In any analysis of innovation, 802.11 is truly a prime number. This evolving standard, better known as Wi-Fi, is the "it" protocol that's won the same spectacular hype as (whisper it softly) the Internet itself. Oh, the good old days. I miss them.

But while Wi-Fi undeniably inspires that intoxicating blend of expectation and excitement that leads to entrepreneurial excess, it's also the kind of technological platform that invites the best ideas. Wi-Fi's combination of well-crafted technical standard and regulation-free deployment offers a robust model for digital development. Alas, whether this model is ultimately sustainable for marketplace development remains an open question. After all, the ongoing explosion of network innovations has hardly improved the financial health of the telecom industry.