Innovation Technology: Expert Report Done By Seah JingKai, Henny, Azry, Poh Teng Foon and Kelly

Wireless Fidelity technology in mobile services

Introduction – Brief overview on Wireless Fidelity in general

Wireless Fidelity or commonly known as Wi-Fi, Wi-fi, Wifi and etc is basically a term/brand that was created to describe the underlying technology of wireless local area networks (WLAN) based on the IEEE 802.11 specifications.
Before the advent of Wi-Fi, there was a precursor to Wi-Fi which was invented in 1991 by NCR Corporation/AT&T (later Lucent & Agere Systems).
Vic Hayes – primary inventor of Wi-Fi and named the ‘father of Wi-Fi’.
In 1999: Wi-Fi Alliance formed with the goal of driving the adoption of a single worldwide-accepted standard for high-speed wireless LAN. Hired Interbrand which actually created the term ‘Wi-Fi’ and the Wi-Fi logo as well.
Initially used for mobile computing devices (Notebooks – LAN) but now widely used for other services like Internet & VoIP phone access, gaming and basic connectivity on TV, DVD players, Digicams and etc.
Basic Wi-Fi setup works by having one or more Access Points (AP) and one or more clients. These AP broadcasts data packets which are called beacons are broadcasted every 100ms.

Main issues that underlies development in this area

Fear of Wi-Fi’s technology interfering and affecting military’s wireless technology.
o Example: ‘the Department of Defense (US) feared the low-powered, unlicensed emissions might possibly interfere with up to 10 types of radar operated by the Pentagon’. Quoted from http://dc.internet.com/news/article.php/1578271
Security Issues
o Wireless networks such as those of the 802.11x standards by nature are insecure as all traffic is essentially broadcasted and anyone with an antenna can pick it up. Examples: Many standards that were created eventually became obsolete because of its security problems. Thus, many new standards have to be created that are able to solve those security issues thus making the implementation of the standards longer than usual.

Professionals in this field

Test engineer – a person who has excellent knowledge of wireless networks and testing methods
Software engineer – developing low level wireless protocols for either WiFi
Circuit designer - designing around chipsets for WiFi or Bluetooth, but general RF design with full life cycle involvement is essential

Customers for this technology

Business Travelers
o This technology provides the user with the access to their corporate network business services and the wider Internet quickly and conveniently while they're on the move
IT savvy student
o It provides them with access to their education institution network as well as services provided by their institution and the wider Internet quickly and conveniently while they're on the move

Social Issues

Break down human barriers
o Through our findings we have concluded that there are group of people using these technology that will gain new forms of social power. Therefore new power groups and counterpower groups could emerge with disruptive consequences.
Hindering child development
o According to researches done by social scientists, our society nowadays have a trend where young children with a minimum age of 10 years old already owned a mobile phone and if they were to get their hands on a Wi-Fi enabled mobile phone, their parents might not be aware that their children might be using the Internet for the wrong means such as visiting Pornographic websites or communicating with strangers and in the end meeting them in person. Thus, without proper guidance, what these children learn through the Internet throught those wi-fi phones.

Leaders in this area

Airzëd Networks Sdn Bhd - a leading Wi-Fi service provider in Malaysia and pioneered the roll-out of the largest commercial Wi-Fi hotspot network in the country.
Wi-Fi Alliance is a society of wireless industry which was formed with the goal of driving the adoption of a single worldwide-accepted standard for high-speed wireless LAN.

Future predictions

WiMAX - defined as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access to promote conformance and interoperability of the IEEE 802.16 standard, officially known as WirelessMAN. It is an alternative to cable and DSL.

Research Methodology

Internet (general) – From research about how it works, which field it concerns, wifi business & markets as well as from wikipedia about what is wifi. The history (how it was 1st introduce).
Magazines – Wifi in the upcoming year, or the future and how advanced is the current technology of wifi.
Books – To get more in-depth information as well as some additional information about wifi in mobile phones
Internet (research paper, case studies) – whats the role of wifi & whats the benefit in our daily life, why it attract customers, whats the social issues.

Information portals/Industry websites

Conclusion

Through this research, we have learnt many things on what Wi-Fi is all about and how they affect human lives in general. Other than that, we have also identified how wi-fi can be integrated into mobile phones and how they can be used in the near future. And thus, this concludes our report.

Innovation Technology