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Tag Archives: Grid/Cloud Computing
Could Data Caps Tame the WiFi Explosion?
After the initial frenzy of the iPad 2 launch, interesting figures on just how popular Apple’s new tablet is are starting to emerge. According to some sources, the iPad 2 sold over one million during its first weekend of release. I find this figure incredible. One million units in two days. Apparently sales continue to be brisk and one can only imagine what figures will be seen when the device reaches global availability.
Aside from sending Apple’s profits higher, I also wonder what impact these sales will have on the network. In only two days, we suddenly have one million more users consuming and distributing rich media (I appreciate that a number of these users will be upgrading from the original iPad). FaceTime, Skype, Netflix, Hulu. The wealth of media available on the iPad is staggering. Now, if these users are anything like me, they will spend most of their time accessing this media over their WiFi connection, especially considering current 3G data caps.
Mapping the State of US Broadband
In a recent conversation with Adrian Wooster, I was asked if we’re over analyzing the state of broadband connectivity. Are we spending too much time discussing the problem and not enough in solving it? I was thinking about this question again today as I researched some figures on the recently launched national broadband map. An ambitious tool that’s provoked heated discussion as to its effectiveness and how it can be used to move the state of the country’s broadband forward.
Costing around $200 million and ultimately taking over five years to develop, the map represents the first step in providing detailed analysis on the state of the nation’s broadband infrastructure, especially in highlighting underserved communities in rural areas. The sheer breadth of data captured in this map is impressive, especially when compared to what is available in other countries (see earlier post: Mapping the digital divide). Yet as analysts such as Craig Settles have noted, this map is far from complete and represents only a first attempt. There is still a great deal of information regarding the competitive landscape that needs to be documented for this map to truly help consumers and drive policy forward.
What’s That Buzz?
With OFC/NFOEC just around the corner, I thought it might be fun to guess at what the big news might be on the show floor. While predicting buzz can be a hazardous endeavor, the steady ramp up in press releases leading up to the big event, plus the program guide give pretty good hints.
Big again this year appears to be coherent detection, though not necessarily for the same reasons as last year. Coherent was a buzz word at last year’s OFC/NFOEC, primarily because it enabled 100GE transmission, and neither was quite ready for primetime yet. Fast forward a year, and now coherent is once again in the limelight, but not just because of 100GE. Over the last year, creative people have started to realize what the extra link budget means to system architecture. More recently, they have realized that the digital filter that allows recovery of the PM-QPSK signal also can be used for other digital filtering purposes. Consider 2500km with no dispersion compensation whatsoever, and how it would change the network landscape.
Innovation leaders: A Q&A with Loic Le Meur (Seesmic CEO)
The tech industry is driven by innovation. It’s the beating pulse that propels the development of new solutions, new platforms and new ways of thinking. After many years in the tech industry, I still wake up each morning excited by the prospect of new ideas and opportunities that may change our society and the way we experience the world.
One of the people at the centre of this tech innovation is Loic Le Meur, CEO of Seesmic and founder of LeWeb. I recently had a chance to catch up with Loic and ask him a few questions on innovation and its impact on today’s networks.
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How much bandwidth do I need?
Question: Which bandwidth will I need to my home in 10 years – 100Mbit/s, 1Gbit/s, 10Gbit/s or more?
Answer: Yes!
I was at the FTTH Council Europe conference in Milan, Italy, last week. I participated at the NGA workshop and was asked what I think would be the residential bandwidth in 10 years. Others were asked as well and the answers ranged from 100Mbit/s to 10Gbit/s and more. And I thought: hey, everyone is right! You can’t predict it. And it’ll depend on people’s services consuming behavior. The only thing we can say is that history tells us that bandwidth will continue to increase. Every year.
