Panel to discuss critical need for state telecommunications policy to keep pace with innovation

Denver, CO – Communications experts and policy leaders will gather tomorrow (January 31st) for a round table event, “Think Ahead Colorado: Telecommunications for Colorado’s Future 2012,” sponsored by the Coalition for a Connected West (CCW).  Dr. Debra Aron, Managing Director and Principle at Navigant Economics, will give a keynote presentation and will participate in a panel with Colorado Public Utilities Commissioner Matt Baker and State Senator Mark Scheffel to discuss the critical need for state policies to keep pace with innovation and encourage investment.

“Given the exponential growth in communications over the past decade, it is hard to believe that Colorado has not substantially updated its telecommunications laws in twenty-five years,” stated Tony Bradley, Executive Director of CCW. “Wireless communications and the Internet have become the backbone of our lives, our economy and our potential.  It is imperative that the state’s policies to keep pace with technology and encourage investment and innovation.  Tomorrow’s roundtable will bring together policymakers and stakeholders to discuss this important element of Colorado’s future.”

When:
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
7:00 a.m. Registration and Breakfast *
7:15 a.m. Program Begins
8:45 a.m. Program Concludes

Where:
University Club
1673 Sherman Street
Denver, CO 80264

More about Dr. Debra Aron:
Dr. Aron is a Managing Director and Principal at Navigant Economics and an adjunct professor of economics and strategy in Northwestern University’s Master of Science in Communications Program.  Dr. Aron has provided communications industry expert testimony on the economic effects of the regulatory, competitive, and technological developments in various communications markets, including wireline telephony, wireless telephony, mobile satellite telephony, telecommunications equipment, long-haul fiber, submarine cable, broadband infrastructure, and pay television.

About the Coalition for a Connected West:
The mission of the Coalition for a Connected West is to educate consumers and policy makers about emerging communications issues; promote policies that foster competition and innovation, and result in more consumer choice, access to technology, lower prices and better service; and serve as a voice for consumers on communications issues at the state and local level.

Website: www.connectedwest.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/connectedwest
Twitter: www.twitter.com/connectedwest

* Note: Amendment 41 Compliant Event
Breakfast is $7.00 for legislators and legislative staff.
Breakfast is free to members of the public.

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At one time or another we all, or a vast majority, have forgotten a gift for a birthday party, holiday party, or other celebration. In a mad dash we’ve rushed to the local pharmacy to pick out an appropriate card and forced to choose from the wall of gift cards near the register. And here lies the problem. All the gift cards are to large national chains. What do you do if you want to make it a little more personal?

Enter Giftly, a new social media website that allows you to use your mobile phone to send and receive eGift cards to “any local business, ANYWHERE.” The eGift is linked to the recipient’s smart phone.

According to Wireless Week’s Andrew Berg here is how the service works:

“Giftly allows users to make a gift card for any local business in Yelp’s database of over 2 million places. Once the gift card is delivered to a user’s smartphone, they can then redeem it by simply checking in – via Yelp! or Foursquare – at the business for which the gift card has been issued. At that time, Giftly automatically deposits the amount of the gift card on the recipient’s credit card or bank account, cutting out the hassle of having to show the merchant anything at all.”

The National Retail Foundation (NRF) estimates more than $100 billion worth of gift cards are purchased each year. Additionally, with more than 50 percent of U.S. customers buying or receiving a gift card, this type of service is sure to be a big hit with local shops that cannot offer gift cards of their own.

CTIA – The Wireless Association® (CTIA) and the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) announced a new voluntary rating system for mobile applications (apps).

According to the CTIA and the ESRB press release: “The CTIA Mobile Application Rating System with ESRB will utilize the well-known and trusted age rating icons that ESRB assigns to computer and video games to provide parents and consumers reliable information about the age-appropriateness of applications.”

The rating system will apply to new applications that are developed going forward. The rating system has buy in from heavy hitters such as AT&T, Microsoft, Sprint, T-Mobile USA, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless. However, it appears not everybody is onboard with the new system. Notably missing from the list of founding members are Apple and Google.

The system is designed to be quick and easy for application developers to submit their application for the appropriate rating. Developers will fill out an online form with multiple-choice answers to assess the content and appropriateness of the appl. Once complete, the developer will get their rating within seconds. Additionally, the ESRB will audit and monitor submissions to ensure apps are rated appropriately.

With the explosion of mobile apps, consumers are looking to ensure that mobile apps are safe and appropriate. CTIA and ESRB should be commended for working with stakeholders to address the needs of the consumers.

Read More:

• CTIA Press Release.
• USA Today.
• TECH Crunch.

I was recently at an event and after a presentation someone leaned over to me and asked, “what is spectrum? Is it a company I should know about?” At that moment, I saw four pairs of eyes turn my direction because they clearly had the same question.

My short answer to the group was No, spectrum is not a company you need to know about. (Well it might be, but not for purposes of this discussion.) I then went on to explain that spectrum, for purposes of wireless, is essentially the “radio” frequency that is used for wireless communications, whether it be television, radio, satellite GPS, mobile phones, and thousands of new devises a year.

That leads us to why it is important.

It is important for several reasons. First, it is limited. Because wireless spectrum is essentially the usable radio frequencies, it is limited by nature and by physics. We cannot artificially produce more, we can simply find the best and most efficient ways to use it.  Second, demand for wireless everything is increasing. Meaning there are more people competing for the same limited resource. If we run the system in an inefficient manner we will not be able to provide the services people want and need, which could lead to frustration or worse.

With that primer, here is a video that explains the why it is important part much better than I can.

Two studies show that investment in 4G wireless broadband could help our ailing economy. As reported on CNET.com:

“The carriers could invest between $25 billion and $53 billion in building out their 4G network through 2016, according to a study from Deloitte. That in turn could lead to the creation of 371,000 to 771,000 jobs, and gross domestic product growth of $73 billion to $151 billion.”

4G wireless broadband deployment will bring additional benefits that just these raw numbers. 4G will transform healthcare, education, and public safety. 4G will finally bring true broadband speeds to rural America.

For more information, you can visit CNET’s website.