WiFi, 3G, WiMAX and Fixed Wireless...
In the (uninformed?) press there is endless debate about what wireless technology will 'win' at the end of the day. Somehow it all seems obvious to me...but then again, it IS my brain...so it would seem obvious to me.
WiFi aka "Poor Man's Wireless"
Great for coffee shops and stealing it from (mostly) unsuspecting non-tech types who leave their home router unsecured. Also good for those cities that somehow believe blanketing their downtown or the entire city with WiFi will make their city more attractive and a better place to live (which in my opinion will result in class action lawsuits by taxpayers in jurisdictions where they may have footed a portion of the bill). Dailywireless reports that there are over 300 municipal wireless WiFi systems in the USA!
3G aka "The Business Traveller's Best Friend"
Too expensive for mom and dad...and even the single 20 somethings...3G is made for business. Whether it is a Verizon, Sprint, Cingular, Telus or Rogers connection...they are just too expensive except for the most desperate users (or ones that don't care about cash). For heavy business travellers it will become indespensible, especially as it becomes more embedded in the laptop as has started to happen in the USA. Recently I acquired a Spring USB 3G modem for my laptop on an unlimited North American plan. It has worked quite well, often achieving speeds well in excess of 1Mbps. While not reliable enough to be used in a fixed environment such as an office....it has been great on the road.
WiMax and Fixed Wireless aka "Real Broadband Today"
I am continually amazed how WiMAX and Fixed Wireless is overlooked by businesses for their last mile access needs. Most providers can install a multi-megabit connection within days, often compared to months for fiber or weeks for ADSL (if available). I am blown away that T1's are still ordered daily in the USA. Fixed wireless often comes in at 10-50% of competing wireline technologies. Hell, at MetroBridge we install GigE connections within a week...wirelessly!
So, in summary, we've got WiFi for students and casual web users who happen to have a laptop and carry it around with them. 3G for business travellers...and WiMAX/Fixed Wireless for business/office use. Seems simple.