How the internet came to be mobile

The more the internet became integral to the way we work, play and communicate, the more beneficial it was to make it accessible from every location and device. However, the mobile internet has very specific challenges compared to the fixed internet, and so a distinct ecosystem has emerged. How has mobile technology progressed from voice-only services to the coming 6G, and what are the benefits of a fully mobile, ubiquitous internet service?

Why should the internet be mobile?

The internet has changed everything. But connecting to it via a fixed line limits its potential. With the mobile internet, users can access information and media, and exchange data, while travelling or working outside the office, wherever a signal is available. For businesses, this maximises productivity; for users, it provides the flexibility to work and play where they choose; for service providers, it removes the need to install fibre connectivity in every location if this is not practical or economic; and in low-income countries, it is often the only way to go online.

A recent evolution has been the Internet of Things (IoT), which aims to connect almost every object, from household appliances to traffic lights to vehicles, so that they can provide data to a host of applications such as smart city management systems. IoT requires connectivity in every corner and to many thousands of end points per km², something that can only be achieved using mobile technology.

The evolution of the mobile internet and key milestones

The past 25 years have witnessed the rapid transformation of the internet into a fully mobile environment, with notable milestones along the way:

• The mobile internet started to be developed together with 2G standards for voice and texts, with early innovations such as NTT Docomo’s iMode web-like system, launched in 1999. 
• The real breakthroughs came with 3G technologies, which added significant data speed and capacity to mobile connections, and which integrated compatibility with the mainstream internet. 
• The biggest turning point in the mobile user experience came with the introduction of smartphones, notably the Apple iPhone in 2007, which featured large screens, full web browsers and graphics, and app stores for downloading a host of applications. 
• 4G and 5G technologies added further capacity together with optimised IoT support and improved ability to stream content such as high-definition videos and experience extended reality (XR) applications. Other important developments include enhanced reliability and the ability to connect while the user is moving at high speed, both essential for connected transportation services.

Key challenges and how they are addressed

Despite considerable progress in terms of quality of experience, the mobile internet still faces specific challenges when compared to the fixed-line environment. 

• The internet protocols were not designed for mobile environments in which network access changes constantly as users move around, and so it is difficult to ensure a stable internet connection, especially for real-time services such as voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls (voice calls using a broadband internet connection). 
• Compared to fixed fibre access, mobile networks have constrained bandwidth, and it can be difficult for service providers to predict how many users will be sharing that bandwidth at any one time, and costly to upgrade to meet that demand. 
• Mobile networks have to support internet connectivity to a vast range of devices with different characteristics, including smartphones, headsets, vehicles, robots and IoT sensors. 
• Some security vulnerabilities are heightened by the mobile network’s use of open airwaves, which can be subject to monitoring or surveillance.

These challenges have been central to the efforts of various stakeholders, standards bodies and industry groups in developing successive generations of mobile technology. 

The latest wave of new standards, 5G Advanced, allows users to take advantage of apps such as ChatGPT while on the move, and enables mobile operators to route data more intelligently to improve overall experience. These standards will lay the foundation for as-yet undefined 6G technology, which is expected to further improve the speed, quality and intelligence of mobile internet experiences.

The key ecosystem players

The technical capabilities of modern mobile networks and devices are only the starting point for the mobile internet experiences we all take for granted while working and playing on the move. There is a complex value chain with different players developing different aspects of the overall platform and experience, and monetising these in different ways. These include operators, device and equipment vendors, and app developers, which tailor the user experience to work on small screens with limited bandwidth.

It remains to be seen what new experiences may be enabled by a new generation of devices, graphics, artificial intelligence (AI) and connectivity, but it is clear that the internet will become increasingly ubiquitous and usable through ever-improving support for mobile access.