Office Technology

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Escalating Use of Internet Drives Faster Connectivity, Transmission, and Retrieval Speeds
Jeffrey Allen has a general practice in Oakland, California. His firm, Graves and Allen, emphasizes real estate, business transactions, and litigation.
E-mail: jallenlawtek@aol.com

The Evolution of the Internet
In the last decade, the Internet has evolved from an esoteric academic repository of information to a primary means of storing and communicating information impacting both our personal and professional lives. E-mail has largely replaced other types of communication as the handler of information, documents, and graphics. We can now transmit vast quantities of information over great distances in short time periods. Having made that discovery, we have become more and more dependent upon the Internet as a primary means of communication.

Through the use of e-mail and the Internet, we can transmit execution copies of documents almost instantly to people all over the world. People can sign the documents electronically and return them immediately. The Internet’s utility now goes far beyond documents. Audio tracks such as radio broadcasts or music and pictures in still format or even video can be sent across great distances almost instantaneously. The Internet has grown in utility to the point that news broadcasts can occur on line, as can live videoconferences, and training courses. VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) allows us to use the Internet for inexpensive telephonic communications.

Telephone/Modem Connections
Historically, telephone/modem connections have provided our Internet access. These connections offered the ability to access e-mail in and out of our offices, in hotels, and at airports. Unfortunately, the age and condition of the host telephone systems often meant that the service received was very slow. It was and still is not unusual for a 56k baud. modem to connect at less than half that speed as a result of the age, condition, and utilization rates of telephone systems.

Today, most of us have fast (high-speed) Internet connectivity such as cable, DSL or T-1 lines available in our offices. Accustomed to using high-speed access at work, it became difficult to accept the slowness of telephone connectivity at home. The nature of connectivity has now changed so that many of us have high-speed Internet access in both our offices and homes.

Increased Use of Laptop Computers and Wireless
As the power and speed of laptop computers got stronger and faster and the cost of portability decreased, we saw an increased use of laptop computers either as a supplement to desktop models or as a complete replacement of desktop computers.

The recent evolution of wireless connectivity has also enhanced the appeal and the use of the laptop computers. Wireless access makes Internet connectivity available in a variety of new locations. Computers can be moved around homes and offices while maintaining high-speed Internet access and connectivity, without the need for a hard-wired connection, by installing a wireless router or access point. Software and hardware has evolved to the point where simply turning the computer on allows the operating system to automatically negotiate the connection issues.

Wireless Connectivity
Wireless connectivity (often called "WiFi") operates through wireless standards known as 802.11. Three versions of 802.11 exist at the present time (802.11a, b and g). Versions "a" and "g" operate at rates of approximately 54 megabits per second (MBPS). Version "b" operates at approximately 11 MPBS. Versions "b" and "g", however, offer interoperative compatibility in that any "g" device works on a "b" network (but only at 11 MBPS) and "b" devices work on "g" networks (at 11 MPBS) and generally slow down the entire network. While wireless connections do not work flawlessly, their reliability has dramatically improved during the last few years. As a result, many locations have installed wireless networks to supplement hard-wired networks and, in some cases, in place of such hard-wired networks.

As a result of increasing dependence on and growth of easy access, laptop computers now generally come with wireless (WiFi) connectivity built into the computer. If your computer does not have this capacity, you can easily add it with a relatively inexpensive PCMCIA card. Additionally, other devices such as PDAs have become available with WiFi compatibility.

Cost of Connectivity in Hotels
Many hotels have installed hard-wired fast Ethernet connections for use in guest rooms. More recently, some hotels have brought in wireless connectivity. Generally, hotels or their licensees charge a daily usage fee for Internet connectivity. The amounts vary, but range between $10 and $15 per day.

Public Facilities with Wireless Access
The number of public facilities that have wireless access continues to grow. You can readily find it in airports, coffee shops, bookstores, and a variety of other locations. Unfortunately, the public facilities lack consistency in how they charge for access and in who provides the access; some offer a service that works only for subscribers of a particular provider, others have service available for a usage charge, and some have access available at no cost.

Telephone Service Providers
Many (if not most) wireless telephone service providers offer Internet connectivity. It started as an extra feature, but continues to grow to the point that most new mobile telephones have Internet capabilities in place. Such service and an Internet-capable wireless telephone allow limited (and generally relatively slow) Internet access. Many users have found it useful to have instant messaging programs (such as Yahoo Messenger or AOL Instant Messenger) on the telephone. The ability to send text messages other than through the use of the instant messenger programs, as well as the ability to send and receive e-mail has attracted others. Most of the phones also allow limited web browsing, enabling you to use the Internet from the phone, or a device connected to the phone.

The ability to access the Internet through a wireless mobile phone has the advantage of not requiring a WiFi hotspot and the disadvantage of slow connection speeds.

PCMCIA Cards
Some time ago wireless telephone carriers started to offer PCMCIA cards with wireless telephone connectivity as another connection option for laptop users. The cards provide coverage over an area generally comparable to the telephone provider’s service coverage area. Unfortunately, the rate of connection remained relatively slow until quite recently.

3G Wireless Connectivity
3G (3rd generation) wireless connectivity will provide a much faster service. PCMCIA 3G cards have been available for several months. While providers do not yet have high-speed access available throughout the country, they are offering it in test markets. If you live (or travel) in one of the test areas, you can get the card and the service and have wireless high-speed (comparable to DSL) connectivity wherever you can get a signal in the test area. Outside of the test areas, the cards still offer Internet connectivity and often at a faster rate than the older cards provided, and quicker than a hard-wired 56k baud modem.

Most of the major providers offer wireless cards. If you decide to get one, make sure that you get a 3G card and check for availability of 3G speeds. Verizon’s website reports average speeds of 60-80KBPS with bursts of up to 144KBPS on its wireless National Access Plan. Wireless access cards generally require a separate account and have their own number. Many providers offer substantial discounts on the card purchase in connection with opening a new account.

WiMax—The Next Major Evolution
WiMax will provide the next major evolution in access availability. WiMax refers to the IEEE wireless 802.16a Air Interface standard approved in January 2003. The standard continues to evolve through a series of modifications and amendments.

WiMax will most likely be in use within the next year. Projections anticipate broad acceptance over the next three or four years. Basically, widespread implementation of WiMax means availability of broadband Internet access for homes and offices on the outer edges of carrier networks. It also offers the capacity of providing coverage and Internet access over substantially larger areas than WiFi can accommodate.

In the future, expect to have the capacity to wirelessly access the Internet at high speeds from virtually anywhere inside major urban areas.

(Note: If you use a Macintosh laptop, the only wireless card for which a Macintosh driver exists is the Express Network PC Card (PC5220) on the Verizon Wireless Network.)

 

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Internet Law and Practice in California