Wireless off-ramps from the information highways

During the 90s, we have seen a tremendous growth in the use of wireless technologies to provide new classes of services to the end-user. One of the largest being the growth of the cellular phone industry. As the FCC wraps up the first phase of its \´Emerging Technologies\´ initiative and moves into the implementation of personal communication services (PCS), there will be even more opportunities for new services to develop, deploy and seek out new users. This paper explores some of the issues that will surround the implementation and use of wireless technology to provide alternatives to the wired infrastructure "last mile" delivery economics. In particular, we look at how packet radio and spread spectrum technologies can be used to provide user access to the information highway over a metropolitan area network (MAN).<>