In 1983, Gerald S. Hawkins published a book called ‘Mindsteps to the Cosmos’ in which he postulated that throughout history, humankind took dramatic technological steps forward. He described these irreversible paradigm shifts as ‘mindsteps’ and identified five distinct innovations in history which created entirely new world views; these were invention of imagery, writing, mathematics, printing, the telescope, rocket, radio, TV and computer.

In the book he stated, “The waiting period between the mindsteps is getting shorter. One can’t help noticing the acceleration.”

Hawkins elucidated an equation to quantify these paradigm innovations and predicted that the next would occur in 2021. While it is only a theory, one could argue that the next mindstep has occurred earlier than Hawkins hypothesised – and that is the rise of ‘mobile connectivity’.

The rise of mobile
If there is one technological advancement which has defined the past five years, it is undoubtedly the advent of mobile connectivity. While the computer and subsequently the World Wide Web are without question, two of the most significant developments in human history, the constraints of connectivity have dissolved in recent years, resulting in an ‘always on, always connected’ society.

The pace of this change has been staggering and its implications, unquantifiable.

The technology landscape is such a rapidly evolving one, that it is difficult to extract trends and create forecasts. Thus, the insatiable demand for mobile data has caught even the most discerning of service providers off-guard. Network providers have had to accelerate the roll-out of 4G in order to meet these demands but even then, they are still on the back foot.

The data deficit
The simple fact is that demand is not only outstripping supply but is outstripping capacity. The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum currently allocated to cellular data is becoming a sparse resource and unless more of the spectrum is made available by government bodies, the possibility of a spectrum crunch is becoming very real.

In order to address demand and capacity issues, service providers had to start thinking outside the box; however, the answer was one that has been staring society in the face for some years now. Wi-Fi hotspots have, in a sense, always been competing against cellular data. This is no longer the case as now, Wi-Fi is now becoming an integral part of mobile data strategies the world over. Providers are using Wi-Fi, which is comparatively cheap to deploy, to offload cellular data and improve quality of service.

Next Generation Hotspot
However, the role of Wi-Fi in a connected society has only just begun. The next stage is to further integrate Wi-Fi into the mobile ecosystem by allowing devices to seamlessly pass between the cellular network and Wi-Fi hotspots. There has been an international effort to standardise Next Generation Hotspot technology and the accompanying Hotspot 2.0 specification.

The implications of this technology are far reaching for providers, but from the perspective of the user, the benefits are clear. Mobile coverage will know no bounds, no longer being limited by issues such as network congestion or geographical restrictions. Mobile devices will pass seamlessly between networks, providing users with the best possible data experience at all times.

Vive la révolution mobile
The 21st century has become defined by the digital revolution and in a few short years, the digital realm has broken free from the static shackles of the desktop and is now never more than an arm’s reach away. This has redefined how society views and interacts with technology. The only thing that has been lacking is the ability to provide a consistent, high quality connected experience, regardless of environmental factors. Thanks to Wi-Fi, this is about to change.