FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski delivers a keynote at CTIA

On the final day of CTIA (premier wireless, IT and entertainment trade show in San Diego, CA). More information can be found at below link on Fierce Wireless site, it’ll also give some idea about kind of apps are getting attention in US market.

http://www.fiercewireless.com/ctialive/story/startup-shoot-out-ctias-fund-fest/2009-10-12

-Sunil

For the past few years, I’ve watched mHealth take over the spotlight from mBanking, which for so many years helped drive the mobile app revolution, garnering a lionshare of media and analyst attention as financial institutions across the board– Bank of America, HSBC, the NYSE and third party enablers like Mobile Money Ventures—took their services to the small screen.

When it comes down to it, mHealth’s mobile app needs aren’t terribly dissimilar to those of mBanking, or any other industry for that matter.  They want guaranteed reliability, security, speed of deployment, and reduced development costs (as compared to in-house)…and basically fewer headaches.  Pretty much what all developers and enterprises want from their mobile apps, right?

I think the main difference is their need for unrelentingly consistent QoS.  While an entertainment app developer would agree on the importance of minimized downtime, consider how vital it is for an mHealth company like Sensei—one of the four new healthcare customers we announced at CTIA.  Members rely on their mobile programs for critical reminders to take their medications or make on-the-spot decisions related to healthy eating choices.  These apps are affecting people’s lives in a real way.  Not a lot of room for error without potentially grave repercussions.  Or something you want to send out into the world without 100% satisfaction that the testing and monitoring has been relentlessly thorough and rigorous.

I really enjoyed the dialogue around mHealth at CTIA IT & Wireless a few weeks ago, where the topic now merits its own conference track altogether.  In the keynote, CTIA’s Steve Largent announced the results of a consumer health survey they conducted with Harris Interactive that was chock full of new stats confirming consumers’ hunger for mobile healthcare (check out the FierceWireless for the full recap).

Most memorable was the comment from Qualcomm’s Irwin Jacobs, who said the wireless industry will get the greatest growth thrust from the applications that most benefit society and improve humanity.  It’s the kind of statement that makes you pause, and catapults your thoughts out of the weeds of the day-to-day.  A ticker tape ran through my mind of the hundreds of developers and companies we’re working with—in or out of mHealth– who are doing exactly that in their own unique ways.  We’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg of how mobile apps can benefit people’s lives, and I’m energized by the prospect of what innovative, life-enriching new apps we’re going to help companies launch tomorrow.

P.S.  If you’re following mHealth, bookmark or RSS mobihealthnews. I had the pleasure of reconnecting at CTIA with friend and industry vet Brian Dolan who recently left telecom titan FierceWireless to launch this indispensible online trade pub for the healthcare industry.  Good stuff.  Check it out.

Attention healthcare industry! Mobile healthcare solutions will be a reality sooner than you think. And we aren’t talking about just blood pressure monitoring apps, but full-blown health services.

According to a new study conducted by wireless industry association CTIA with Harris Interactive, a vast majority of the US (78%) is interested in mobile health solutions and 15 percent of the U.S. is extremely or very interested in learning more about mHealth.

The study used a combination of two online studies of U.S. adults (5,563) and physicians (115 general practitioners and 129 specialists) to gauge their interest in mHealth service options.  Survey respondents felt that access to mHealth would allow for more home-based care (68%), make medical care easier to obtain (51%), and give patients more freedom and choice (51%). More highlights are below.

Read the full report here.

I’m sure that everyone who made the pilgrimage  to CTIA last week is glad they survivied the trek and maybe life can get back to normal now. You get a sense from the blogosphere that the show was ho-hum. For many of us, it’s been like that for a number of years, with many announcements coming the week before or the day before, trying to create real buzz as the crowds arrive. This year Android phones were front and center with vendors hawking their new wares. And if you stayed home, how could you miss the non-stop roll of T-Mobile myTouch ads on TV? Plus Verizon Wireless announced a new strategic partnership with Google and Android and Google Voice. Maybe the times are a changin’ after all.

But I ask you. do consumers really understand or know what Android is? What it stands for? Will they identify with the platform or the device? The carrier name or the handset provider? No worries though, vendors, ad agencies, and media outlets are determined to drill it into their heads, come hell or high water over the next year.  In an effort to stand above the noise all week, Gartner stuck their neck out and claimed the OS platform’s eventual dominance over Apple, and at the expense of BlackBerry over the next four years. Do you remember when Gartner told corporations not to by iPhones and to stop buying BlackBerries for a while? I guess they feel that Android security is OK no matter the brand on the device. Hmm, I think it’s a little more complex than that. And as long as no one splinters the open source movement around Android too.

