Diane Smith is a co-founder and CEO of Auroras Entertainment, an IPTV and advanced media services company. From 2005 to 2007, Smith led Auroras’ evolution from concept to start-up through a merger to become Avail Media, Inc. The company now has more than 50 employees and significant funding from top tier venture capital firms. Smith continues her leadership as Avail Media’s President for Strategy and Business Affairs. From 1988 to 2002, Smith was a senior executive with ALLTEL Corporation. During that time, she managed teams of public policy specialists to maximize the company’s opportunity for success in the rapidly changing local exchange and wireless industries. In 1994, she co-founded the Independent Telephone and Telecommunications Alliance, an organization that successfully advocated for independent telephone company interests in the years culminating with the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Earlier, Smith was at Sprint from 1983 to 1988 representing the start-up long distance company before state and federal agencies and legislative bodies, in the first years of emerging long distance competition. She is a member of the State Bars of Montana and Virginia. Smith lives in Whitefish, Montana with her husband, David, and 13-year-old daughter, Ally.

Questions and Answers

Mobile devices: Blackberry 

How do you currently use your mobile devices: I use my blackberry constantly – to check e-mail, check flights (I travel a lot), make calls, text family, colleagues, and friends.

How you would like to be able use your mobile devices in the future: The more my phone becomes my computer the better.  I look forward to being always in touch, accessing the internet, watching newsclips, listening to music, IMing, texting…Is it too much to ask that it cook dinner too?

Why did you join the MobileFuture coalition: I want to make sure that we grow opportunity for entrepreneurship and growth in rural areas and that requires strong wireless communications capabilities.  MobileFuture’s commitment to continuing innovation and access to mobile communications will help ensure that rural areas remain viable locations for entrepreneurs and business success.  By way of background, I moved from a large city to rural Montana five years ago.  My family loves it here.  Since we’ve lived here, I’ve skied more than I ever dreamed possible and co-founded and built a technology business that now employs over 55 people, over a dozen of them here in Montana.  Quite simply, we could not have done it without great talent, great determination, and great communications infrastructure.

What is your vision for the future of wireless: If I want to see, hear, or know something or someone, I can do so – from anywhere, anytime, always on, always available.