Published 30 Jan, 2010 12:00am
There are things in life which we consider a part and parcel of everyday routine. But the truth is, some years back, the very same things were either non-existent, or were considered luxury rather than a necessity — the internet is one of them. When the internet arrived in Pakistan during the 1990s, not only was it expensive, but many thought that it would not last long due to its intricacies. Fortunately, they were all wrong. Not only did the Internet become one of the most used commodities but improved remarkably, becoming the most bankable entity since then.
The foundations of the internet were formed when packet-switching networks came into operation in the 1960s, in Europe. Transmitted data was broken up into small packets of data, sent to its destination, and reassembled at the other side. The US developed a similar 'American' system in 1968 that went into operation the year after in the Defence Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA).
The ARPANET used Network Control Protocol as its transmission protocol from 1969 to 1982, which was replaced with the now-widespread TCP/IP. Eventually, the first large-scale internet was created — a set of interconnected US military computers. The horizon was widened in 1991 with what we call the World Wide Web, which was introduced and developed by Tim Berners-Lee, with assistance from Robert Caillau (while both were working at CERN). They improved the idea behind ARPANET by uploading some pages and accessing them with their 'browser.'
This giant leap got researchers interested and they started designing websites and browsers. In 1993, the first proper web-browser, Mosaic, took the internet by storm; having been developed at the National Centre for Supercomputer Applications (NCSA). The 'www' was quickly the most popular service on the internet, and to cash on its popularity, the browser war began between Netscape and Microsoft, with new browser releases almost every month. Now, after more than a decade, Microsoft's Internet Explorer is the ultimate browser but is followed by highly successful attempts from Mozilla (Firefox) and Google (Chrome).
The internet today is a large-scale network of millions of computers that allows continuous communication across the globe. It all would not have been possible had the mid-nineties not seen a rise in computer sales in the country. Pentium I, equipped with Windows 95, were considered the most 'in' thing, and internet connections through dial up were considered a luxury, a thing for the rich. Internet, in the form of international USENET newsgroups, was introduced in Pakistan in 1993. It was meant to provide dial up and e-mail service to general public and support to projects related to education and other areas. By the end of 2001, there were as many as 50 internet Service Providers in the country. The arrival of Fibre Optic Technology saw a change in the scenario. Here the information was carried from one point to another in the form of a burst of light, unlike the copper cables. Pakistan's getting its submarine Fibre Optic in 2000 also helped the ISP market flourish like never before.
Broadband was introduced in the country in 1995. The concept of better wires, better service with no need of telephone lines helps customers use both telephone and the internet simultaneously.
But technology never takes a back seat, it moves in just one direction — forward. While people were enjoying DSL services, the arrival of WiMAX networks and wireless broadband internet was celebrated by those with laptops or on constant move.
Pakistan has recently become one of the few countries in Asia to have FTTU - Fibre to the user triple-services, available in all major cities. There is no doubt that there has been an increase in the popularity of the internet. In 2008, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority reported over 22 million internet users in the country, and the number is growing with every passing day. The evolution of internet has been so quick that had Rip Van Winkle slept in 1999 rather than his time, and woke up a decade later instead of 20 years, he would have had a heart attack — or at least he would have been shocked to know the giant strides the internet sector has taken in Pakistan.
