Regulatory hallenges in a Wireless World - Essay Example

Regulatory challenges raised by an increasingly wireless world Introduction 1984 saw the beginning of a brand new era in the history of communications: the wireless era. At this time, mankind's dream of communicating with any other person anytime, anywhere without much physical constraints came true. Customer response to the new wireless products was astounding, and this response rapidly turned into a race to see who can conquer the new wireless world. This "wireless race" went on despite changes that happened throughout the world in terms of politics, trade and technological advances (Galambos and Abrahamson). Land and space based wireless communication technologies have become popular as the consumers realize the convenience and ease of use of portable communications. This popularity is attributed to the recent discoveries and accomplishments done in the field of mobile communications such as mobile phones. Private firms are expected to invest at least 18 million in the United to States for the development of the next step in cutting edge wireless and mobile technologies (Frieden). One example that provides consumers of wireless communications a wide variety of advantages is the use of prepaid call cards. Like credit cards, prepaid cards eliminate the need to carry around cash often. It also allows the consumer to control his or her cell phone service expenditures. Advancement in wireless technology is "climate proofing", where wireless communication devices are designed to fit the climatic conditions of the country they are to be distributed and marketed to ("A social ecology of wireless technology"). Currently, the U.S. is still far away from its dream of being the wireless communication heaven that it envisions around the turn of the 21st century. Wireless communications today is not just limited to voice calls and the introduction of SMS, MMS and IM have already gained some leverage in significant market spots as well as providing consumers more communication options. Other wireless options aside from SMS, MMS and IM available are mobile games, MP3's and other non-communication applications are popular today ("U.S. Wireless Business Users.."). Type of Device Wireless Users Expect to Use Device Next 12Months Next 24 Months Data-centric 39% 19% Voice-centric 43% 72% Desktop/Notebook PC 10% 4% Other 9% 5% Source: ResearchPortal.com Furthermore the advent of convergence all over the world has spurned several useful applications. Among these is the ability to avail of different communication services across several formats and platforms. These leaps and bounds in technology has been sped up by the liberalization of international trade which permitted the advancement of international digital communications networks which puts forward several services and options beyond their national limits (Gillwald). The need for regulating the wireless world Breakthroughs and advancements in technology start with the inventor developing his invention in the hopes that he can sell it for profit. When the development of the new technology is successful, the new product is eventually introduced in the market and several trade and intellectual laws and regulations are applied to it. The acquisition of a paten may take a long time or may only be possible under certain circumstances. Today, the digital work is in constant risk of being attacked by unscrupulous people, particularly hackers who deliberately alter or destroy crucial data as it please them. Hacking may lead into bigger conflicts, especially when the data tampered with came from a confidential source such as the government. Electronic service such as online trade and commerce, e-banking, telemedicine etc should be protected by laws and regulations in order to enhance the security in a digitally linked world. This implementation of employing digital measure is called "cyber security" and is being made possible through the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in 2002 by the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly ("World Telecommunication Day 2006: Promoting Global Cybersecurity."). Regulatory challenges raised by an increasingly wireless world World government shave been struggling to implement cyber security acts and conventions to maximize the advantages offered by convergence and by the world market to restructure negative effects brought on by hacking and other unscrupulous deeds (Gillwald). The main disputes that governments face in trying to control the wireless communications world is the proper distribution of radio frequencies for appropriate such as for the dissemination of knowledge against pollution, potential health hazards, public safety and other relevant topics. Spectrum Allocating radio frequencies to different purposes posed a challenge for government regulators. In the past, radio bands are treated as a rare and valuable commodity. This philosophy has been around for almost 70 years now and has been mostly based from the technologies of 1930. In the United States, its Federal Communications Commission has been on the hot seat when it comes to the discussion on how to distribute the disputed radio bands. This distribution procedure has been reactive to several other factors especially commercial and political ones. Bandwidth has been first distributed by the administration but later on, is carried out through auctions. Theses complications have brought about other