The internet and its wireless extensions in Japan: the portentous interface between chaos and order Venkata Ratnadeep Suri and Harmeet Sawhney Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to chart the evolving internet-mobile internet relationship in Japan. Design/methodology/approach – The approach takes the form of a case study. Findings – The original i-Mode-based model for mobile internet in Japan was largely an ordered system except for relatively marginal unofficial web sites, which unlike official web sites were not listed on the browser, where an element of chaos reigned. The introduction of Google search engine changed the ecosystem by giving the unofficial web sites new visibility. Practical implications – The interface between the internet and its wireless extensions is a potential source of powerful influences both ways and needs to be watched. Originality/value – The paper looks at the little studied interface between the chaotic internet and its mobile extensions, largely ordered systems, to see whether the chaos of the internet will spill over to its mobile extensions or whether the order of the latter will march on to the former. Keywords Internet, Wireless, Mobile communication systems, Japan Paper type Case study Introduction Over the last few years many writers have expressed concern about developments that may change the open character of the internet. Besser (1994) warns ‘‘bringing commercialization to the internet can be seen as a colonization of one culture by another’’ (online). Giese (1996) wonders whether the internet’s open character will survive the rationalizing forces set into motion by the commercialization of the internet. Others regret what is lost with commercialization (Press, 1994; Callister and Burbules, 1998; Fabos, 2004). Changes in the architecture of the internet have also concerned many writers. Many believe that it is critical to maintain the end-to-end principle in order to preserve the open character of the internet. They argue against expedient ‘‘improvements’’ that would violate this principle (David, 2001; Blumenthal and Clark , 2001; Lessig and Lemley, 2001; Lessig, 2000). Lately, many writers have called for preservation of the network neutrality principle. They fear that differentials in transmission speeds would create a tiered internet and thereby undermine its democratic character (Wu, 2003; McCullagh, 2006; Van Schewick, 2007). The locus of such concerns has been by and large external – threats from the introduction of corrupting influences from sources beyond the internet world. This paper looks at the little studied interface between the internet and its wireless extensions. Sawhney (2007) observes that the wireless extensions of the internet, with the exception of grassroots Wi-Fi networks, are mainly organized and closed systems. He characterizes this interface an uneasy one because ‘‘chaos’’ and ‘‘order’’ have tended to be oppositional configurations. As he points out, the Roman roads were emblematic of the imperial order. But at the outer edges of the Roman roads, the frontiers of the imperium, the barbarians lurked. PAGE 10 j info j VOL. 10 NO. 3 2008, pp. 10-21, Q Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1463-6697 DOI 10.1108/14636690810874043 Venkata Ratnadeep Suri and Harmeet Sawhney are based in the Department of Telecommunications, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. Received 13 December 2007 Accepted 13 February 2008