negroponte-switch
A concept predicting that wired and wireless communications will reverse roles, with wireless carrying traditionally wired data and wired networks carrying traditionally wireless data.
1 chapter across 1 book
Being Digital (1995)Nicholas Negroponte
The chapter explores the transformative potential of fiber-optic technology in vastly expanding bandwidth capacity, contrasting it with the limitations of copper wires and wireless spectrum. It introduces the 'Negroponte Switch,' predicting a reversal in the roles of wired and wireless communications due to bandwidth dynamics. The discussion critiques the rush toward unlimited bandwidth infrastructure, emphasizing efficient use of moderate bandwidth through data compression and shared knowledge, while also addressing the evolving economics of digital communication where bits have variable value and network architectures converge toward more personalized, packet-switched systems.