types of products and services to consumers. With the coming of wireless technology, this has not been much of an issue, but earlier reports have shown that this development is being executed slowly by telecommunications companies due the fact that many have not yet recovered from the economical depression of 2001 ("A social ecology of wireless technology"). Source: SSS Online, Inc In an ideal scenario, the distribution of bandwidth or spectrum involves a very active, cyclic processes time passes on. In reality, this is not the case as some companies that already have these benefits try to hold on to their possession of bandwidth. These beneficiaries never have to worry about bidding or anything as they have already obtained the bandwidth that they need. They have a firm grasp of this resource and do not plan on giving up on it easily (Frieden). National spectrum managers such as ITU and FCC have designated part of their frequency bandwidths for specific services. Other factors unrelated to technology may be involved in this splitting process, particularly political factors. The FCC for example, may not fully state it's criteria in the virtues of one service compared to others. There has been a certain way of thinking that whenever a service has been allocated a certain part of the frequency, it may never be removed or kicked "out of the air" more so share the spectrum. On the other hand those who have been recently lobbying for the use of frequencies may have a hard time in the acquisition of the part of the frequencies. Now if wireless communications services are already satisfied with what they have, then they may not have the right amount of resources for reallocation (Frieden). Health issues Another challenges posed by wireless world to regulating body of governments is the health issues. There are health issues that wireless communications are able to contribute. Regulations are needed to protect consumer against the potential dangers of radiation, for example many of today's cell phones operate beyond the standard levels set by the FCC regarding radiation levels emitted (Masley et al; Lin). In a study conducted by Motorola among its 195,775 employees, there has been a significant percentage of them have high risks of brain cancers and below 1.0 for all lymphomas and leukemia (Morgan et al). A possible solution seen in preventing this excessive exposure to radiation is by placing an antenna in the cell phone's design as it is found out that antennae can help dissipate radiation that is acquired by the consumer during calls (Stuchly; "A social ecology of wireless technology"). Researches tackling radio frequency radiation (RF) and wireless operators are in constant argument on the effect of RF radiation to health (Valberg; "A social ecology of wireless technology"). Curiously, the company that presented evidences of the link between brain cancer and the use of mobile communication devices came from the Wireless Technology Research (WTR) program. The WTR is a 27 million dollar, seven year program sponsored by the wireless technology community to review and investigate previous studies and reports on the effect of RF radiation. In previous studies, there is no substantial evidence that RF radiation can cause DNA fragmentation, a cause of several genetic mutations and aberrations in humans. It was also found out in the WTR that the number of brain cancer cases increased in cell phone users as compared to car phone users, though this is not statistically significant. But there has been findings that show there has been a significant increase in the occurrence of brain tumors among cell phone users (Carlo and Jenrow; "A social ecology of wireless technology"). These contrasting results have confused wireless technologies on whether to adjust their devices or not to comply with safety standards. Environmental issues Environmental issues raised by the wireless world also posed a challenge to government regulatory policies. It is ironic that countries that are currently having a cell phone boom are those that have a few environmental policies on these devices or none at all. A report from INFORM entitled: Waste in the Wireless World: The Challenges of Cell Phones has identified that cell phone use several heavy metals including arsenic, antimony, beryllium, cadmium, and lead which can seep through the soil polluting it. 2005 estimates show that the US has disposed of about 65,000 tons worth of broken, damaged and slightly used cell phones in their dumpsites. Consumers must be educated on the disposal and recycling of their cell phones and cell phone products, the same analogy that soda companies have applied in their soda plastic bottle recycling campaign ("A social ecology of wireless technology"). New York-based non-profit NGO INFORM's Waste in the Wireless World: The Challenges of Cell Phones has met much clamor due to the attention it gave in the dangers on the amount of cell phones and their associate products such as batteries, LEDs, etc. Toxic substance and heavy metals such as arsenic, antimony, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc. Also some of the materials that make up the bodies and casing like bromate derivatives are toxic to the soil and water. When these bromate derivatives also produce harmful fumes like dioxins and furans that have negative effects on the air. An awareness of these harmful effects that comes from wireless devices should be pushed through, as the volume of toxic