Motorists in downtown San Francisco are participating in a pilot project that allows them to use their wireless devices to locate empty parking spaces on city streets. This novel program is designed to reduce carbon emissions, traffic congestion, and save valuable time. To learn more watch this segment from our July installment of our Wonder of Wireless webcast, and take a few moments to see what else we have to offer in our July WOW.

Avid blog readers already know that we held the “mHealth Solutions and Policy Forum” on Wednesday with some of the leading medical and policy experts on how wireless technology can play a major role in improving healthcare. While we’re compiling some video clips for you to see and hear these speakers, we thought we’d share some photo highlights of the event.   

Steve Largent, President & CEO of CTIA-The Wireless Association®, welcomes medical and policy experts to the “mHealth Solutions and Policy Forum” at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center.

Representative Adam Smith (D-WA-9th) gives a keynote address discussing the importance in deploying cost-effective wireless technology solutions which will reduce healthcare costs and expand affordable healthcare options for millions of people. 
 

Dr. Eric J. Topol demonstrates Corventis’ “smart bandaid” which provides real-time electrocardiogram monitoring.  

 

The first panel of speakers is focusing on “Innovating Through Healthcare Reform: The Mobile Solution.”  Several speakers are medical innovators who are applying existing, commonly used mobile applications to address a variety of chronic care and other health conditions.

Sprint representatives are on-site to showcase live demonstrations of innovative mobility solutions for the healthcare industry.

In the second panel, policy experts are discussing how to keep pace with technology innovation.  

This morning CTIA hosted the “mHealth Solutions and Policy Forum” at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C., where officials from the White House, Congress, and CDC, along with policy and medical experts talked about how wireless is a major part of the solution when it comes to addressing America’s chronic care crisis.

Some of the speakers from this morning’s impressive line-up included U.S. Representative Adam Smith (D-WA-9, Member of 21st Century Health Care Caucus), Chief Medical Officer of the West Wireless Health Institute and Chief Academic Officer for Scripps Health Dr. Eric Topol and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Dr. Dan Fletcher.

The key point that was reiterated throughout the morning was that the mobile wireless services you use everyday can also be used to improve your personal health. Since mobile wireless services are a part of daily life for more than 270 million Americans (and 4.1 billion individuals worldwide), there is an incredible opportunity to improve the healthcare industry across the board regardless of geographic location, race, age, gender or disability. Considering healthcare spending in America is at $2.2 trillion each year, an all-time high, today’s speakers agreed that mHealth solutions play an important role in healthcare reform.  

Another key point was that the mHealth discussion isn’t just "pie-in-the-sky" but actually used in real-life right now. In fact, several of our speakers have applied existing, commonly used mobile applications to address a variety of chronic care and other health conditions. 

• Dan Fletcher, PhD; White House Office of Science and Technology Policy – oversaw the development of the CellScope, a cameraphone-microscope. The device takes focused pictures at up to 50x magnification, enough to see red blood cells and the Plasmodium parasite that causes malaria. Modified versions of the scope can also diagnose tuberculosis, skin conditions, dangerous insect bites and abnormal mole growth
• Jonathan Javitt, M.D., MPH; CEO, Telcare – helped develop the Telcheck™, a glucose meter which transmits daily glucose readings to a patient’s caregiver (e.g. physician, nurse/case manager or pharmacist) and relays daily coaching to the patient. It may also be used to link a child with diabetes to a parent or an elderly parent with diabetes to an adult child. In addition, Telcare will launch the Telflo™ wireless peak flow meter for asthma which combines monitoring technology with wireless communications. Physicians and parents will be alerted when a child falls below respiratory flow safe levels or when a child stops testing in the prescribed manner.
• Justin Sims; CEO, Voxiva – Voxiva’s mHealth applications include appointment reminders, sent via SMS (text), email or phone. Reminders can be two-way so patients can either confirm or cancel their appointments. They also offer “daily diaries,” a personal record to keep track of treatments which can be accessed through the phone, text messages or through a web interface to review or to share with others.
• Richard J. Katz, M.D.; Director, Division of Cardiology and Director, Cheney Cardiovascular Institute, The George Washington University Hospital – principle investigator for a trial using the “Pill Phone” to improve medication adherence of hypertensive medications in a Medicaid population. He is also principle investigator for “DC Health Connect,” a cell phone program to manage diabetes and hypertension in Washington, DC health clinics.
• Jay Bernhardt, M.D.; Director, Center for National Health Marketing, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – currently using emerging mobile technologies to increase the dissemination and potential impact of CDC’s science by reaching wider and more diverse audiences, and tailoring specific health messages to meet unique challenges, such as the response to H1N1 and natural disasters such as hurricanes. The CDC is using mobile technology to facilitate interactive communication and community - thereby empowering people to make healthier and safer decisions. 

