PROPOSAL
VULNERABILITIES OF WI-FI IN TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM
Introduction
Wi-Fi is basically a brand name for a wireless-technology business which means wireless fidelity. It offers wireless communication and network technology ( 2004). Before the popularity of the Internet and the wireless communication systems available at present, profit-seeking organisations have relied to the traditional means and ways of creating sustainable development. But with the growing trends toward globalisation, information management systems and infrastructures through the utilisation of the Internet emerged as the most efficient means of reaching to clients and customers. Business organisations at present are characterised with electronic systems that enhance the traditional business practices and management approaches. The growing competition in both the local and international industries resulted to the industries’ never-ending quest for solutions to provide better products as well as services to the public. The advancement in the business arena nowadays has been the product of the technological intervention of the Internet which in the process reformed the 21st century business environment.
Today the popularity of the online communication business processes along with the immense distribution of communication gadgets and technologies have resulted to opportunities for the marketing and sales industry to venture on business that utilises the faculty of the Internet. As pointed out by (2000), the communication reforms brought about by the popularity of the internet resulted to business organisations’ initiative towards reformatting and restructuring of their business processes in order to meet the challenge of the current market competition as well as add value to the products and services being delivered to the clients and customers ( 2000). It can not be denied that the World Wide Web has been of great use and facility to business organisations particularly those operating in the international market not just in their promotional aims but also in the daily information management of documents as well as other business routines that are relevant to the efficient functioning of multinational firms.
With this regard, the Wi-Fi technology or wireless is also vital in telecommunication system. If telecommunication is being discussed, it simply means that there is also a telephone device that allows us to communicate. The telephone and its latest mobile incarnation have a unique place in the history of humanity’s development. Cars and airplanes were adumbrated respectively by horse-drawn vehicles and birds; as such, humans were at least familiar with what might await once the right technology had been puzzled out. In the history of human imagination the power of real-time interactive oral communication over great distances had been a great power. Thus, this paper discusses the vulnerabilities of wireless technology in telecommunication system by first discussing the basics of mobile technology which will develop to the discussion of its improvements and latest technology over the years.
Background of the Study
Microcomputers and networks have become the foundation of business life ( 1993). According to the National Computer Security Association, more than half of the sixty million microcomputers used by businesses are connected to networks. Network resources allow worldwide access to information, no matter where it resides, or where the users are located. Unfortunately, the physical and logical controls used by an organisation to secure its information offer no protection when that information is being electronically transmitted. In a survey, which included responses from 538 computer security practitioners in various institutions, contained some sobering figures that 85% of respondents detected computer security breaches in the last 12 months while 64% acknowledged financial losses due to the breaches ( . 2001). Actually, Wireless Telecommunication System is a wide context. It could be in mobile phones, internet, e-commerce, LANs, and global network communication.
Before we move on, let us discuss the standards that are the basis for communication. In June 1997, the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) finalised IEEE 802.11, the initial standard for wireless LANs. This standard specifies a 2.4GHz operating frequency with data rates of 1Mbps to 2Mbps and the capability to choose between using frequency hopping or using direct sequence, two incompatible forms of spread-spectrum modulation. In late 1999, the IEEE published two supplements to the initial 802.11 standard: 802.11a and 802.11b (1999).
Like the initial standard, 802.11b operates in the 2.4GHz band, but data rates can be as high as 11Mbps, and only direct-sequence modulation is specified. The 802.1 la standard specifies operation in the 5GHz band using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with data rates up to 54Mbps. The advantages of this standard include higher capacity and less radio frequency (RF) interference than with other types of devices ( 1999).
802.1 la and 802.11b operate in different frequencies, so they are not interoperable. They can coexist on one network, though, because no signal overlap exists. Some vendors provide a dual-radio system with 802.11a and 802.11b (, 1999).
The latest wireless standard is 802.11g, and (like 802.1 la) it provides data rates of 54Mbps, but (like 802.11b) it operates in the 2.4GHz range. The 802.11g standard is also backward compatible with 802.11b networks, providing a more cost-effective upgrade and rollout plan for organisations ( 1999).
To complicate issues, Europe has developed the HiperLAN/2 standard, led by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). HiperLAN/2 and 802.1 share some similarities: both use OFDM technology to achieve their data rates in the 5GHz range, but they are not interoperable ( 1999).
Anyway, before the discussion goes further, the approval of the initial IEEE 802.11 standard back in 1997 spurred rapid growth in WLANs beyond the traditional, low-bandwidth vertical applications and into mission-critical general-office applications. In September 1999, however, 11-Mbps 802.11b standard was approved and the horizontal WLAN market achieved some impression of legitimacy, followed by rapid acceleration (, 1999).
Analysts have long anticipated the fever that surrounded WLAN. Yet with the success, according to (2003), WLANs are still not immune to the rip currents that pervade essentially ever high-technology market. He states the following observations:
(a) There is a constant demand in price and performance. (b) There is a need to deal with rapid technological change and continuing 802.11 evolutions. (c) Security. And, (d) there is a requirement to lower operational and other recurring expenses.
It comes as no surprise, then, that wireless-LAN vendors have been sparing little effort in building additional tools and now entirely new architectures to address the above needs. The primary goals today are to improve manageability, security and the costs of both equipment and operations. In short, what we are seeing is the result of a very natural evolutionary process, which is endemic to high technology.
