Tuesday, November 9, 2010
What's all this hubbub about folks in the country, the rural towns, the under-privileged, the minorities... all having broadband access? Why are countless bloggers, online news outlets, and even major voices like the LA Times and CNet in a flurry of commentary over the NTIA's recent report about the socioeconomic gap in broadband users? Is it really that fundamentally necessary to our nation's well-being that everyone--we mean everyone--has broadband access?

If you're reading this blog, you likely loaded it at speeds somewhere north of 3 Mbps. That means, according to the FCC, you have broadband speed. And, according the NTIA's report, that means that the likelihood is greater than 70% that you're not below the poverty line and not a minority.

So, what does that mean?

My daughter woke up yesterday with a little bit of a runny nose, and she was flat out cranky. Nothing unusual, however, because runny noses are common when babies are teething, as is crankiness, and she was cutting a new chomper on top.

How'd we know that? Google, accessed via my wifes iPhone from the comfort of the rocker in the nursery.

So, not to be alarmist parents, we dismissed it. Today, however, she's even more fussy... and woke up covered in sweat. Sure enough, she's running a fever. Also (according to Google, not uncommon with teething). But, when her fever rose, and we noticed her cries fade into long slow moans, we had some concerns. As she moaned, she would sit still... no reaching for toys, no crawling, and really screamed if we moved her.

Again, from the iPhone, Google: "baby fever moaning stiff"

Result #2. Meningitis.

Google: "baby menangits", which of course, Google re-spelled for us "baby meningitis" and displayed correct results.

We're getting treatment. Our daughter will be just fine. But what re-write that scene sans iphone. Sans computer. Sans internet.

Access to data impacts our society in innumerable ways. Health scares like this story may be extreme, but what about simple things: job searches, online college education, resume-writing tips on someone's blog, candidate information from unbiased sources. Where can any of this be accessed sans broadband? Can you really argue it's immaterial?

Labels: Broadband, iPhone, NTIA, Rural Broadband

posted by Unknown at 10:24 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Wireless broadband, from wi-fi to 3G and now even 4G network availability, has made mobilized more than just communication. Mobile phones equip more than phone calls. Many mobile devices today are powerful and useful hand-held computers. But the question is: are they secured like one?

First, let's begin by understanding the risk. A few months ago, I downloaded an inexpensive app to my iPhone phone called "FTP On The Go." Within minutes, I had bookmarked my company's FTP server, complete with a saved username and password. Moreover, I have been using QuickOffice to access my company docs, emails, spreadsheets, quotes, etc. while traveling or just stuck in traffic. So, what happens when my iPhone gets stolen or lost? Sure, a thug on the subway probably has little interest in our company data, but what if I accidentally left this tiny little data gateway lying on a table at an industry conference?

Of course, even acknowledging the risk, most of us aren't stricken with fear because we've been down this road before. When laptops entered the scene, IT departments everywhere were in a fit to figure out how to secure the devices. Fortunately, Microsoft's user-level security features were actually quite useful. Laptops were password protected and everyone rested easy. So, can't these mobile devils be controlled with the same means?

Let's take the iPhone, and it's cousin the iPad, as examples. The PCI-DSS demands password security with a minimum of 6 characters. Ever type in the password on an iPhone? It's 4-characters max and numerical only. That is assuming, of course, that users have activated the password security on their iPhones. Mine, for example, is privately owned and my IT staff has never even seen it, let alone mandated it's secure use. With nothing more than the usernames and passwords that I have been granted for access to my company's systems, I have downloaded the applications I need to create a mobile workplace for myself--or perhaps a mobile security breach for my company.

And, physical security aside, what level of data security can mobile devices ensure? Whereas Accel Networks' fixed wireless broadband can be provisioned with Layer 2 security, what of the mobile broadband devices?

Here are some policies to consider as the mobile broadband users in your company will, undoubtedly, continue to grow:

• If any company data is to be retrieved, including simple pop3 email, the phone's password security--albeit lacking PCI-DSS requirements--should be employed.
  
• Saving of passwords on the phone's applications for accessing any secure sites, including FTP, remote desktop, or similar applications should be prohibited.
• When accessing secure data, 3G networks or security-enabled wi-fi should be required.

What are some other policies your company has instituted in order to protect itself from the unmitigated risk of mobile broadband?

Labels: 3G, Fixed Wireless Broadband, iPhone, Layer 2, mobile broadband, PCI-DSS

posted by Unknown at 5:34 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments

Thursday, May 27, 2010
In our nation's largest city, it is no surprise to find that AT&T has been battling with an overwhelmed network. The increased popularity of 3G-enabled wireless devices has finally pushed their infrastructure to the limit. The AT&T cell towers in New York city face problems ahead if they cannot keep up with 3G demand.

So, what's the answer? Get the users to stop relying on 3G. To reduce the load on the cell towers in and around the city, AT&T plans to offer free wireless hot-spots where AT&T customers can get Wi-Fi at no charge rather than relying on the standard data network.

To pilot the program, seeing what real affect it will have on network load, the first free wireless hot-spot has been set up and is now live in Time Square. For a range of 2000 feet from the city's famed landmark, AT&T customers can enjoy Wi-Fi speeds--even faster than 3G--at no extra charge.

So, will it work? I have my doubts for one simple, and seemingly insignificant reason. Laziness...

As an avid iPhone user, I am prompted constantly to join networks. In the city, there are dozens of wireless networks available to join at any given point. The problem is, historically, these have all been security-enabled networks. So, while I'm on the go and in a hurry, I rarely bother to sort through the networks available to find a free one, after all, why bother? The 3G works just fine.

So, the challenge for AT&T is going to be making it as easy as possible for its customers to connect to this new Wi-Fi network instead of the already-available 3G. My suggestion: create a unique name for the network, then push an OS update that automatically switches to the AT&T-provided wi-fi if it's available without the user having to do anything.

What do you think? Any New Yorkers out there excited for this new offer, or do you fear it will never gain popularity?

Labels: 3G, ATT, Hotspot, iPhone, New York, Wi-Fi

posted by Unknown at 4:12 AM Link to this Article  0 Comments