Tethering and mobile connection-sharing. Microsoft's thinking about it too

I wrote a few weeks ago about Joiku's new connection-sharing application Boost, which connects smartphones into local groups via WiFi, allowing them to combine and load-balance across multiple mobile data connections. I talked about the potential for "operator diversity", where you might have a number of people sharing multiple connections on different networks, and perhaps using different frequency bands and technologies.

Basically, it's software-defined-radio at the application layer. Not easy, but not impossible either - and with huge disruptive potential.

What's really interesting is that it's not just Joiku that's been playing with this concept. After seeing an article in New Scientis, I've found this really interesting paper from Microsoft on what it cools the "Cool-Tether" concept, which has lots of detail about the power management implications of this as well.

Some of the possibilities around this area are so interesting, I'm hesitant to write about them. In fact, if anyone wants to discuss commercial opportunities for collaboration around applications or IPR, let me know.....