Other benefits of wireless health discussed at today’s Forum include:

• Out of the $2.2 trillion we spend on healthcare, $1.4 trillion is spent on treating chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. If patients suffering from chronic conditions agreed to have their doctor monitor them remotely via mobile wireless applications, (i.e. monitor patients’ health and track and guide self-care beyond the doctors’ offices), we would save $21.1 billion per year by reducing emergency care, hospitalization and nursing home costs. 
• Remote monitoring allows the millions of Americans living in rural areas to visit the best doctors’ offices in the country, eliminating healthcare disparities based on geographic location and economic disparities. 
• Healthcare becomes more personal and individualized which means reduction in medical errors, improvements in preventive healthcare and improvements in the medical community’s ability to resolve epidemics
• With the H1N1 (aka swine flu) now being declared a level 6 (meaning a global epidemic is underway), wireless can help to identify and monitor breakouts in areas that may otherwise be undercounted/underreported. This is certainly beneficial for rural areas in the U.S. and also internationally.
  

Regardless of one’s political affiliation, we are at a crossroads on healthcare. In the U.S., we spend $2.4 trillion each year yet we have 46 million uninsured people. This is why President Obama and Congress have been working together to find the right solution.

CTIA, along with medical and health policy experts, believe that part of the solution is something that more than 270 million Americans use daily – their mobile wireless services. 

On Wednesday, June 24th from 8:30-11:30 a.m. (EDT) at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C., CTIA is hosting a Technology and Policy Forum on mHealth Solutions for America’s Chronic Care Crisis.

Making healthcare more personal and individualized is expected to reduce medical errors, improve preventive healthcare and significantly improve the medical community’s ability to resolve epidemics. Mobile wireless solutions are a part of the consumer-focused healthcare movement and the wave of the future. 

We’ve gathered together an impressive line-up of medical and policy experts for the event including, U.S. Representatives Adam Smith (D-WA-9) and Jim Cooper (D-TN-5), Chief Medical Officer of the West Wireless Health Institute and Chief Academic Officer for Scripps Health Dr. Eric Topol, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Dr. Dan Fletcher, and Vice President of Global Health for the UN Foundation Dr. Dan Carucci.

Below is a brief snapshot of the schedule: 

Keynote remarks will be given by: 

• U.S. Representative Adam Smith (D-WA, 9th District)
• Eric J. Topol, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, West Wireless Health Institute; Chief Academic Officer, Scripps Health

Panel I:  Innovating Through Healthcare Reform:  The Mobile Solution
Panel II:  Policy Solutions – Keeping Pace with Technology Innovation

For information on how to RSVP or to view a copy of the full agenda and list of speakers, please click here.  We hope you will be able to join us!  Otherwise, make sure to visit our blog after the event when we’ll provide a recap and some videos. 

To get an idea of what’s to come at next week’s mHealth Solutions and Policy Forum, watch this one-on-one interview with Dr. Topol.  I had a chance to sit-down with Dr. Topol to talk about mHealth earlier this spring when he was a keynote speaker at the International CTIA WIRELESS 2009® tradeshow in Las Vegas.  

 In addition, here are some clips of Dr. Topol’s informative keynote address.

• Remote Monitoring
• Wireless Cuts Healthcare
• Wireless Medicine Top Ten
• High Hopes for Wireless Mobile

Finally, here’s a video segment that highlights the public and private sectors joining together to use wireless for a promotional campaign on HIV/AIDS testing for young people.

The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing this afternoon on “The Consumer Wireless Experience.”  I issued the following statement in response:

     "The U.S. wireless industry is the world's leader in overall satisfaction, value, competition
     and  innovation. This fact has been supported by countless third party organizations and
     influentials such as Consumer Reports Magazine and Former Vice President Al Gore.  
 
     "In a 2008 Consumer Reports survey, they found 60% of the nearly 62,000 readers were
     'completely or very satisfied with their service.' This was primarily a result of carriers: 1) increasing
     call quality; 2) reducing connectivity issues; 3) ending the policy to extend contracts when
     subscribers make changes to their plans; 4) prorating early termination fees.
 
     "The 2008 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) found that a record high 69% of
     wireless  users were satisfied in the first quarter of 2009. 
 
     "U.S. consumers can choose from more than 630 different handsets -- including more than 29
     Wi-Fi enabled handsets, manufactured by at least 33 different companies. 
 
     "The fiercely competitive wireless industry means consumers are the winners. As companies
     continue to enter and compete with new products and services, consumers benefit by getting the
     best in value and innovation."

To learn more on how the wireless industry is the most competitive and innovative in the world please take a look at "The Facts About the Wireless Industry: An Independent Review" 

This afternoon, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights held a hearing on “Cell Phone Text Messaging Rate Increases and the State of Competition in the Wireless Market.” Here is the statement I issued in response to today’s hearing:

     "The U.S. wireless industry is the most competitive and innovative in the world. Third party   
      organizations and influentials -- from Consumer Reports Magazine to Former Vice
      President Al Gore -- have echoed this statement. 
 
     "In CTIA's 2008 year-end survey, we found that 270.3 million subscribers sent more than 1
     trillion text messages -- or about 3.5 billion per day. This is a significant increase to 2007
     when 255.4 million subscribers sent 363 billion text messages. 

     "These statistics prove that consumers are increasingly relying on texting as a form of
     communications. It is quick, easy and affordable. Carriers offer consumers a multitude of
     text messaging options and we encourage individuals to work with their provider to ensure
     they're on the best plan. 
 
