“Spectrum Crunch” a Hot Topic at CTIA Wireless Show this Week

More than 40,000 mobile technology professionals are descending on New Orleans this week for “International CTIA Wireless 2012.” Many of the big players in the industry will be represented like AT&T and Verizon (in fact, both companies introduced new LTE phones to kick off the conference), but there will be thousands of smaller players and entrepreneurs in attendance who plan to showcase the future of wireless enterprise technology in areas such as automotive, energy, health and more. The CTIA Wireless 2012 website has some interesting facts. For example, did you know: - There are more than 270 million data capable devices available today? - 388 billion MB of data was transmitted in 2010? - At the end of 2011, 31.6% of U.S. households were wireless-only? Attendees will be awed by the cutting-edge technology and devices showcased at the event, but one issue will dominate the keynotes and policy roundtable discussions – spectrum – or the lack thereof. Consumer demand is straining wireless networks, and if policymakers don’t make more spectrum available the crunch will also undermine innovation, investment and U.S. competitiveness. According to Reuters, the spectrum shortage will be the “No. 1 thing” that will be discussed at the conference. SBE Council remains a committed advocate for more spectrum. The message was underscored recently when SBE Council co-released a new report with the Internet Innovation Alliance on the sizable savings available to startup companies made possible through broadband. The report received widespread media coverage, and as SBE Council President & CEO Karen Kerrigan noted in several interviews, policymakers and legislators need to understand that the spectrum crunch will hurt entrepreneurship, small business growth and U.S. innovation. Quite simply said Kerrigan in one media interview, “"We need more spectrum and more investment" to support the internet ecosystem and U.S. mobile growth. Hopefully, ths buzz and discussion at the conference will lead to action by our nation's policy and political leaders. Karen Kerrigan, President & CEO