What is it about the wireless Internet that brings out the worst in otherwise advanced economies? First there were the Internet phones in Europe that used wireless access protocol, or WAP. They flopped spectacularly. Then the spotlight turned to Japanese mobile operator DoCoMo's wireless Internet service, i-mode. DoCoMo dazzled at first, but average usage and revenue per subscriber are falling in Japan, as in Europe. The U.S. can barely deliver reliable voice service, much less wireless Internet, which would seem destined to be another techno-dud service.
Except in South Korea. Walk down almost any street in Seoul and you will see...