Affordances of ubiquitous Internet

New types of opportunities for activity emerge with the introduction of wireless Internet networks. According to optimistic visions, wireless technology, e.g., offers a promise of ubiquitous all-time access to network-based resources everywhere for everybody. On the negative side, new types of challenges emerge at the social level, when information is more freely available. Because of these challenges the implications of wireless technologies for the individual and society should be carefully considered. An extended conceptual model of QoS (quality of service) was developed based on concepts of mobile affordance, service appraisal and acceptance. A novel feature of the model is the articulation of the network perspective and the user perspective and proposing a new construct of ‘affordance apperception’. We also emphasize the role of different contextual features in the perception of QoS, including users’ previous experience with interacting with the network. We also assume that good network literacy requires conceptual and in-practice comprehension of the distinction between network- and service-related features of the ubiquitous network resource. Some practical implications for the development of work- and business-related services are suggested.