Wireless communication technology and social networking service

I had worked in the area of wireless communication industry for five and half years. My career started at SK Telecom, Korean biggest carrier based on CDMA technology in 1998. In 1998, even short message service (SMS) wasn't available. Ironically, the SMS (and MMS: Multimedia Message Service) is the biggest cash cow for mobile carriers now. At the beginning point of my carrier, I anticipated wireless internet, which my colleagues were a little bit skeptical. And then more than 10 years passed. Recently, I have bought an "iPhone 3GS", which is capable of accessing internet everywhere, so called "ubiquitous internet service." It took around 10 years to realize the "wireless internet."

When emerging 3G service, people in the wireless industry talked about voice telephone service with live moving picture all the time. Now we know that the service, even though it is possible, is such unpopular one.

Instead, "Social Networking Service (SNS)" explodes with the "ubiquitous internet service." People like to share what they're doing or what they're thinking of in SNS such as Facebook or Twitter. Taking and uploading pictures is now common activity in people's lives. In such activities, they feel connected with someone they are related to, spreading information that may be urgently cared, and/or make public opinion.

When studied for preparing a qualifying exam, I read an impressive "statement" in a book, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics written by F. T. Ulaby. The author asked his students at the end of his lecture and picked up the statement written by M. Schaldenbrand, "Electromagnetics has done more than just help science. Since we have such advanced communicaitons, our understanding of other nations and nationalities has increased exponentially. This understanding has led and will lead the governments of the world to work towards global peace. The more knowledge we have about different cultures, the less foreign these cultures will seem. A global kinship will result, and the by-produce will be harmony. Understanding is the first step, and communication is the means. Electromagnetics holds the key to this communicaiton, and therefore is an important subject for not only science, but also the sake of humanity."

The student was hoping that the communication technology would help people understanding each other. We now witness that wired and wireless communication technologies give us opportunities to get connected and understand each other and hopefully make our world peaceful.