I can't help but believe that the most significant advance in broadband properties is the advent of wireless technologies. Over the last few years, wireless technology has continued to progress to the point where it now plays an active role in almost every aspect of delivering broadband service to tenants or residents. And that role is increasing every year as wireless becomes adopted more and more as a part of everyday life.

Early on, the role of broadband wireless was as a means to network one building to another without having to cross any right of ways. This evolved into a last mile solution when ISP began using new technology to deliver broadband service over the "last mile" to properties. Realizing the extraordinary potential of wireless networking, property managers and service providers then began to deploy wireless local area networks (LAN) to deliver broadband direct to desktops where there were inside wiring issues and provide the benefit of mobility residents. All the while, the technologies that were being used to accomplish these initiatives rapidly began to evolve and become more and more reliable each passing year.

When I first began in this industry many years ago, the question that was always asked when wireless was mentioned as a solution was "will it work." Today, that question has changed to "will it work best." Wireless has become a legitimate option to be considered for every aspect of a building's broadband solutions and that, to me, signifies that a technology has arrived.

Like any technology, wireless still has many miles to walk and I look forward to the next generation of each technology becoming more and more affordable and dependable. But, as I stand here today looking at wireless ISPs, Wireless LANs, mCommerce, PDAs (personal desktop assistants) and the role the property plays in the success of each, I can't but help to think that it is rapidly becoming a wireless world and I for one am glad to a part of it.