So in case you missed it, here’s the ‘droid drill for last week:

Samsung Behold II on T-Mobile

Motorola CLIQ on T-Mobile

Samsung Moment on Sprint

Dell on Sprint (similar to mini 3i shown, available in China)

HTC Hero on Sprint

October 7th, 2009 – Boise, Idaho – (Virtual Press Office) – Push Mobile Media, the leading innovator of mobile campaign production, delivery and real-time feedback tools for enterprise managers has launched mobiShout, a secure collaboration tool for collecting feedback from the mobile workforce. mobiShout engages employees, contractors, and clients by gathering opinions and feedback on urgent business issues. All feedback is measured and reported in real-time via the web-based Push Mobile Media Platform™.

When users participate in mobile campaigns with built-in feedback forms, such as branding initiatives, training programs or surveys, the critical information they provide flows back instantly to a dashboard which analyzes and presents the data graphically. Offered as a premium tool, mobiShout is designed to leverage all mobile devices that support SMS messaging, mobile internet and/or mobile email. mobiShout is completely customizable, enabling branding and the range of goals set by multiple divisions within an enterprise.

To view a demo of mobiShout, please visit http://www.pushmobilemedia.com/mobishout.php.

“mobiShout represents a new breed of mobile technology, one that brings the mobile workforce together in real-time. This is a new and improved collaboration process for the enterprise as both email and voicemail are becoming less efficient”, stated David Clemons, founder of Push Mobile Media. “A distributed workforce that is harnessing collaborative mobile technology has a distinct competitive advantage over one that isn’t”, he added.

According to the most recent forecast by the market intelligence and advisory services firm IDC, close to 75% of the total U.S. workforce will be mobile by the end of 2011. Growth of the mobile workforce will result in excess of one billion mobile users.

About Push Mobile Media – Developed specifically for the needs of the mobile enterprise workforce, the Push Mobile Media platform lets managers create engaging educational programs and marketing initiatives delivered to mobile devices. Backed by real-time feedback tracking and robust analytics reporting, this easy to use web-based service saves time and costs associated with mobile communications, content production and distribution for the internal and external mobile workforce. Learn more at http://www.PushMobileMedia.com.

Download the complete mobiShout™ data sheet here.

San Diego – CTIA – Push Mobile Media featured as one of eight companies within the mobile applications area.

http://www.wirelessit.com/exhibit/apps.cfm

CTIA brought many enterprise customers to our CTIA booth. It was extremely refreshing to meet the executives of large companies who are focused on thier mobile workforce and who share our passion for delivering solutions that connect people, continue to build trust within the team and show results using mobile technologies.

CTIA was a success for Push. We came away from the show with new customers, partnerships on a global scale. We will be back to San Diego as well as other CTIA events, like Las Vegas CTIA.

Fonte:phonedog

I want to write about merchandising apps in the mobile ecosystem, but first let me say that we need a new way to measure time in mobile.  The launch of the iPhone changed the ecosystem so dramatically that any discussion of how the mobile ecosystem works must specify Ai or Bi (After or Before the iPhone), in a similar way that historians use BC and AD are used date historical events.

As an example, how you merchandise a mobile application today is very different than at any time Bi.   And this is what I want to post about.

At CTIA in San Diego I attended and spoke at the #wipjam event and I found the discussion on merchandising apps most interesting.   It was led by Mitch Oliver from Qualcomm with many developers sharing their experiences, and I thought it would be good to share some of the learnings with developers looking to go mobile.  Some of you not interested in the details may wan to skip to the recommendations below.

Before the iPhone (Bi): it was all about getting on deck:

Operators had a virtual monopoly on application distribution.    If your application could get on deck with an operator, this was half the battle. Investing in additional marketing helped, but was not required if your app got decent deck placement.  Because the operators had very limited shelf space, they did not take chances with “hit or miss” long tail developers.   So they pretty much stuck with proven, larger developers with a recognizable brand.    If your app did not perform (often because it was hard to discover), out you went.  Your livelihood depended not on consumer choice, but on the operator team responsible for programming its deck.  The programming team allocated valuable deck placement based on their own view of how an app would perform or in many cases based on behind the scenes deals.   Worse yet, developers had to make a significant investment without any assurances of ever getting on deck.  This model left the small developers – often the more creative ones – out of mobile.   Small developers did have an opportunity to work with publishers  (or aggregators) who had reserved shelf pace with the operators – but this model required the developer to share a significant portion of the revenue with the publisher, making it financially unattractive.

