Israeli technology elder statesman cans 3G

Stan Beer
Tuesday, 15 November 2005 01:39

IT Industry - Strategy

As Optus proudly displays its newly released 3G offering to the market, one of the doyens global telecommunications believes the technology is a load of hot air wihout substance.

Gurion Meltzer, a former chairman of Israel's national telecommunications carrier, Bezeq, believes that 3G technology is a an expensive sham and ultimately will be irrelevant to needs of wirelessly networking users in a world of wireless broadband technologies such as WiMAX and WiFi.

Mr Meltzer, who now sits on close to 20 different boards and committees and teaches international marketing in Israel's higher edication sector, says 3G is an underpowered technology.

"When people first thought about 3G, they thought that 2Mbps of bandwidth would be sufficient for communications. However, it is plainly not because you it is not enough for real TV," said Mr Meltzer, while in Australia this week with an Israeli trade mission. "Also people thought that virtual trade would take place and it is taking place, more so on regulat computers and laptops than on cell phones. B2B trade will never be conducted on cell phones and, as far as B2C trade is concerned, people are looking at catalogues on their computers at home on their 17 inch and 21 inch screens, not in 2 by 1 inch."

Mr Meltzer also ridiculed the touted real-time video capabilities of 3G. "How many people want you to see them in the morning before they look their best?" he asked. "The idea of of people watching TV on tiny screens is stupid. Some young people may want to play games or see pornography, but what is the percentage of the population who is interested in that? It reminds me of the US F-111 plane, which they tried make a fighter plane, bomber and survey plane. It was a Jack of all trades and expert in none."

In contrast, Mr Meltzer says WiMAX will be the future of wireless communications. "WiMAX is one thing and one thing only. It is just a means of wireless communications and, in the future, no self-respecting place will be able to do without WiMAX and WiFi so that people can always be able to stay connected (to data networks)."

Mr Meltzer, including some chairmanships. These include various Israeli companies involved in high-tech, manufacturing, the food and beverage market and more, and he sits on government committees relating to business issues.

Mr Meltzer's career includes a decade as president and chief executive officer of Koor Electronic and Telrad Communications Ltd between 1975 and 1985, followed by four years as senior vice-president of planning and development for Koor Industries, Israel's largest conglomerate company. Between 1990 and 1994, he was president and chief executive officer of Israel's largest electronics manufacturer, Tadiran Ltd. He was chairman of Bezeq between 1995 and 1997.