George Gilder Discovers EV-DO, Says It Will Kill WiFi

Overhype

In a video interview that certainly feels like it was paid for by Qualcomm, George Gilder goes on and on about how the Qualcomm “juggernaut” is going to destroy WiFi. He makes the same mistake that many of the “3G vs. WiFi” articles from a few years ago made – picking on one aspect where EV-DO technology beats WiFi: it’s ability to cover wide areas. That’s absolutely true, and it’s not quite as revolutionary as Gilder makes it out to be. Most people realize that WiFi is a local area technology. What it does have to its advantage, though (which Gilder doesn’t even acknowledge) is speed and price. WiFi connections are free in many areas, they’re available now, and the speed offered dwarfs that of EV-DO (depending on the backhaul, of course). Sure, EV-DO is a great technology, and we’re as excited as anyone about it coming to the US, but Gilder comes off as a paid shill rather than someone who actually understands what he’s talking about. Also, for all his yammering on about how wonderful Qualcomm and EV-DO is, he never once mentions any of the UMTS offerings or other wide area wireless broadband technologies such as WiMAX or Flarion’s technology.