(2006) observed that the subject of 802.11 has created a controversy during the past year. Choices of controversy from whether municipalities which organise mesh networks have advantage over competing service providers, which are to them is unfair, to whether strangers who take undue credit on unsecured networks at home are assisting terrorists.
However, although WiFi has been phenomenal, market analysts feel a recognisable stillness before the storm. Wexler states the following reasons:
(a) The current Wi-Fi base includes the older Aironet equipment. This equipment has individually managed intelligent access points (APs) which are also called “traditional” or “thick” APs. A majority of the customers using these systems are just starting to learn the newer, centrally run (“thin” or “dependent”) APs, and the supplementary changed Wi-Fi architecture.
(b) Dual-mode handsets that support both Wi-Fi and cellular voice calls before they make commitments to deploying voice over IP (VOIP) over Wi-Fi networks have been waited by mainstream enterprises.
(c) Recognised enterprise WLAN services are still catching up to technology advances of Wi-Fi, mainly in the security area.
(2006) explains that despite the continuous development in the standards and product features, especially in the area of detecting intruders and prevention, that the Wi-Fi industry makes, projects “can only move so fast”. She says that the mobility in wireless services have always been a must. This needs for wireless mobility have set up trends in accordance to the voice over Wi-Fi. On the contrary, there have been sprouting security measures with regards to this uprising technology. Thereby, it makes it difficult for some to even avail of the said services. This is most accordingly hard for client with small handheld devices. All because of 802.11, there are no supplicants available for them yet.
In this light, it is interesting to learn how the online technologies, particularly the wireless technologies, have influenced the telecommunication system as well as management approaches. This research study is geared towards the understanding of the vulnerabilities of wireless technology to telecommunication system. The research study will cover and contain discussions and analyses regarding the history and growth of the wireless technology, the global impact of the wireless technology, the features that are common as well as the benefits of wireless technology, the security policies and customer privacy issues that beset the technology, and the barriers and limitations of utilising the wireless technology. All these issues will be presented and analysed through this research endeavour.
Statement of the Problem
In order to complete the goals of this particular academic activity as well as to set the objectives of the study, the following research questions will be presented and discussed in the entirety of the research paper focusing on the implications of the wireless technology to the UK telecommunication industry.
Overview of Methodology
This particular research activity will be conducted using the guidelines of both the quantitative and the qualitative research approaches. In this light, the research study will make use of the survey and the interview techniques as methods for the data gathering activities. The qualitative aspect of researcher will be used in order to provide in-depth discussion regarding the concept of wireless technology as well as its implications to the telecommunication industry. Meanwhile, the quantitative part of the research activity will make possible the quantification of concepts and ideas that are otherwise immeasurable within the qualitative paradigm. The utilisation of both the quantitative and the qualitative research approaches will be used to provide holistic and comprehensive understanding on the selected research topic. Therefore, discussions will reflect the use of both these academic research approaches.
The survey method will be facilitated through the use of survey forms and questionnaires. This will include inquiries on the general characteristics, particularly the socio-demographic information of the selected research participants. Quantifiable inquiries will be likewise contained in the survey forms and questionnaire regarding the impact of the wireless technology in general on the current business practices and approaches. The survey forma will be distributed to employees belonging to the Information Technology departments of the selected telecommunication organisations that are familiar to wireless technology.
The organisations will compose of firms and companies that are engage in wireless telecommunication system. A total of thirty research participants will compose the sample for the survey method. These thirty participants are IT professionals form different telecommunication industries across the UK. This will enable exhaustive inquiries regarding the impact of wireless technology in current telecommunication practices in UK. The interview method, on the other hand, will be conducted with business personalities who are considered as experts in the analysis of the trends that have transpired in the UK telecommunication arena. The informants will be composed of five personalities from the academe, information technology industry, and other business fields who will be able to give light on the issues that surround the current practice of wireless technology in UK.
The research activity will also make use of secondary data from academic journals, books, and other publications that could provide additional information regarding wireless technology. Published as well as unpublished research papers that were previously conducted which likewise focus on the impacts of wireless technology to the telecommunication sector will be reviewed. These additional data and information will also be used to support as well as contradict the findings of the study depending on the credibility of the authors and the journals where they were found published. The use of secondary data and information will likewise serve as validity and reliability indicators of the researcher to ensure that the collected data from the survey and the interview methods could be used to strengthen the findings and results of the study. This will hopefully come up to unbiased presentation and discussion of the collected data and information from the indicated research methodologies.
Limitation of the Study
The broad scope of the research topic is the foremost concern when it comes to the identifiable limitations and barriers of the research activity but the holistic approach likewise will enable the researcher to contribute fully to the academe as well as to the involved business industries that will be analysed. Meanwhile, when it comes to the selected data gathering procedures, limitations and shortcomings could be expected in the data gathering procedures. Beginning from the sampling techniques that will be used to identify the participants of the study up to the facilitation of the survey forms and the interview sessions, difficulties will be expected. But with the support of the academe to the research activity and the explanations that will be provided regarding the important contributions of the study to the business industry upon completion, will serve as gateway to the successful research accomplishment. Other political, economic, as well as social issues and constraints are also expected while conducting the research activity which will be evident in the different stakes of the participants and the companies they represent.
References:
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