11/19/09© Copyright 2009 David P. Reed1 David P. Reed MIT Communications Futures Program MIT Media Laboratory Viral Communications Research Group 19 November 2009 Hybrid Fiber Wireless Reshapes the Future of Communications

11/19/09© Copyright 2009 David P. Reed2 Background and credits 40 yrs in computing/communications Internet protocol designer, systems architect, R&D senior executive Researcher in distributed systems, radio design and networking systems MIT Communications Futures Program Andrew Lippman, David D. Clark, Charles Fine, and our grad students

11/19/09© Copyright 2009 David P. Reed3 Wireless much more than a “third pipe” n beats copper and 4G cellular in the first 100 meters, AND supports n beats copper and 4G cellular in the first 100 meters, AND supports User-at-the-center networking User-at-the-center networking –Localized awareness and search –Access nearby devices Group-based, not point-to-point Group-based, not point-to-point –Groups of devices configured on demand –Groups of users in constant linkage

11/19/09© Copyright 2009 David P. Reed4 What matters: Personal Mobility Humans move in a fully connected world that extends reach and control Humans move in a fully connected world that extends reach and control Services not tied to terminals, accounts not associated with physical terminations Services not tied to terminals, accounts not associated with physical terminations E.g., the “Amulet” - your virtual sphere of influence and access travels wherever you carry go with it E.g., the “Amulet” - your virtual sphere of influence and access travels wherever you carry go with it

11/19/09© Copyright 2009 David P. Reed5 When always live, wireless creates “context” Communications embedded in context Communications embedded in context –Social –Mobile Enabled by identity (relationships) Enabled by identity (relationships) Centered on awareness and discovery Centered on awareness and discovery Shared use of services and resources Shared use of services and resources Negotiation enabled by “intelligence” in agents each user controls throughout the “cloud” Negotiation enabled by “intelligence” in agents each user controls throughout the “cloud”

11/19/09© Copyright 2009 David P. Reed6 Beyond spectrum sharing: wireless interworking Limiting view: spectrum “sharing” - mutual avoidance – focused on “interference” Limiting view: spectrum “sharing” - mutual avoidance – focused on “interference” When radios interwork cooperatively: When radios interwork cooperatively: –can assist each other, and create joint gains – as the Internet did –Interference no longer a problem – scalable network capacity

11/19/09© Copyright 2009 David P. Reed7 Fiber – key to wireless broadband at scale Highest capacity wireless architecture is a distributed, low power short range system Highest capacity wireless architecture is a distributed, low power short range system Fiber (or equivalent) backbone to provide longer interconnect links among nodes Fiber (or equivalent) backbone to provide longer interconnect links among nodes Fiber-to-Radio eventually becomes direct microwave-optical up/down conversion (in early trials today) Fiber-to-Radio eventually becomes direct microwave-optical up/down conversion (in early trials today)

11/19/09© Copyright 2009 David P. Reed8 Air power – the 21 st century tussle Most wireless will be very localized, very dense (homes, buildings, campuses) Most wireless will be very localized, very dense (homes, buildings, campuses) Wireless supported by fiber – fiber transport is utility underlying wireless, not single termination. Wireless supported by fiber – fiber transport is utility underlying wireless, not single termination. Strategy for fiber is to capture wireless support market. Strategy for fiber is to capture wireless support market.