Wireless Wave: Realistically, do you think it’s possible the 109th Congress will pass telecommunications reform, or is it going to take a few years to reach consensus.
CP: It is possible to pass telecommunications reform in the 109th Congress, but it’s not going to be easy. We have a draft bill in the House that we are close to having consensus upon (at the time of this interview), and we need to work to make sure we have that consensus. The Senate is expected to move in the first part of the next year, although the mid-term elections make it a difficult political environment to reach consensus. There are other major issues in addition to wireless: universal service has to be considered as part of any broad telecom reform, and consensus on those issues is never easy. But it is possible, and the emerging trends in the competing industries are beginning to align, just as we have convergence in networks offering voice and data and partnering with wireless to do the same. I believe a forwardlooking telecom policy is one that features less regulation and a federal framework.
Wireless Wave: We have one more question for you. If you were a chief technology officer for a wireless company for a day, what capability would you add to a wireless device that it doesn’t currently have?
CP: I would add a family timeout device that during dinner and my sons’ football games, I cannot be called or reached [laughter]. One of the great things about wireless devices is that you can communicate with anyone, anywhere, anytime. Of course, one of the great disadvantages or drawbacks is that anybody can communicate with you at any time [more laughter]. But those are issues of discipline, not issues of technology. I think the Chief Technology Officers for wireless companies today have shown remarkable imagination. You can take pictures and videos of special moments or events wherever you are and send them to other family members or friends, so they can share them with you almost immediately. Whether it is business or family, or health care, or education, those capabilities truly are improving the lives of Americans in very significant ways that make me proud to have been a part of the legislative efforts to encourage the development and investment in such extraordinary communication. I hope to be able to work with the wireless industry in the years to come, and I’m very excited about seeing the future that will be driven by this dynamic sector of telecommunications.