As a result, before the iPhone, the most creative developers focused their energies on the desktop and the Web. The operators had squandered their monopoly position to distribute mobile apps and had stifled innovation.   There was pent up demand, however, by brands, content owners and developers to extend their reach to mobile.  Enter the iPhone.

After the iPhone (Ai): leveling the playing field for the small developer:

One year Ai, Apple launched the the App Store.  85,000 apps and 2 billion downloads later, the app store has redefined the model and is now being copied by many other app stores:

• The App Store made the playing field even so small developers can get on deck as easily as the big guys.
• The App Store eliminated the need for middle men (publishers or aggregators).  Small developers have a direct path to market.
• The programming team is gone, other than for programming the carousel (very important if you can get on it) and for blocking competing apps that Steve does not like.
• Developers get to price their own applications. Amazingly, before the iPhone operators insisted in setting the price for apps as if they knew more about the developers’ customer than the developers themselves.   More importantly, developers are now able to tweak pricing based on real time feedback from the market.
• The app store eliminated certification fees lowering the entry barriers and enabling trial and error application posting.
• Introduced a model for free apps.  This is a model that Lithuania based Getjar pioneered with its traditionally geeky audience, but the App Store made it mainstream.

OK, so the iPhone made it much easier to merchandize applications, right??   Think again.   The iPhone simply created unlimited shelf space.   If you app is one of 85000, how do you stand from the crowd?   Obviously if you can get on the carousel of promoted apps, you’re golden.  But this requires magic as there are no written rules.  Now that Big Brother operator is not picking the winners with deck placement, you need to compete on your own merits and merchandise the old fashion way.

Here are the recommendations for developers:

1. You have to do your own marketing.   You can’t rely on the app store provider to market your app or on consumers discovering your app.
2. Know your audience and figure out where they hang out so you can reach them.  For example if you are trying to reach the social generation, use social media.  Developers at #wipjam reported great results from these efforts.  And it’s incredibly cheap.  Use Facebook, Twitter, and the bloggosphere as your CRM system.
3. If you deploy a free app with the objective of later upgrading your customers to a premium app (the “freemium” model), ensure the free app stands on its own.  Don’t just put out a demo or significantly crippled version of the application.  Your objective is not to upgrade every free user.  Free users give you free marketing.  Many will never upgrade and this is OK.   But many will tell their friends, post on Facebook or tweet about your app.
4. Invest in an in-app analytics tool such as Motally to understand your users and tweak your application.
5. Trial and error pays, especially with today’s lower barriers to entry.  It is very hard to predict what consumers will want.  Don’t spend your life savings on a single app.  Instead develop quickly and try it out on the app store.  If consumers adopt it, update the application quickly and often.   If it does not fly, move on to the next one.
6. Port your app to the Palm Pre.   Unlike the iPhone, the Palm Pre is hurting for apps.  You have a much better chance of getting noticed.  If you can get discovered on the Pre, you’ll get a ripple effect on the iPhone and other stores.
7. Cross Promote your application with other developers.  Large developers have a significant advantage because they can cross promote their applications.  If one of their applications is a hit, they can use that application to promote other apps in their lineup.   Find other small developers and work out a deal to cross promote your apps.  As an example, look into App Treasures a group of small game developers doing just this.

Do you have other recommendations?   Please share them with a comment.

Fonte:CTIATheWirelessAssoc

U.S. mobile data revenues surpassed $19.4 billion in the first half of 2009, a 31 percent increase over the year-ago period, and data accounted for more than 25 percent of all wireless service revenues, according to the CTIA’s semi-annual industry survey. The report, which was released in conjunction with the kickoff of the International CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment conference today in San Diego, also noted that text messaging continues to gain traction at a breakneck pace, with Americans sending 4.1 billion messages a day from their phones — nearly doubling SMS activity from the first half of 2008.

CTIA also said there are more than 40 million smartphones and connected PDAs in the hands of American users and more than 10 million laptops, netbooks and aircards. But it’s that uptake of high-end devices and the services they support that should be receiving the lion’s share of the industry’s attention. For as AT&T has learned the hard way, a surge in usage can highlight network shortcomings and infuriate users. Text messages are a great way to boost mobile data revenues without taxing networks, but the new wave of mobile devices encourage consumption of video, location-enabled services and other offerings. If carriers are going to push them, they had better make sure they can handle them.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski appreciates the wireless industry and plans to help it get access to more spectrum, to make the process of siting mobile towers faster and to roll out faster middle-mile connections in rural and urban areas, all in an effort to improve the delivery of mobile broadband, he said today at the CTIA industry conference in San Diego. CTIA is the wireless industry’s lobbying group, and counts among its members everyone from carriers and device makers to Google (s goog).

