 The mobile revolution is being propelled forward by the simultaneous evolution of a set of key technologies in areas such as phone networks, wire- less local area networks (WLANs), personal-area networks (PANs), and soft- ware infrastructure. Gartner, a technology research firm based in Stamford, Connecticut, reports that core technologies are evolving quickly with little prospect of significant stability before 2005. New developments in areas such as screens, fuel cells, and software for tasks such as speech recognition will continue to drive evolution in the long term. Wireless technology is the primary driving force behind the most powerful and world-altering telecommunications trends. Gartner reports that wireless networking will become ubiquitous with several different technologies and protocols coexisting in the home and office. By 2007, more than 50 percent of enterprises with more than 1,000 employees will make use of at least five wire- less networking technologies. "All organizations should develop a strategy to support multiple wireless networking technologies," says Nick Jones, a research vice president for Gartner. "Organizations developing consumer products for mobile networks should look for ways to add value by interact- ing with other home devices that might become networked, such as televisions, set-top boxes, game consoles, and remote-control light switches." Telecosmos: The Next Great Telecom Revolution, edited by John Edwards ISBN 0-471-65533-3 Copyright © 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. CONNECTIONS IN THE AIR-WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES 3.1 WIRELESS LAN "HOTSPOTS" Today's WLANs represent just the beginning of what will eventually become a wireless world, connecting people to people and people to machines. Existing wireless "hotspots"--WLANs that allow mobile device users to access the Internet-allow mobile device users to Web surf, check their e-mail, and swap files while in public places like stores or airports. By 2025, separate hotspots will merge into a "hotworld," enabling people to access t