Blog | News & Information on Wireless Services & Telecommunications
Posted: 04/04/11 by Jonathan Spalter
As Americans across the country turn to their mobile devices to track the final brackets of the NCAA college basketball tournament, technology policy circles are turning to a high-stakes game of their own: The need to move quickly and decisively to unlock additional spectrum to meet the fast-growing demands of our connected society and economy.
At stake is the rapid innovation, economic growth and huge quality of life leaps being made at the intersection of mobile connectivity and the increasingly diverse ways we put it to use. Modern life is being transformed by the power of the Internet in the palms of our hands.
The trajectory of our mobile usage is advancing at warp speed. Cell phones have advanced to smartphones, which are now diversifying to tablets. Many of us choose an ‘all-of-the-above’ strategy, incorporating an array of beloved and increasingly essential connected gadgetry into our personal and professional lives.
As consumers, we take this uber-connectivity for granted. But tough decisions and timely leadership are needed right now in Washington to ensure quality connectivity remains the case.
The nation’s airwaves support various types of wireless connectivity, from smartphones and iPads to baby monitors, ham radios and non-digital television. In geek speak, we call this resource spectrum, ‘invisible infrastructure’. Over the years, spectrum use has dramatically evolved, with hundreds of millions of new mobile consumers craving faster, robust wireless services that connect virtually every device they touch. Unfortunately, while consumer demand is increasing, the amount of spectrum available to deliver mobile broadband is not.
When more spectrum needed for one use, inevitably various interests will throw a few elbows as they jostle for precious real estate. Policymakers must step in as the referees to determine how best to put this limited resource to its most public-spirited use.
Today, the White House and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski are leading the charge to free up more spectrum for mobile broadband. The Chairman is also rightly conveying a growing sense of urgency, warning that ‘the clock is ticking on our mobile future.’
Here’s why: As consumers trade up from basic feature cell phones to smart phones, their mobile Internet usage increases 30-fold. As millions of us add iPads and other tablets into the mix, these video-friendly devices use five times the data of today’s smartphones. Consumer demand for mobile Internet shows no sign of abating, which means more spectrum must be made available soon to meet their growing needs.
Politically, the issue currently pits broadcasters, who were given vast spectrum assets decades ago, against the mobile innovation community, which urgently needs more capacity today. Broadcasters claim as their base the 42 million Americans who continue to use over-the-air television. The innovation community claims 300 million wireless consumers—90% of whom are so devoted to their mobile device that they keep it within arms' reach 24 hours a day.
Chairman Genachowski is challenging all sides to rise above the fray by championing the idea of ‘incentive auctions.’ Under this approach, broadcasters would voluntarily hand over their spectrum assets to the government or move to another channel more efficiently using the spectrum, in exchange for a share of the auction proceeds. Broadcasters would get compensated, alongside the federal treasury, which desperately needs the revenues to close the current budget gap. And, those who pay top-dollar for the spectrum would face powerful market pressures to put it quickly to its greatest public use.
In the parlance of March Madness, the shot clock is running on our mobile connectivity. According to a new report released by Rysavy Research, rising consumer demand for mobile Internet could outstrip existing, allocated spectrum capacity in as little as four years. Most of us have had the occasional experience of a dropped call or missed connection. It’s not something we want to see become a routine occurrence. The good news? The wireless community stands ready to make the massive investment needed to put additional spectrum to use for consumers and our economy. We simply need to push now to get the process underway.
This puts the ball squarely in Washington’s court. Consumers should be able to take mobile connectivity for granted. But policymakers cannot. Over the coming weeks and months, Washington technology policy circles will be consumed by the details of the playbook. But on the quiet of the FCC’s eighth floor and in the halls of Congress, what can’t be lost in the debate is the roar of the crowd. We can’t afford to run down the clock on our mobile future. Policymakers must make their move now to unlock more spectrum for the wireless web and, with it, the next wave of American innovation.
This article was originally posted on Huffington Post.