After Genachowski’s speech last month in which he announced his plans to regulate the industry by codifying a net neutrality framework that would keep carriers from blocking certain types of traffic on their wired and wireless networks, the industry has been on the defensive. Today, he played the role of good cop, praising the industry for the services that it offers, and acknowledging the very real issues of inadequate spectrum. He also promised, “a shot-clock proposal designed to speed the [tower-siting] process, while taking into account the legitimate concerns of local authorities.”

As to other FCC initiatives, he said:

• We’ll act promptly to process license and other requests to keep 4G roll-outs on track.
• We’ll do our part to help clear spectrum that has already been allocated and licensed for 4G.
• We’ll address roaming in a broadband world.
• And we will look for ways to accelerate the rollout of high-capacity middle mile connections in both rural and urban areas.

But even a good cop is still a cop, a role that Genchowski reminded the carriers of as he moved to explain his attention to network neutrality, competition and dedication to offering consumers more transparency in customer billing. He tried to paint the net neutrality efforts as an attempt to codify long-standing — and bipartisan — principles that have governed the industry since 2005, while assuring carriers that he is aware of their fears, saying:

Communications technologies are complex and changing rapidly, nowhere more than mobile, and my time in business has convinced me that the last thing we want is heavy-handed and prescriptive regulation. Our goal is to empower innovators, not lawyers.

In looking at wired and wireless Internet access, some have said that “one size doesn’t fit all.” I agree. We know from experience at the FCC that there are real and relevant differences between wired and wireless. Mobile poses unique congestion issues, for example. Managing a wireless network isn’t the same as managing a fiber network, and what constitutes reasonable network management will appropriately reflect that difference.

As expected, the CTIA praised his comments on tower siting and spectrum, but said nothing about his focus on consumer transparency and network neutrality. Possibly because it has said pretty much everything about net neutrality that it plans to say until the FCC’s Oct. 22 open meeting kicks off the formal rulemaking process.

There is so much going on, never mind mobile with CTIA, TV with MIPCOM, film with MVFF, and books with LitQuake, music alone dominates SoCal over the next few days with Billboard Mobile Entertainment Live! in San Diego today and Digital Music Forum tomorrow and Thursday in LA.  Follow along at #CTIA, #DMF.  Here’s the guide:

Tuesday, October 6
Billboard Mobile Entertainment Live!
Omni Hotel, 675 L Street, Grand Ballroom C, Level 4, San Diego

9, Bill Werde & Antony Bruno, Billboard
9:10, Aasim Saied, Logic Wireless
9:15, Alan Brenner, RIM Blackberry Platforms
9:45, Richard Smith, OpenPath Products
9:50, Kevin Arnold, IODA, Adam Flick, Ticketmaster, Robb McDaniels, INgrooves, Ted Mico, Interscope
10:45, Networking mixer
11:20, Syd Schwartz, EMI Music
12, Lunch Break
1, Rob Hyatt, ATT, Ed Ruth, Verizon
1:30, Brian Lisi & Dan Catullo, DC3
1:35, Bob Abbott, NVP, Andrew Fisher, Shazam, Adam Mirabella, Nokia, Paul Miraldi, Clear Channel, Jim Ryan, Motricity, Neil Smith, Rhapsody
2:35, Ty Wang, Oracle
3:10, Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy
3:45, Tim O’Brien, Tapulous, Dave Dederer, Melodeo, Ali Partovi, iLike, Jon Vlassopulos, Moderati, Jonathan Zweig, EpicTilt
4:45, Jared Hoffman, RPS Entertainment, Billy Alvarado, Lala, Ashley Jex, Bill Silva Entertainment, Dorrian Porter, Mozes, Sean Rosenberg, RCA/Jive Label, Nathan Thompson, The Orchard
6-8pm, Hard Rock AfterParty with Myles Kennedy & B Taylor

Wednesday, October 7
Digital Music Forum West
Hollywood Roosevelt, 7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles

