Very few still doubt IP as a technology. We have seen data, voice and video all traversing through an IP network. Broadband technologies have emerged very powerful in this regard as triple play and quad play services are being offered by service providers world over.

With wireless element increasing its presence into our communications scenario we prefer and demand more from wireless. Our home networks, PANs, LANs, etc. have become wireless and we are enjoying the comfort and ease they provide.

Users are getting accustomed to an all wireless network which they could use, be it at home or on the move. But so far, most of the service providers are working on a complex convergence model; merging two different technologies – for instance, IP-cellular, PSTN-cellular, etc. This is not an easy task as it appears. Managing two different technologies with completely different architectures, protocols and objectives is not only complex, but costly as well.

The end user also finds it complex to understand the fundamentals of such merging technologies and doubts its performance. From service provider’s perspective, issues like handoff, call continuity and billing have always been a concern. Though, by now, the availability of handsets is not a major concern as all leading cellular handset manufacturers like Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson are providing WiFi enabled handsets.

In-house, I think we have got a stable and reliable technology in the form of WiFi. It can handle data, voice and video in an efficient manner allowing us to use IP for all our communication needs. On the other side, outside, on the road, we are still experimenting with various things. We are mainly looking at cellular networks in the form of 3G and 4G networks which I think is not a lasting solution. We must not focus at providing a service; our aim must be to find out technologies that are enabling these services and try to bank upon such a technology that will give us seamless bondage between the communication inside and outside.
The convergence, which I feel will be beneficial for all – users, service providers, vendors and the regulators is merging WiFi and WiMAX. Both are based on similar rationale with WiMAX capable of serving longer ranges. Yes, there were concerns about continuity in WiMAX, but mobile WiMAX has made that a history. By using this model, we are looking at the same technology – IP and it will be very easy to integrate the two. Technically, it might result in improved quality as well. Our carrier of data, voice or video content will be IP and it will be only the difference in approach while we are accessing it in-house and outside.

WiMAX has a great potential as architecture. It will bring in great economies for the service providers as the cost of laying the infrastructure will be less due to fewer cells and the operational cost will be less compared to any network that requires many cells. WiMAX can also lead us to making Internet look like terrestrial TV technology and it could really become a plug-in technology. Later we could get rid of WiFi also and have something similar to pico and femtocells for improving in-house coverage over WiMAX only. This is what I refer to as IPoW or IP over Wireless. So, if this convergence has all these apparent benefits, you could ask me why not much is happening on this front. There will be only one answer to this question from my side, i.e. it is all because of power politics. The communications market is still dominated by the telecom operators and they are pushing technologies that evolve from telecom domain. Once ISPs have a significant role and say, we can see these technologies coming to the forefront. Perhaps, the present recessionary conditions might lead to the prominent emergence of these technologies which still are looked upon as disruptive.

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