Most internet traffic on smartphones is carried by Wi-Fi, suggesting mobile networks could be sidelined
From Norwich to New York, hotspots are pulsing on every street. A messy urban patchwork of Wi-Fi signals is being gradually woven into a blanket of coverage which may soon be equal to the signals pumped out by mobile phone masts.
Wireless Fidelity (a non-scientific term invented by marketing people) is considered easy to hack, and the signals can often be weak, or password protected. But they are usually free and once in, they work at speeds well above the average mobile connection.
Even for phone users, Wi-Fi has become the most popular way of accessing the internet. So why are mobile phone companies planning to spend billions connecting us to the internet via 4G phone masts ? […]
It is a grassroots technology, promoted and funded by a ragged coalition of trade bodies, cafe owners, universities, town councils, entrepreneurs and the occasional telecoms company. Despite this, it is gaining ground against lavishly marketed mobile networks. […]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/mar/13/wifi-mobile-4g