12:15, Registration
1:15, Ned Sherman, Digital Media Wire, Ted Cohen, TAG Strategic
1:30, Russ Crupnick, NPD, Eric Garland, Big Champagne, James Lamberti, Topspin
2:20, Ted Mico, Interscope Geffen A&M, John Moakley, Rovi, Tim Quirk, ,Rhapsody, Vince Bannon, Getty Images, Brenda Walker, Rebel Content, John Rubey, AEG Network Live
3:05, Delegate Roundtables
3:45, Mike Cannady, Scratch DJ Academy, Claudia Ceniceros, Cisco, Jordan Glazier, Eventful, David Leibowitz, Sir Groovy, Brenden Mulligan, ArtistData, Aydin Caginalp, Manatt Phelps & Phillips
4:40, Dave Dederer, Melodeo/Presidents of the United States, Scott Geller, Zooz Mobile, Christian Jorg, Island Def Jam Music Group/UMG, Ali Partovi, iLike, Massimiliano Pellegrini, Dada, Dick Wingate, TAG Strategic
5:30, Garth Trinidad, KCRW MyHangSuite.com, Vikter Duplaix, Grammy Recording Artist, Make a Baby
6:30, Poolside Cocktails

(TIME FOR ILLEANA DOUGLAS’ EASY TO ASSEMBLE PREMIERE!)

Thursday, October 8
Digital Music Forum West
Hollywood Roosevelt, 7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles

9, Dave Conway, Little Radio, Johnie Floater, Live365, Kurt Hanson, RAIN/AccuRadio, Jim Rondinelli, Slacker, David Oxenford, Davis, Wright, Tremaine
9:55, Nic Adler, The Roxy Theatre, Tyson Cornell, Book Soup, Nathan Levinson, The Viper Room, Alf LaMont, The Comedy Store, Kyra Reed, MarKyr Media
10:40, Break
11, Tim Westergren, Pandora
11:40, Jim Griffin, Choruss, WMG, Jonathan Potter,  DMA, Michael Petricone, CEA, John Rudolph, Bug Music, Sami Valkonen, Nokia, Lawrence Lenswil, Loeb & Loeb
12:30, Courtney Holt, MySpace Music, Celia Hirschman, KCRW
1, Lunch
2, Delegates Roundtable
2:40, Alexander Ljung, SoundCloud, Rose Slanic, Roadrunner Records, Benjamin Lebrave, Akwaaba Music, Hal Bringman, NVPR, Chad Cooper, OVGuide, Jay Frank, MTV CMT, Mike Spinella, AOL, Daniel Tibbets, GoTV, Daren Tsui, mSpot, Jay Baage, Digital Media Wire
3:55, Alex Hackford, Sony, JeffMarshall, Rock Band, Jeannie Novak, Indiespace, Mark Shedletsky, Blue Haze, Adam Taylor, APM, Kelli Richards, All Access Group, Anthony Batt, BuzzmEdia, Justin Gage, Aquairum Drnkard, Lina Lecaro, LA Weekly, Francis Ten, West Indian Girl, Larry Weintraub, Fanscape, Heidi Richman, HRMP
4:45, Josh Brooks, PlayList.com, Barry Layne, ARTISTdirect, Tom Carolan, Total Live Music, Jaclyn Ranere, The Orchard, Alan Miller, Filter, Creative Group; Richard Conlon, BMI, Cecily Mak, Rhapsody, Maurice Russell, Harry Fox, Erik Steigen, Providian, Les Watkins, Music Reports, Partick Sullivan, RightsFlow
5:30, Tropicana Bar Afterparty

The zBoost ONE-PCS is up for “ CTIA’s Hottest Web Pick!” this year! The deadline for voting is Monday October 5th, 2009 at 5:00p.m. 

 With a zBoostONE YX400P you can:

• Increases signal for up to 1200 sq ft
• Save money and drop your landline
• Receive important calls INSIDE
• Increase employee productivity – they can stay at their desk instead of running to the window or outside to talk on your cell
• Improve your battery life of your phone
• zBoost also extends Cell Zones, so you can use your phone or PDA with all the new applications which require a stronger signal – such as:
  • Email
  • Internet browsing
  • Text messaging
  • Interactive gaming
  • Hi-speed data
  • Instant messaging

zBoost repeats and amplifies the signal and is frequency dependent. The zBoost ONE-PCS works with SPRINT PCS or Metro PCS  (1900 MHz phones).
 

To vote for the zBoost ONE-PCS:
1. Go to the zBoost Hot for the Holidays public voting page:

 http://ctiait.ctia.org/HolidayHotList/2009/public/?fuseaction=main.viewEntry&productID=550&start=61&subCat=all&scoreStatus=all&ct=1

2. To vote you click on “Mark as Favorite” in the upper right-hand corner of your entry page!
 
Happy voting!

