Repeat Audio

Problems of High Speed Mobile Data

Problems of High Speed Mobile Data:

High speed mobile data will certainly improve the existing mobile networks greatly.GPRS and EDGE, in particular, will write a new chapter in mobile communications history. However, there are various problems which need addressing in order to make high speed mobile data a commercial success.

  • Firstly, who shall provide all the necessary IP-addresses when many people are permanently online? Even today, a shortage of IP addresses is becoming evident. The only solution to this issue is an upgrade to IP version 6 but the question is when will IP version 6 become a reality.
  • Another problem is the short span between GPRS, EDGE and UMTS. Even before the demand for GPRS has been proven, the technical evolution has already found successors to GPRS, namely EDGE and UMTS. Perhaps the market will not be ready for UMTS when it becomes available in 2002.
  • Most importantly, however, there is one fundamental question: Is there really a market for high speed mobile data or will GPRS, EDGE and UMTS suffer like the mobile satellite networks?

The latter is the issue which really needs to be addressed. On the one hand, the content providers need to examine this issue and on the other hand, the network and service operators need to be willing to accept changes to the value chain so that content providers can also prosper from the mobile communications market.