It's been some week, huh?  There's an awful lot to process on the financial front... the Dow down 777 points yesterday  (I'll be working until I'm 70), then up more than 300 so far today (okay, maybe 68). It’s  assuredly an uncertain time, and in some respects, more than just a little scary.  

After we take a collective breath, and look around, we’ll see that while there are real reasons for concern and real problems to be solved -- but it’s not all “doom and gloom.”  For example,  consumer  confidence actually rose August to September.  And while we might not have a “bailout” plan in place just yet, I believe one will ultimately be passed. 

But instead of reading this for my quick take on the economy, I'd like you to think about how wireless fits in this picture. I have no doubt that the  wireless telecommunications sector will be a leader in our economic recovery.  According to Ovum, wireless productivity gains will generate more than $860 billion over the next 10 years , generating millions of new jobs and creating impressive advances for American business. New, high-speed 4th generation technology, such as Sprint’s WiMAX service  which is becoming commercially available within the next week,  is going to enable applications and services that at once seemed “Jetson-esque” .  AT&T and Verizon have also committed to the LTE – a 4G wireless standard – and expect to make it available in the next 24 months. 

The continued deployment of these 4th generation technologies, and the sustained growth in wireless broadband subscribership (about 70% of new broadband lines between June 2006 and June 2007 were wireless subscriptions), will enable increased productivity and efficiency in the enterprise community and truly life-style changing developments for the public.  Business users and consumers alike require a wireless high-speed internet experience akin to that they find on their desktops.  The industry is working hard to meet that demand , and the promise of the wireless future is fantastic. 

Right now, it’s easy  (and understandable) to look around and be  a little scared – but before we get too worked up, let’s take a dispassionate, measured look at  the big picture. Yes, times are tough. Our 401K accounts and overall confidence are taking hits. But wireless is a positively life-changing technology that is a critical key to the solution, and that should factor into every policymakers' mindset when looking at rules and regs that pertain to this dynamic facet of America's economic rebound. 

Act One: Steve Largent sat down with CEOs from T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and Sprint.  Their discussion revolved around a key word in today’s wireless industry: openness.  They were clear: openness is here today.  Each said that their company is promoting and committed to open devices and applications while at the same ensuring a positive user experience. 
With regards to network interoperability:  the laws of physics can be bent but not broken.  A GSM network cannot interface with a CDMA device. But that’s today.

As companies move towards their 4th generation networks, and deploy common standards, network interoperability becomes possible. 

Act Two: Marco Boerries, Exectutive VP of Yahoo’s Connected Life Division then came on and debuted Yahoo’s oneConnect application on the Apple iphone.  This app allows users to centralize their contacts and communications from multiple mediums and social  networks, and makes it mobile.  Next, Boerries debuted Yahoo’s “Blueprint” mobile platform. This is a single, open, cross-platform framework for mobile content and websites. It’s designed to streamline the mobile content and website development cycle, while at the same time enabling robust and diverse features. 

Act Three: Steve returned to the stage to discuss the wireless industry’s evolution and history with mobile luminaries John Stanton and Crag McCaw.  Their discussion was a reflection on and comparison of wireless’s early days and today.  They discussed the characteristics of early cellular users, and how those subscribers compare with today’s mobile broadband users.  They also looked forward, each offering their view of an untethered, wholly connected mobile future.  It was an excellent talk from two industry titans. 

Today from the keynote stage Steve Largent announced the latest CTIA survey findings – watch two video clips of him sharing his thoughts on the growth in wireless data and use:

Texting is Still Terrific!

Wireless Data is a Key Driver

This morning’s LA Times ran a good piece on the wireless “listed property” issue, which is currently being debated in Congress.  The article clearly explains the out-dated, archaic tax code that requires employees to keep track of “personal” calls made on their “work” wireless phones.  This tax-code stems from the early 90’s when wireless was an exclusive, corner-office-executive perk.  The wireless market of 2008 is completely different from the wireless market of the early 90s.  Intense competition has driven down prices, and driven up subscribership over the last 18 years.  Today, wireless is hardly an “executive privilege” – it’s a mainstay of modern American life enjoyed by more than 260 million subscribers.  

Legislation to modernize this tax-code has been has been passed in the House and pending in the Senate.   Let your Senators and Representative know you support this legislation, and let's work together to pass the 2008 MOBILE Cell Phone Act.