Digital Divide found in Bush Alaska, expert says

Valley Life editor

As technology advances at a lightening-fast pace, will we see a world without wires in the near future? One expert says probably not.

Dr. Alex Hills, a Palmer resident who invented "Wi-Fi," which is high speed Internet access through wireless technologies, said he doesn't foresee a time when wireless technology will completely replace wired technology.

"At least not in the First World countries," Hills said. "We certainly are going to get more and more wireless, but wired technology isn't going to be replaced."

There are two main reasons, Hills said. The first reason is because of simple economics.

"The wires and cables are already there, and it wouldn't make sense economically to get rid of something that works," Hills said. "And secondly, wireless technology isn't as fast as wired technology.

"Right now, the best Wi-Fi networks are transmitting at around 54 megabits per second(Mbps) and wired connections are around 1,000 Mbps," Hills said. "Both wired and wireless speeds are increasing, but wired connections are still a lot faster."

That may sound like a foreign language to basic computer users, but their lives are constantly being changed by advancing technology. Hills said even computer novices will benefit from advancing technologies.

Take, for example, a 50-year-old computer user who uses a dial-up connection to check her e-mail and occasionally surf the Internet. Wi-Fi and high-speed Internet access aren't particularly important to that user, but those types of technologies eventually will be.

"Basically, the technologies are just being integrated into our day to day lives," Hills said. "That kind of user can do all of her banking over the Internet, for example. It's going to be so integrated that we are doing everything from one terminal."

Hills, internationally known as one of the leading researchers in technology, said wireless technology is quickly becoming the standard, however.

"Certainly, in some parts of the world, wireless technology is leap-frogging wired technology," Hills said. "You see some countries without telephone lines established going straight to wireless technology."

Here in Alaska, Hills would like to see the Bush have better access to the Internet.

"In Alaska, the Digital Divide issue a big one," Hills said. "The Bush is very underprivileged when it comes to Internet access. A lot of the reason why is because of economics. When it takes a long distance call to Anchorage to check your e-mail, I consider that underprivileged.

"Phone companies have to make a profit, but it has to start somewhere in terms of giving them access. Communications is such a big deal. It's not the whole answer for the Bush, but it is a very powerful tool," Hills said.