Next decade holds new twists for comms tech

Predicting what will happen in the next decade of communications technology is complicated, primarily because the subject matter has become so integral to other technologies.

The idea of pervasive IP (Internet Protocol)--or ubiquitous computing, the Internet of things or hyperconnectivity--will transform the way we live and work. Just as the smartphone has given us portable, powerful connectivity, pervasive IP will mean Internet connectivity embedded into everyday objects--some portable, some fixed.

The big driver for pervasive IP will be energy efficiency. As smart meters become common, it makes sense to regulate the consumption of individual appliances by monitoring and controlling them remotely.

Wireless connectivity
Although some of the connectivity can be achieved using powerline communications, much of it will be wireless--3G-like wide-range technologies will hook up devices to the cloud, while high-frequency, short-range technologies will allow the devices to talk to each other.

Much of this inter-device communication will take place through wireless mesh networks. Self-healing, self-organizing and resilient, such networks are being used for quick deployments by military and aid organizations, as well as in some industrial situations. In the future, they will be used across cities, for business and at home.

Read more of "Next decade holds new twists for comms tech" at ZDNet UK.