Posted: 03/28/11 by Jonathan Spalter
I am truly amazed by the mobile technology that has been unveiled at this year's CTIA Wireless show in Orlando, Florida. It seems only fitting that in such close proximity to the Magic Kingdom, the innovation on display in the convention center has made a trip around the exhibit floor a futuristic and magical experience.
Check out some of our team's favorite emerging wireless technologies and apps:
- Software technology that recognizes faces and automatically tags your friends.
- A wireless fertility monitor that indicates optimal fertility based on body temperature.
- An app that promotes safe driving by automatically silencing cell phones when the car is moving over 10mph.
- Remote physiological monitoring that measures key vitals and sends to the cloud for medical monitoring via cell phone or computer.
Augmented reality is the new reality for next generation mobility. This is just taking-off, and it is an exciting moment for the future of mobile user experience and interface. Ericsson's "Connected Tree" -- a live, mobilized orange tree which is now turbo-charged with augmented reality pop-ups viewable on your handset.
Speaking of taking off, Key Ring Reward Cards by Mobestream Media won first place at the CTIA Emerging Technology Awards in the Mobile Applications -- Mobile Commerce category. Key Ring is a handy app that consolidates consumers' plastic loyalty cards onto their smartphone to make saving more convenient and it helps retailers communicate real-time with their customers.
Bill2Mobile received second place honors in the Mobile Applications -- Mobile Commerce category. Its iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch app allows customers to opt for paperless bills and makes it more convenient to monitor statements and accounts with a mobile device.
In addition to perusing a seemingly endless exhibit floor hosting infinite apps, smartphones, tablets, and other handheld devices -- one very hot topic weighing on everyone's mind is spectrum.
In the conference keynote, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski explained:
"This explosion in demand for mobile services places unsustainable demands on our invisible infrastructure -- spectrum. Spectrum is the oxygen that allows all of these mobile innovations to breathe. Whether or not most Americans know the physics of spectrum, they know what it feels like to have a dropped call or a slow connection or cranky Wi Fi...
It is essential that we move quickly -- not because of the benefits of action, but because of the costs of inaction. If we do nothing in the face of the looming spectrum crunch, many consumers will face higher prices -- as the market is forced to respond to supply and demand -- and frustrating service -- connections that drop, apps that run unreliably or too slowly."
As we continue to take huge leaps forward into the exciting and futuristic realm of mobile, the message is clear: we must have more spectrum in order to keep pace with innovation and consumer demand for the products we just can't live without.
This article was originally posted on Huffington Post.
Posted: 03/11/11 by Mobile Future Team
Wireless technologies have truly opened doors for those with disabilities, offering new opportunities and independence. Adding to the influx of services aiding the visually impaired, LookTel just released their Money Reader App for the iPhone which speaks the denomination of US currency in real-time when the smartphones camera is waved in front of any US bill.
As Nick Bilton reports in the NYTimes:
“The iPhone’s software already offers a number of features to assist the visually impaired. Under the phone’s Settings menu, users can navigate to an Accessibility area, which enables them to enlarge the phone’s graphics and text. Apple also offers Voice Over, which speaks text aloud when the phone’s screen is touched.”
To learn more about the impact of wireless innovation for people with disabilities, click here.
Posted: 03/03/11 by Mobile Future Team
A few new stats caught our eye this week:
- Smartphones outsold PC’s.
- According to IDC, in the fourth quarter of 2010 100.9 million smartphone devices were shipped compared to 92.1 million PC units.
- Mobile app revenues projected to reach $38 billion by 2015.
- Forrester Research analysts also estimate that by 2015 mobile applications, services and business management revenues will reach $54.6 billion a year.
- By 2015, e-commerce is expected to reach $278.9 billion in the United States according to Forrester.
Posted: 02/24/11 by Mobile Future Team
Since our everyday choices affect our carbon footprint, many individuals have pledged go “go green” to help mitigate waste. In addition to recycling cans, bottles and paper goods, waste-conscious individuals will be happy to know they can add their mobile phones to the ever-growing list of recyclable items.
As a recent WSJ article noted, more companies are getting into the business of refurbishing and reselling recycled cell phones and electronic devices. ReCellular Inc.--one of the largest cell phone refurbishers in the country-- resold or recycled 5.2 million cell phones last year alone. Steve Manning, ReCellular’s chief executive, predicts that the used market for cell phones could account for 20% of all mobile phone sales in coming years.