     "Merrill Lynch recently released their study which found that the U.S. is the least
     concentrated and most competitive market out of the 26 Organization for Economic Co-
     Operation and Development (OECD) countries reviewed. In 23 of the 26 OECD countries,
     the top four carriers own 100% of the market. The U.S. is one of only three OECD countries
     with more than four carriers but the only one whose top four carriers represent 86% of the
     market.  
 
     "With wireless companies constantly entering new markets and competing for customers,
      it's clear that the U.S. consumer is the ultimate winner from this fiercely competitive
     industry."

To learn more on how the wireless industry is the most competitive and innovative in the world please take a look at "The Facts About the Wireless Industry: An Independent Review" 

On Monday night, National Wireless Safety Week 2009 started with The Wireless Foundation’s 15th Annual Achievement Awards Dinner in Washington, DC’s historic Union Station. 

Every year, this prestigious event brings together Members of Congress and other influentials to highlight the contributions wireless technology makes to American communities. 

It was a great evening all around! Hats off to The Wireless Foundation for all the hard work they put into this event, and for their ongoing efforts to help make families and neighborhoods across America safer. The Foundation initiates and oversees programs such as Wireless AMBER Alerts™, Text 2HELP, Get Wise About Wireless and many more. We also want to thank this year’s Achievement Award Dinner sponsors. 

Below are some photos from the evening: 

Tony Holcombe, President & CEO of Syniverse Technologies and Vice Chairman of the Wireless Foundation Board of Directors, presents the 2009 Wireless Achievement Award to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s Robert Hoever for his unwavering support for the Wireless AMBER Alerts™ program and his dedication to the mission of safely reuniting children with their families.  

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) accepts the 2009 Wireless Achievement Award from Steve Largent, The Wireless Foundation President and CTIA President & CEO, for his policy leadership on important telecommunications issues, such as E-911, in the Senate. 

During his acceptance remarks, Senator Nelson reiterates the importance of ensuring that all Americans have access to the most advanced E-911 emergency communications technologies. He also addressed the alarming issue of some state and local governments raiding their 911 funds to meet budget shortfalls, and emphasized his commitment to make sure 911 taxes and fees are used for their intended purposes.

The 2009 VTIA™ Wireless Samaritans are recognized alongside Steve Largent. Since 1993, The Wireless Foundation has honored individuals who have used wireless technology to act responsibly—and often heroically—in an emergency.

The National Crime Prevention Council’s President & CEO, Al Lenhardt, presents the 2009 Get Wise About Wireless Script Writing Contest award to 8th grader Sarah Beth Caudill of Owensboro, Kentucky. 

Case Western Reserve University law student Melissa Yasinow accepts the 2009 Amy Zoslov Scholarship award presented to by T-Mobile’s Vice President of Federal Regulatory Affairs Kathleen Ham, the FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau’s Deputy Chief of the Auctions and Spectrum Access Division Gary Michaels and AT&T’s Assistant Vice President of Federal Regulatory Affairs Jeanine Poltronieri.   
 

The Wireless Foundation’s Executive Director, David
Diggs, highlights some of the Foundation’s program activities.

This morning the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law held a hearing on the “Cell Tax Fairness Act of 2009” (H.R. 1521) to examine current local and state tax rates and fees imposed on wireless service. While the complete line-up of panelists who testified at the hearing can be found here, I’d like to focus on the testimony of Indiana State Representative Mara Candelaria Reardon and Florida State Representative Joseph Gibbons. 

The overall tone from the hearing was positive and it was great that Reardon and Gibbons repeatedly mentioned that wireless users are unfairly taxed. For the past four years, wireless products and services have been taxed four times more than other taxable goods and services. This makes no sense in an economy that is increasingly mobile and information-driven. 

Representatives Gibbons and Reardon made the important point that wireless taxes are regressive in nature, with Gibbons pointing to a compelling statistic from the Center for Disease Control’s annual survey that illustrates how high wireless taxes place the greatest burden on those Americans who can least afford it. According to the CDC, adults living in poverty (21.6%) were more likely than higher income adults to be living in wireless-only households. These folks deserve a break. 

Reardon commented that access to wireless services is no longer a luxury for a select few, but rather a vital necessity for more than 270 million Americans, and especially for those facing economic challenges. When taking into account how important wireless services have become to consumers, taxing these services at such an excessive level doesn’t make sense. That will be even more true in the future, as the mobile device continues its evolution from being a phone into a handheld computer that promises to radically expand consumers' access to electronic commerce, health care solutions, education and opportunities for civic participation.  

Finally, Reardon also addressed the claim that state and local governments would miss out on critical revenue generated from wireless taxes and fees. This is a complete red-herring advanced by opponents of sensible tax policy. The reality is that H.R. 1521 preserves existing state and local revenue streams and does not take away any existing revenue from state and local governments. Instead, this bill will put a 5-year moratorium on new discriminatory taxes and fees from being added to what’s currently imposed on consumers.   
 
This is a very modest ask, and one on which we hope the Congress will act swiftly.