Technologies to rock the world

Pay-as-you-go processing, free wireless phone calls and breathtakingly fast quantum computing are the way of the not-too-distant future.

These technological probabilities were presented by Anton Sinovich, a manager in corporate finance at PricewaterhouseCoopers at Internetix 2003, Internet Solutions` knowledge sharing forum.

In his presentation titled "New technologies with the potential to create disruptive change", Sinovich discussed how quantum computing, which has far faster numeric processing than its digital cousins, is going to push computer processors to their limits.

Quantum computers process information packets called qubits that are able to be both one and zero at the same time, allowing operations to be performed simultaneously using all possible variables. Quantum computing is shackled by its prohibitive expense, but Sinovich explained that soon, these processors could render asymmetric cryptography vulnerable to attack.

"In as little as three years, quantum computers could make us find new ways of keeping our secrets secret," he said.

Organisations that run processor-intensive operations will find that it starts to make financial sense to invest in new software to process underused cycles in their existing infrastructure, rather than continuing to purchase new processors.

Sinovich likened this system to the Search For Extra-terrestrial Intelligence At Home project, which used individuals` PCs all over the world to crunch packets of data from outer space, looking for recognisable patterns.

"Buying a PC is like installing a power station in your house," said Sinovich. "We will start to see a great global grid or GGG, where users can access computer power and pay as they go."

The lack of a standard protocol currently limits this sort of scenario, but as an open grid service architecture develops, these levels of complexity will be come an invisible part of our everyday lives, he said.

With hotspot locations fast becoming ubiquitous, Sinovich suggests that anyone with an optical cable and a 802.11 base will be able to provide telephony services at no cost.

"This provides enterprises and individuals with the possibility to set up their own communications networks, leaving out network operators` revenue-generating possibilities."

He said that over the next 10 years, 20 000 wireless access points will be established in the US, and Nokia has already responded to this opportunity by developing a combined WiFi and cellular handset to be released in the first quarter of next year.

How will the world`s telecom providers feel about this? According to Sinovich, they won`t be very happy, but he added that technological revolutions shaking up the industry aren`t really a bad thing. "Most competitive threats bring with them great opportunities," he concluded.