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NET EFFECTS: The Past, Present, and Future Impact of Our Networks
Tom Wheeler, FCC chairman, writes in his my professional life I have been involved with the introduction of new technologies. And though my day job was to chase the future, history has been an abiding hobby. One of the ways I have tried to understand what lies beyond the next hill in the landscape of the communications revolution is to study the advent of similar periods in the past.
Over the last several years I have been investigating the network revolutions of history. I called the project “From Gutenberg to The History of Our Future.” The goal was to assemble the work into a book. When President Obama nominated me to be Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the project was put on hold. Nevertheless, this review has taught me a lot about the present realities of our changing network environment.
Over the last several years I have been investigating the network revolutions of history. I called the project “From Gutenberg to The History of Our Future.” The goal was to assemble the work into a book. When President Obama nominated me to be Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the project was put on hold. Nevertheless, this review has taught me a lot about the present realities of our changing network environment.
31 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 4, 2013
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February 25, 2026
This is a dramatic way to publicize one's viewpoint. Hope others follow Wheeler's example.
This is a short but lucid history of networking. It is a bit biased towards telephony, which is the FCC's charter. The problems associated with the Internet are different, and everything is now coming down to the Internet.
Why do I say that? Wireless technology is able to put the Internet just about everywhere. Ten years ago it was point-to-point microwave backhaul that made stringing wire unnecessary. Telecommunications, the Internet included, was able to penetrate the interior of Brazil, Nicaragua and elsewhere. In the last few years Wimax has made it possible to go the last mile without wire. An American has to be remote indeed to be out of reach of the Internet. Competition is not much of a factor. In almost every market, granting monopolies no longer makes much sense. Wheeler writes of freedoms which are present simply by the nature of the technology.
The major omission, not even discussed, is the most important: privacy. The Snowden affair has revealed that the Federal Government, of which Wheeler is part, has put its probes and tentacles into the middle of just about every communication on earth. This is already having widespread impact. I (in Ukraine) was approached a month ago to join a Switzerland-based Internet startup, the business plan of which amounted to not being in the US. Clients could be assured of data privacy. Yandex (Russia) is talking of doing the same. IBM reported a rotten quarter because a major client, China, is backing away. They don't want to be spied on.
Wheeler thus does a great job of discussing history, how we got to this point, and competition. He does not say a word about the most important issue of the day. Kindle allows an author to update a document whenever. This one could afford to be longer (it is maybe 25 pages as it stands, worth the price so long as it is free) and a chapter on privacy would be a very welcome addition.
Let me add in closing that Wheeler is a smart guy with a good writing style. A pleasure to read.
This is a short but lucid history of networking. It is a bit biased towards telephony, which is the FCC's charter. The problems associated with the Internet are different, and everything is now coming down to the Internet.
Why do I say that? Wireless technology is able to put the Internet just about everywhere. Ten years ago it was point-to-point microwave backhaul that made stringing wire unnecessary. Telecommunications, the Internet included, was able to penetrate the interior of Brazil, Nicaragua and elsewhere. In the last few years Wimax has made it possible to go the last mile without wire. An American has to be remote indeed to be out of reach of the Internet. Competition is not much of a factor. In almost every market, granting monopolies no longer makes much sense. Wheeler writes of freedoms which are present simply by the nature of the technology.
The major omission, not even discussed, is the most important: privacy. The Snowden affair has revealed that the Federal Government, of which Wheeler is part, has put its probes and tentacles into the middle of just about every communication on earth. This is already having widespread impact. I (in Ukraine) was approached a month ago to join a Switzerland-based Internet startup, the business plan of which amounted to not being in the US. Clients could be assured of data privacy. Yandex (Russia) is talking of doing the same. IBM reported a rotten quarter because a major client, China, is backing away. They don't want to be spied on.
Wheeler thus does a great job of discussing history, how we got to this point, and competition. He does not say a word about the most important issue of the day. Kindle allows an author to update a document whenever. This one could afford to be longer (it is maybe 25 pages as it stands, worth the price so long as it is free) and a chapter on privacy would be a very welcome addition.
Let me add in closing that Wheeler is a smart guy with a good writing style. A pleasure to read.
Displaying 1 of 1 review