In October 2003, the Asia-Pacific region passed the symbolic mark of one billion telecommunication users, mobile phones and fixed lines combined. The ITU is forecasting that before the end of this decade, another billion users of information and communication technologies (ICTs) are likely to be added to the region’s networks, but the majority of them will be connected using various wireless technologies.
In the developed world, at least in urbanized areas, the ITU believes portable Internet technologies are likely to be complementary, rather than substitutive, for existing networks. The market is being driven by handset manufacturers keen to add ever more value to portable devices.
This week’s ITU TELECOM ASIA 2004 in Busan, Korea is showcasing Portable Internet technologies for short, medium and long range distances. Short-range technologies, such as Bluetooth, ZigBee and RFID allow low-power connectivity within a range of 30 metres. Medium-range technologies can communicate at least 150 metres from a hotspot (e.g. Wi-Fi, or IEEE 802.11b) and up to several kilometers, depending on environmental and regulatory factors. Finally, long-range technologies such as WiMAX (IEEE 802.16) and IMT-2000 (3G) have ranges that extend up to 50 kilometers from a base station, and provide near-nationwide coverage when offered as a networked service.
The ITU has just published a 140-page report on “The Portable Internet”, containing around 60 pages of statistical tables and charts with the latest available data for more than 200 economies worldwide. http://www.itu.int
