is more popularly known as EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) that was first tested in 2003. Speeds were faster and this kind of access to the Web opened up tremendous possibilities for connectivity with better rendering of web pages, Flash support, downloadable email, chatting and so much more. Mobile Internet also meant you wouldn’t miss a beat of your life—work or otherwise—as subscribers could receive emails anytime and anywhere. This came with the side effect work following people wherever they went!
3G or 3rd Generation is the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) standard for what should be today’s speed and quality of access. Although it was being tested much earlier in the CDMA field, the first commercial 3G network was launched by Hutchison Telecommunications in 2003. While still have to wait to see it run full scale in India, the western world and some parts of ours as well, are ahead of us. 3G makes mobile Internet access a breeze. Considered as good as a home or office broadband connections if not better in some cases, 3G is where a majority of the world is at right now. 3G makes video calling possible, which means communication can be even more intimate. 3G-enabled devices have made communication much smoother from every perspective, be it business or personal.
While we’re still in the earliest stage for 3G technology, most of the rest of the world has moved on to 3.5G and recently even 4G went commercial in Norway and Sweden.
While I have no doubt that things will only get faster, I am worried about how far behind we will be with regard to the rest of the planet. As for the Internet being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, honestly, I’m not surprised. The Web, in all its limitless space, has made it easy to gain access to relevant knowledge and made social interaction with all parts of the globe no more difficult than a few clicks of a button. It’s the easiest way to reach out to people with messages that matter, be they about poverty in Africa, politics in Iran, or natural calamities in Haiti. The world is closer than you think, and while it may not be tangible, the mobile phone is still the best way to reach out.
