These kinds of crimes are becoming increasingly common and apparently even the Russian mafia has gotten involved in this business. (Imagine a hacker working for the mafia!) Unfortunately, online theft is not the only way the Internet is being abused. Hate groups, terrorists and the global sex trafficking industry are all using the Internet to their benefit. Another unfortunate outcome is that abuses like this are giving governments around the world a reason to increase surveillance and intrude on individual privacy.

On the one hand, we are prone to attacks from these fringe elements. And on the other hand we are giving up personal privacy for extra protection. Its a LOSE-LOSE situation for the average Internet user. This opens up a new kind of opportunity for a service that provides a high level of online protection without compromising our privacy. A sort of footprint eraser, if you will. It will require not only technical innovations but new paradigms in archiving (how long should companies keep records of online transactions?), online security (SSL that secures and deletes traces after completion of transactions), and legal framework. Some of this work has already started. While abuses like the above story are unfortunate, it adds greater urgency to the work of online privacy and protection.

Sprint is going to be about 2 years ahead of its competitors like AT&T and Verizon in terms of offering a broadband wireless network. And it has formed a significant partnership around the WIMAX technology that includes Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, Intel and Google, ensuring there will be plenty of devices, chips and a powerful search available for the WIMAX ecosystem. Sounds like a pretty safe bet.

So what’s to stop Sprint from becoming the next telecom champion? The answer is Verizon’s FIOS broadband service, which has already been rolled out with tremendous success. Its FIOS broadband offers speeds ranging from 5Mbps – 50 Mbps – which no other provider can match in the US. It has already signed up 1 million customers. In contrast, current WIMAX speeds range between 2 Mbps – 10 Mbps. There is a possibility that by 2008 consumers will be so used to FIOS like speeds that WIMAX may seem like dial up. Such an occurrence is unlikely to take place in the short time frame of 2 years.

But the marketplace is sure to see stiff competition, which is great for us consumers. Where does this leave the other wireless giant, namely AT&T? That will have to wait for another posting.

This is a great example of how WIMAX can be effective in bringing broadband internet to developing countries. But beyond the technology, an effective regulatory infrastructure is also required that balances industry needs and consumer rights. The PTA has done a fine job of this difficult challenge. Indeed, in just the last five years the PTA has so deftly handled the regulatory and spectrum management issues that telecom foreign investment has been over $5 billion $9 billion! The number of mobile phone subscribers has increased from 1.8 million in 2002 to almost 50 million in 2006. The increased investment has benefited both consumers and telecom operators. Indeed, where else in the world can you get a cellphone for $3?

PTA’s success story is now being studied by others. In recent months, PTA has hosted telecom regulatory bodies from Bangladesh, China and Kenya. The good work of the PTA will continue to bear fruits for Pakistan’s telecom and technology sector for many years to come!

Google has erased all doubts about its interest in wireless – not that there were any. Google’s latest 10Q filing has the following statement about its wireless plans.

“The number of people who access the internet through devices other than personal computers, including mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart phones and handheld computers and video game consoles, as well as television set-top devices, has increased dramatically in the past few years. The lower resolution, functionality and memory associated with alternative devices make the use of our products and services through such devices more difficult. If we are unable to attract and retain a substantial number of alternative device users to our web search services or if we are slow to develop products and technologies that are more compatible with non-PC communications devices, we will fail to capture a significant share of an increasingly important portion of the market for online services.”

Google’s involvement in wireless is going to accelerate the adoption and viability of wireless broadband in the United States. What this means to you is that in the next couple of years, you will very like be able to do the following:

1. Surf the web on the go
2. Be able to switch wireless carriers without having to get a new phone
3. Do more computing on your mobile device – this might expedite the decline of the PC?
4. Local search will start taking off

Wireless broadband, specifically WIMAX is proving to be a low cost answer to the digital divide challenge. I came across this excellent article about a WIMAX deployment in South Africa. The cost savings listed are tremendous, not to mention, the speed of deploying WIMAX based internet access.

According to Internetworldstats.com, Africa with a total population of close to 1 billion, has one of the lowest internet penetrations at 3.6%. But between 2000 and 2007, Africa also witnessed a 643% jump in internet access. Now if wireless broadband increases the adoption rate to 1000% in the next 5 years, then by 2012, Africa should have about 330 million internet users! That’s 300 million new users on the internet. This means new startups in Africa to power the needs of African users, new mom and pop entrepreneurs in Africa, new ways to bring education to the kids, new ways to bring health care… the list just goes on and on. Its a fantastic story and the best thing is its very realistic and doable! I will continue to seek out these great stories and post them here.