Every jump in technology brings about challenges. Just think back to the Verizon World Phone, a CDMA/GSM device touted as working on both European and domestic networks. Except the device was fraught with problems, and it took years to get it right. Even now, users say the phone remains glitch-prone.
But in the interim, it seems the industry has learned a few lessons. Even as it speeds toward 4G and faces a similarly steep mountain of interoperability issues, manufacturers are taking a more cautious approach as they strive to create technological marvels capable of seamless roaming between three generations of wireless technologies.
“It’s going to be just as hard, but the industry learned a painful lesson when they went from 2G to 3G, and they’re trying to correct their past mistakes. They’re doing more interoperability testing, [which is] going a long way to make sure products work when they’re introduced,” says Michael Thelander, CEO and founder of Signals Research Group.
Instead of an immediate move to high-profile handsets, the initial focus will be on larger form factor dongles. For its part, Verizon is following that trend before moving into higher-complexity, smaller form factor devices embedded in digital single lens reflex cameras and game systems.
