All that was wired (telephone) will henceforth be delivered wirelessly. All that came wirelessly (radio and TV) will henceforth be delivered through wires. That was the Negroponte Switch. No longer theory and speculation, it seems:
The decline in landline use, which has been under way for several years, has picked up speed in recent months. In the first half of 2005 only 7.3% of households were mobile-only, according to America’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which collects such data because it uses landlines for health surveys. By the end of last year the proportion had reached 20.2%—increasing by 2.7 percentage points in the second half of last year alone, the biggest-ever increase
This is happening in India and Pakistan, the most recent report being of Sri Lanka joining the trend.
2 Comments
Texting
The other side of Mobiles. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1916291,00.html
Rohan Samarajiva
So what exactly is the point? That because driving while texting is dangerous, we should ban mobiles and go back to wireline phones?
BTW, we have followed the driving distractions story over a long time: http://lirneasia.net/2009/07/do-not-text-and-drive/
Expert Consultation on the CHIPS Digital Economy Assessment for Sri Lanka
On 17 July 2026, GovTech Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Digital Economy (MoDE), together with LIRNEasia, organized an Expert Consultation on the CHIPS Digital Economy Assessment for Sri Lanka. The session was conducted with funding support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Digital Transformation, AI, and Platform Work: Implications for Labour Markets and Social Protection
The rapid technological advancement and Artificial intelligence (AI) have become synonymous with conversations about the future of work. Headlines often focus on which jobs are at risk and how quickly technology will replace workers.
Play Learn Vote: Training Community Leaders to Build Resilience Against Election Misinformation
LIRNEasia developed Play Learn Vote, an interactive educational game designed to strengthen democratic participation while building resilience against election-related misinformation. The game introduces players to Sri Lanka’s electoral process through realistic scenarios that promote critical thinking, informed decision-making, and responsible civic participation.
Links
User Login
Themes
Social
Twitter
Facebook
RSS Feed
Contact
9A 1/1, Balcombe Place
Colombo 08
Sri Lanka
+94 (0)11 267 1160
+94 (0)11 267 5212
info [at] lirneasia [dot] net
Copyright © 2026 LIRNEasia
a regional ICT policy and regulation think tank active across the Asia Pacific