Wireless Wave - Spring 2008 - (Page 9)

▼ ▼ PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Consumers are in charge, and through their purchases they decide who wins and who loses in the wireless race. BY STEVE LARGENT President and CEO, CTIA– The Wireless Association ® 9 ▼ a column written this winter, New York Times personal technology writer David Pogue declared that 2008 would be the year of the cell phone. He staked his claim on a number of issues, but it hinged mostly on the fact that wireless carriers announced a host of positive changes in 2007, and the result of those changes will mean better and more robust wireless service in 2008. And while time will tell whether Mr. Pogue’s declaration holds true, it’s worth repeating that 2007 was yet another year in which the wireless industry brought forward meaningful change to both service plans and technology. In a sentence, 2007 was the year that wireless carriers opened their networks to third-party applications, lowered early termination fees, and liberalized customer contract terms and conditions. It was also the year that saw the AT&T/ Apple iPhone unveiled and the Open Handset Alliance launched. As Mr. Pogue puts it, 2007 was the year the Internet got hitched to mobile hand-held technology. And from the looks of things, the marriage is off to a great start and getting stronger every day. Evidence of this can be found in a recent story from BBC News that predicted over the next 12 to 18 months Smartphone sales will eclipse those of laptops. It’s clear that consumers around the globe are “voting” for broadband on-the-go, and only wireless gives consumers the ability to carry a multi-media player in their hip pocket. When I look at any story, whether it’s from the world of sports, technology, foreign affairs, or domestic politics, I’m always drawn to the question of why. Sure, the questions of who, what, when and how are always entertaining and make every story a good read, but rarely do I learn more about a particular issue than when exploring the question of why. In the wireless world, we’re rather accustomed to stories that describe rapid industry change and constant technological evolution. Look at it this way. Every several months (when), wireless carriers (who) roll-out new handheld devices (what), equipped with cutting-edge technology (how) that allows us to web-surf, listen to music, and watch television. This is no longer an exception; it’s the rule. But, in my view, the real story in all of this is not who, what, when or how, but why. Why do wireless companies do it? To answer that question completely, I’d like to take you back Spr i ng 20 0 8 In

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Wireless Wave - Spring 2008

Wireless Wave - Spring 2008 Contents A Letter from Our Chairman A Letter from Our President Pryor Approval The Promise of M-commerce Moving Targets Foreign Service Multiple Choice Legs, Regs, and Wireless Wireless News The Supplier’s Voice CTIA Welcomes New Members Index of Advertisers Roaming with….

Wireless Wave - Spring 2008

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