To learn more about mobile device recycling click here.
Posted: 02/15/11 by Mobile Future Team
With the continuous release of new apps and services ever-changing the mobile ecosystem, it’s important to take a step back every now and then to see what trends have taken hold and how the mobile economy has grown. Keeping up with developments in the wireless space is no easy task, but thankfully comScore has just released the findings in their U.S. Digital Year in Review 2010, A Recap of the Year in Digital Media.
According to comScore’s recap, smartphone adoption reached new heights this past year as 1 in 4 Americans now have a smartphone and half of mobile subscribers use 3G services. What are Americans doing on their mobile devices? The recap found the number one mobile activity was text messaging with 68% of Americans sending text messages in the past year, while 52.4% of mobile Americans took a photo, 39.5% accessed news and information, 36.4% used the browser and 34. 4% used an application.
comScore attributes the mobile surge to a “perfect storm” of smartphone adoption, device innovations and network investment. Best of all, the recap projects that “these factors will continue to be strong drivers of mobile media consumption in 2011.”
Check back with us for regular updates on the state of the wireless space.
Posted: 02/11/11 by Mobile Future Team
If you’re looking to go beyond the traditional bouquet of red roses and box of chocolates to show your affection this Valentines Day, your smartphone has the answer. Mashable and Refinery29 compiled a list of apps that are sure to spice up your Valentines celebration, but don’t be alarmed if you find yourself gravitating to these heartfelt apps all year long. Included in the run-down are virtual card-making apps, romantic recipe apps and a music streaming app that only plays love songs.
Posted: 02/09/11 by Mobile Future Team
Text4Baby-- the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition’s educational program that delivers free information to pregnant women or mothers of babies less than a year old via text message-- has successfully reached 135,000 women to date and has set a new goal of signing up one million women by next year.
By texting tips and reminders to mothers and mothers-to-be based on their child’s birthday or due date, Text4Baby gives women access to information on how to seek vital prenatal and postnatal care and advice during each stage of their child’s development. As reported in the NYTimes, these tips include how to find a doctor, quit smoking and begin the breastfeeding process, in addition to regular reminders for immunization shots and doctor appointments.
Text4Baby is a great example of how mobile technology can help streamline and improve healthcare. To signup for Text4Baby and learn more, click here.
Posted: 12/17/10 by Mobile Future Team
During the past few months, 85 percent of 13- to 34-year-olds sent or received text messages. For seniors, it's about half that.
But according to a new article in BusinessWeek, that gap looks to be closing. First, seniors are catching on to the benefits of instant communications. Second, as the article notes, there are a growing number of mobile phones with large buttons and screens that are specifically designed for seniors.
The magazine cites one estimate predicting that by 2013, 80 percent of seniors will be texting, about double today's rate. As for texting's occasionally idiosyncratic spellings, as a 54-year-old Washington State mother told the magazine, "I was reluctant because of my bad spelling, but that was before I realized young people don't take time to spell correctly, either."
Posted: 12/14/10 by Mobile Future Team
While the holidays are the most wonderful time of year, for many they are also the busiest. From planning the family trek up to grandmother’s house to checking off every item on a wish-list to executing the perfect holiday family photo, we often find ourselves needing a vacation after the holiday season is over. This year, let your smartphone keep track of your shopping lists and sanity with the help of these 10 Holiday Apps from Wireless Week.
And if you’re flying this holiday--either in search of fresh powder or to visit those long-distance relatives--be sure to check out Mobiata for an assortment of apps that track your flight, compare the best airline deals and keep track of your entire itinerary, as well as FlySmart, which helps you find the appropriate ground transportation and directs you to the nearest newsstands and eateries inside airports (among other features).
Happy Holidays from Mobile Future!
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Tags: Congress, Consumer Awareness, FCC, Genachowski, Huffington Post, Innovation, News, Smartphone, Spectrum, Wireless Devices, Wireless Innovation, Looming Spectrum Crisis