350 words
Referred to works: Undersea Networks, by N Starosielski ; Connection at Ewiiaapaayp Mountain Indigenous Internet Infrastructure, C Sandvig
In reading Starosielski’s Undersea Networks, it became apparent to me how the usage of the word “wireless” in regards to technology is a bit of a misnomer. Wireless technology refers to any device or system that uses radio waves or infrared signals to communicate without physical cables; whereas wired technology relies on physical cables to transmit data between devices. However, in fact, wireless technology only appears to be wire free – but in reality is powered by wired technology and physical infrastructure to allow its use.
According to Starosieski, undersea fiber-optic cables transport 99 percent of all transoceanic digital communications, with submarine systems, rather than satellites carrying most of the Internet across the oceans. I’ve always had a slight interest in submarines. Maybe because of my childhood days spent playing the board game Battleship, but I’ve always wondered what exactly submarines were actually on the ocean floors doing. In addition to standard military operations, might they also be busy laying and protecting the wired system of the Internet?
One advantage “wireless” technology provides end users is convenience. Wireless devices allow for greater mobility and flexibility since there are no cables to restrict movement – much like the difference between an old school corded kitchen phone, and today’s mobile version. But what is often ignored are the “wired” physical structures like data warehouses with thousands of servers, and network towers that actually allow the possibility of mobility.
We see an example of this in the reading, Connection at Ewiiaapaayp Mountain by Christian Sandvig. If in fact wireless technology was actually wireless, in theory a satellite could beam the internet into the Native mountain region, as quickly and as easily as it took tribal leaders to sign up for service. However, as Sandvig explains, in 105-degree heat, the network engineers of Ewiiaapaayp had to pick out and count bolts, washers and nuts out of 50 gallon drums, before painstakingly building a road and then piece by piece building an actual network tower.
Although we often take for granted the benefits of “wireless” technology’s flexibility and ease of use, we should continuously be aware of the terrestrial impacts of our decision making when it comes to facilitating digital connectivity in a sustainable way.