Wireless network technology - Essay Example

Wireless network, from the term itself, it is any group or type of computer network that is wireless. It is commonly linked with telecommunications. Generally, wireless telecommunications networks are implemented with some kind of remote information transmission system that uses electromagnetic waves. There are many types of wireless network, wireless MAN, LAN, PAN and mobile devices. Apparently, mobile devices are the most common and most widely known by each and every person. Part of huge wireless networks is cellular phones.

Mobile device networks are subdivided in three. First is the GSM or Global System for Mobile Communications. GSM has 3 systems, the switching system, the base station system, and the operation and support system. Next is the PCS or Personal Communications Service. Sprint is said to be the first who used this kind of system. Last is the D-AMPS or the Digital Advanced Mobile Phone Service. This is the new version of AMPS. The advent of mobile devices or phones chronicles the development of technology of the radio telephones.

Gone are the days were prehistoric people are using codes to communicate through stone, wood or leaf carvings. From the plain radio telephones to the two-way radio telephony, inventors had come up with a cellular phone that most of us are using nowadays. The comfort of having this technology seems so inevitable, proving that man is endlessly inventing technologies to further life's advancement. People mainly use cellular phones to communicate with each other. In any race, culture, lifestyle or even age, one has to have this technology in order to fit in the fast-paced life.

In 2005 Child Wise, a market research firm specializing in children's products, found that one in four under-eights had a mobile. The total of 4.5 million youngsters with mobiles included 58% of nine to 10-year-olds and 89% of 11 to 12-year-olds with handsets. Some 93% of 13 to 14-year-olds and 95% of 15 and 16-year-olds had a mobile. (Daily Mail, 15 February 2005) Figures from the Mobile Data Association showed that at the beginning of 2005, at least 60 million mobiles were in use in the UK.

Eight out of ten adults own them. The number of youngsters with mobiles was around 4.5 million, with 90% of secondary school children and as many as one in four under-10s having their own phone. (Daily Mail, 26 January 2005) Furthermore, this technology is not only for communication but also for using internet. It is said to be an inexpensive way to connect to information superhighway. In countries were telecommunication infrastructures are deprived, they use this system to take advantage of the internet.

Text messaging really took off in 1998 when it became available across all networks, and practical, cheap pay-as-you-go phones became readily available, which made mobiles be seen as necessities rather than luxuries. By the end of 1998 more than 10 million people had mobile phones. By 2000, the number of people owning mobiles had multiplied almost five-fold to 45 million (Daily Mail, 3 December 2002). Philippines is said to be the "Texting Capital of the World", with an average of 27 texts sent per day by a subscriber, followed by Singapore with 12 and in South Korea with 10.

But just like any inventions, mobile devices are said to have environmental and health hazard issues. Discarded mobile phones are linked with toxic wastes. But one of the most widely known adverse effects of using this technology is the radiation that it emits. Due to the said radiation, worst adverse effect is to have a brain tumor after a long term use of mobile devices. All these are just news, reports and ongoing researches and studies are still being conducted in different parts of the world to either agree to or negate the issues.

But some adverse effects are also because of man's abuse in its usage. Just like when people are driving, some are still hooked on their phones without focusing their mind on driving. Thus, vehicular accidents occur. The social impact of mobile devices is also overwhelming. People uses text messaging to interact with anybody, anytime, anywhere, which was not possible before. But on the other hand, everyday language is also affected. Due to short messaging system, people tend to forget the right spelling or grammar of words and sentences.

Likewise, it has an adverse effect with young students. Some are also using texting as a way or means of cheating in examinations. The advent of this wireless network technology has been inevitable. We cannot deny that it is of great help in man's everyday living. But on the other hand, responsibility in using this should not be forgotten.