Blog | News & Information on Wireless Services & Telecommunications
Posted: 02/07/12 by Mobile Future Team
State regulators have gathered from across the country this week for the winter meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) here in Washington. Mobile Future Chairman Jonathan Spalter participated on a lively panel exploring the exploding demand for mobile connectivity, and what a predicted spectrum crunch means for consumers and the nation’s economy.
Consider the benefits of mobile broadband: constant and instant connectivity with people around the world in the palm of your hand. Near limitless possibilities for innovation and investment. In the U.S., one of the crucial benefits of wireless is the impact on the economy. Researchers Robert Shapiro and KevinHassett concluded that transitions from early wireless networks to more advanced 3G and 4G technology led to some 1.5 million new jobs from April 2007 to June 2011. For every additional 10% increase in adoption of 3G and 4G technologies, 231,000 new jobs may be added in less than a year. Plus, with an additional 500 MHz of spectrum for mobile, the Analysis Group conservatively estimates that we can create 500,000 American jobs and add $400 billion to the nation’s GDP. Spectrum is the lifeblood of wireless, becoming more and more vital to our economy and how we conduct our everyday lives.
No one wants to go back to the days of the ‘busy signal.’ If we don’t reallocate more spectrum for wireless now, the capacity constraints could wreak havoc on the consumer experience - more dropped calls, stalled apps, and slow mobile Internet connections. State and federal regulators alike need to support policies that help get spectrum to those who need it the most – the 300 million wireless consumers.
So what can state policymakers do? Some states have the authority to review secondary market transactions within their state. Timely approval of thosetransactions is necessary so providers can swiftly make the best use of thespectrum that is available to them. Additionally, state regulators can help educate local municipalities. Acting as a resource on the capacity constraints of wireless networks may help to smooth tower siting approvals so providers can build out and expand their networks, allowing consumers to continue to enjoy unfettered access to mobile broadband.
State regulators should also encourage their federal counterparts to act now to free more spectrum for mobile. Congress is working on federal legislation authorizing the FCC to conduct incentive auctions and we strongly urge them to enact legislation quickly. As Jonathan said yesterday, “we need to stop playing games; it can take seven to 10 years to put any new spectrum into not only the pipeline but into commercial deployment. We don’t have time to waste.”
Consumers are demanding a mobile future. Policymakers must act now on these opportunities, before the spectrum crunch becomes a reality and millions of Americans are left waiting for many of the advantages mobile broadband can offer.
Posted: 02/03/12 by Mobile Future Team
Mashable recently highlighted a survey by Harris Interactive outlining smartphone users expected mobile activities during Super Bowl XLVI. Almost half of Super Bowl viewers are expected to look at their mobile devices up to ten times during the game and a third of viewers will have their device-in-hand as they watch the game.
To learn more, click here.
Posted: 01/31/12 by Mobile Future Team
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that several major auto makers are working to integrate smartphone and tablet apps into vehicles. In the near future, music streaming apps such as Pandora and radio streaming apps such as Stitcher and TuneIn could allow users to customize stations for the road.
To learn more, click here.
Posted: 01/26/12 by Mobile Future Team
This report examines how the next wave of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and other connected devices will further accelerate mobile opportunity and exacerbate the looming spectrum crunch. The report authored by Jim Kohlenberger, former White House policy advisor and Mobile Future advisory board member, points to a nation on the verge of a wireless-driven technological revolution fueled by a vast sea of breakthrough connected devices offering astonishing new digital opportunities.
Click here to read The Internet’s Third Act: The Connected Device Decade.
Posted: 01/20/12 by Mobile Future Team
2011 truly was a banner year for wireless and as CNET recently reported, new data released by traffic site Pingdom points to the frenetic growth in the mobile sector. According to the report, there are now 5.9 billion mobile subscriptions globally, 350 million users log into Facebook from their mobile phone and of all handsets shipped in 2011, 85% were equipped with mobile Internet.
To read more, click here.
Posted: 01/18/12 by Mobile Future Team
Today, the NYTimes reported that Visa is enabling several smartphones with technology to make wireless payments. This near field technology would allow users to make a payment by simply waving their smartphone in front of a merchant’s terminal.
To learn more, click here.
Posted: 01/11/12 by Mobile Future Team
New numbers out this week all point to the continued growth in the wireless industry. According to a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle, a report by Forrester Research and PayPal forecast that in as little as four years mobile payments could replace traditional means of payment. Additionally, newmediaage notes that a recent study estimates users will make the same number of purchases through tablets as they will through smartphones in 2012.
To learn more, click here.
Posted: 01/06/12 by Mobile Future Team
As reported by Cnet, new data released by Flurry- a mobile analytics firm- finds that during the final days of 2011 there were over one billion application downloads. According to the research, in the last week of December alone users downloaded 1.2 billion apps, a sixty percent increase in the average number of weekly app downloads.
To learn more, click here.
Posted: 12/15/11 by Mobile Future Team
In 2011, the mobile space saw profound growth and a vast array of new wireless innovations and services emerge. Our annual video, The 2011 Mobile Year in Review, takes a look at the major accomplishments and ground-breaking developments in the wireless space this year. For a more in-depth view of the mobile landscape in 2011, see our accompanying paper 2011 Mobile Year in Review.
To learn more, click here.
Posted: 12/07/11 by Mobile Future Team
Mashable recently compiled a rundown of apps that aim to spread holiday cheer. Included in the list are apps that countdown the number of days until Christmas, determine if users are naughty or nice, present interesting factoids and trivia about Christmas and let users electronically play dreidel.
To learn more, click here.
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Tags: Congress, Consumer Awareness, Consumer Benefits, Innovation, Mobile Future, Mobile Future Board, Jonathan Spalter, News, Smartphone, Spectrum, Wireless Devices, Wireless Innovation, Looming Spectrum Crisis