Enabling the Wireless Internet - Myths and Challenges

Summary form only given. Commencing with a brief historical perspective on the creation of both the Internet and wireless communications, a range of challenges related to the Wireless Internet are addressed. It is demonstrated, how ´point, shoot & share-style´ video communications may result in the ´world-wide-wait´ owing to the potentially excessive offered teletraffic, especially owing to the wireless bottle-neck, which has to obey the Shannonian lessons. A substantial capacity extension is offered by the employment of sophisticated source and channel coding as well as smart antennas, which will be elaborated on with specific reference to next-generation wireless enabling techniques. Clearly, further quantum leaps are required, in order to avert the threat of the ´worldwide-wait´ in the emerging wireless Internet.