substances increase everyday ("A social ecology of wireless technology"). In short, governments should implement the selling and possession of these mobile communication devices as a measure to protect the environment. Spam and fraud Spam and digital fraud are a primary concern not only of the governments, internet service providers and individuals who use mobile communication devices as well. Spamming is defined as the act of receiving unsolicited or unwanted email. The repercussions of Spam and fraud endanger the use of email and other electronic services. The Report from the Chairman of the ITU WSIS Thematic Meeting on Countering Spam delivered in July 2004 focused on the formulation of solutions to solve spamming problems. Spammers are hard to apprehend, as spammers are hard to detect and locate. Also the message senders, the sender itself and the one who received the spam may be located in different locations which may have different policies regarding electronic information. Some states or areas may not have laws against spamming, and because of these technicalities that make spamming hard to eliminate. Spamming may be met with mild punishment or may be ignored overall. Also, spammers have this kind of instinct where they detect which area has the least policies and regulations about spamming, and with this knowledge, they take the opportunity to victimize unsuspecting users with spam ("World Telecommunication Day 2006: Promoting Global Cybersecurity."). Conclusion In the end it the human element that can clearly find the solution in the problems that surround the use of wireless mobile technologies. The cycle of invention to making production standards to marketing to technological adoption to technological regulation to use and abuse-disposal and eventual obsolescence may be prevented by good old common sense and sound knowledge. Also organizations and eventually, the government must come up with basic plans on ho to implement certain measures on the proper use and distribution of mobile/wireless communication devices ("A social ecology of wireless technology"). Like any form of technology, mobile and wireless technology has both intentional and unintentional effects that may either benefit or harm mankind. The intended effects are looked upon as positive by hopeful people while the unintended effects are looked upon by pessimists. Taking the case of health effects of wireless devices on health, more studies and more evidences must be collated before we can arrive at the conclusion that the use of cell phones and other mobile communication devices are bad for your health. As for environmental issues, it is quite obvious that the careless disposal of cell phones and other associate products have harmful effects on the environment. The proper education of consumers on the negative environmental effects must be addressed so that we may lessen the negative impact of these pollutants in our environment. Furthermore, the applications of wireless technology, exemplified by the internet must also be regulated and a set of laws and policies must be made to prevent the use and abuse of these applications. It must be remembered that these wireless technologies have tremendous positive impacts in the advancement of human society and the repercussions they entail must be lessened so that we may optimize these benefits ("A social ecology of wireless technology"). Works cited "A social ecology of wireless technology." 5 July 2003. Critical Friends of Technology Paper. 07 April 2006 Carlo, G.L. and R.S. Jenrow, Scientific progress - wireless phones and brain cancer: current state of the science. MedGenMed, (11 July), 2000, p. E40. Frieden, Rob. N.d. Business, Legal, Regulatory and Spectrum Challenges to Widespread Deployment of Wireless Telephony. Citi.Columbia.edu. 07 April 2006 Galambos, Louis and Eric John Abrahamson. 2002. Entrepreneurship and the Creation of a Wireless World. Louis Galambos and Eric John Abrahamson. University of Cambridge. 07 April 2006 Gillwald, Alison. July 2003. National Convergence Policy in a Globalised World: Preparing South Africa for Next Generation Networks, Services and Regulation. LINK Centre,University of Witwatersrand. 07 April 2006 Lin J.C., The development of human exposure standards for radio-frequency fields, Radiats Biol Radioecol, volume 40, number 4 (July-August), 2000, pp. 425-428. Masley, M.L., B.F. Habbick, W.O. Spitzer, and M.A. Stuchly, Are wireless phones safe A review of the issue. Canadian Journal of Public Health, volume 90, number 5, 1999, pp. 325-329. Morgan, R.W., M.A. Kelsh, K. Zhao, K.A. Exuzides, S. Heringer, and W. Negrete,. Radiofrequency exposure and mortality from cancer of the brain and lymphatic/hematopoietic systems. Epidemiology, volume 11, number 2 (March), 2000, pp. 118-127. Stuchly, M.A. Biomedical concerns in wireless communications. Critical Reviews in Biomedical Engineering, volume 26, numbers 1-2, 1998 pp. 117-151. "The Electromagnetic (RF) Spectrum." January 24, 2006. SSS Online, Inc. 07 April 2006 "U.S. Wireless Business Users, 2004: A Demand-Side Survey of Wireless Usage, Preferences, and Perceptions." September 3, 2004. IDC. 07 april 2006 Valberg, P.A. Radio frequency radiation (RFR): the nature of exposure and carcinogenic potential. Cancer Causes & Control, volume 8, number 3 (May), 1997, pp. 323-332. "World Telecommunication Day 2006: Promoting Global Cybersecurity." March 28, 2006. 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