The GMGap Blog

Peer-to-peer network is often considered one of the most resource-wasting wireless applications; it now seems that it is not true. Alcatel-Lucent recently conducted research through its Bell Laboratories division, to see which methods of sending data utilise more resources. The study showed that emails cause more congestion in the network than other activities.

Connecting to the network to check emails time and again can finish off around 69% of the wireless data network’s signalling resources though this accounts for hardly 4% of the data that the network carries. The research also shows that web surfing, which is often held responsible for finishing off resources, actually manages to send off 70% of data by consuming just 12% of the resources. The research reveals that comparatively peer-to-peer network is even more efficient, good news for those of us who use a mobile broadband laptop for such activity.

Following the research, Mike Schabel made a statement on behalf of Bell Laboratories regarding the same. He said that it is true that web surfing and peer-to-peer networks require a lot of resources. However, if applications like email are not used properly they can be even more resource-consuming and less efficient.

Speaking to ZDNet in the course of a roundtable in London, Schabel also stated that attention must be paid to the process efficiency of sending data, in addition to monitoring the amount of data being sent over the wireless networks. Volume is not the only important thing in this case, and it would be better if how that volume of data is being sent was also looked at.