The Federal Communications Commission has opened a separate request for comments on the use and allocation of spectrum to go more in-depth on issues raised as part of its National Broadband Plan. The agency will seek comments through Oct. 23, “on the sufficiency of current spectrum allocations in spectrum bands, including but not limited to the prime spectrum bands below 3.7 GHz.”

The industry has recently spent a lot of time pondering how to make more spectrum available for wireless broadband services, mostly because the wireless companies and others in the industry believe the nation is woefully short on airwaves to deliver the mobile web. Various estimates suggest that the U.S. needs 150-400 MHz more of spectrum within the next year. Right now, we have about 409 MHz available and about 50 MHz in the pipeline, according to the CTIA. There may be a shortfall, but before the FCC concedes this, it must open up a comment period. In its request for comments it also points out that it has asked in an earlier Notice of Inquiry for ways to make the existing spectrum more efficient.

Here are some of the scary stats the FCC trots out as the rationale for taking a close look at spectrum:

• More than 78 percent of U.S. wireless consumers have a wireless device that is capable of accessing the Internet, Motorola notes, and approximately 40 million American consumers are active users of mobile Internet services — a 75 percent increase from two years ago.
• A traditional handheld device, with average customer usage patterns, will consume about 30 megabytes of data in a month, a single smartphone consumes 30 times that amount, and a single connected notebook or laptop computer consumes 450 times that amount, according to Wireless Communications Association International.
• AT&T has seen a 5,000 percent growth in data usage over the past three years and relies upon broad contiguous bands of spectrum. To help support this growth, in 2009 AT&T plans to add an additional 2,000 cell sites to its networks.
• A 2004 National Science Foundation study found that less than 20 percent of the frequency bands below 3 GHz were in use over the course of a business day, according to New America Foundation, Public Knowledge, and Media Access Project.

The Commission seeks to learn what current spectrum is being used for, how to evaluate how well it is being used, the use of spectrum as a means for wireless and wired backhaul, and which spectrum is best for fixed and mobile wireless broadband.

Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski has proposed two new rules designed to aggressively protect the free movement of online traffic by preventing Internet service providers from restricting web sites and other services on the Internet. The proposed rules would require carriers to practice “reasonable” network management and respect “net neutrality,” the principle that all web traffic should be treated equally. This would ensure, for example, that carriers would not be able to price or slow or speed up certain sites to favor their own content.

The FCC is following up on President Obama’s campaign promise to enforce net neutrality and used fairly grandiose rhetoric to explain the implications of its action:

“The rise of serious challenges to the free and open Internet puts us at a crossroads. We could see the Internet’s doors shut to entrepreneurs, the spirit of innovation stifled, a full and free flow of information compromised,” Genachowski said today in a speech at the Brookings Institution think tank. “Or we could take steps to preserve Internet openness, helping ensure a future of opportunity, innovation and a vibrant marketplace.”

While companies like Google and Amazon are thrilled about net neutrality, Internet service providers are pretty bummed. They argue that they already manage their networks with an “open” mentality and worry that an absolute requirement of net neutrality might hamper their ability “to manage their networks to keep them running smoothly, such as by preventing some large users from eating up so much bandwidth that it slows down service for others.” They also contend that, as they own the networks, they should have a right to control them, rather than having the government micromanage the way the Internet is run. Chris Guttman-McCabe, vice president of regulatory affairs for CTIA, the wireless industry’s trade group, explained the resistance by wireless companies to net neutrality rules:

We believe that this kind of regulation is unnecessary in the competitive wireless space as it would prevent carriers from managing their networks–such as curtailing viruses and other harmful content–to the benefit of their consumers.

While at first blush seemingly advantageous for all Internet users, the FCC’s actions are concerning. Requiring Internet service providers to provide net neutrality will afford them less ability to moderate bandwidth-hogging traffic. With AT&T already having problems maintaining adequate bandwidth for iPhone users in some cities, this FCC policy might make it even more difficult for companies like AT&T to get their bandwidth availability issues under control. However, Genachowski has said that his agency will consider this particular issue and will ask for comments regarding what would be “reasonable” in light of bandwidth availability concerns. The FCC is aware of the issue and will consider it in going forward with the rulemaking process.

– George Gaskin

Image Source

A hundred bucks to the first person who’s never abused their cell phone. And by “abused” I mean let it interfere with productivity, a relationship, or even dinner. I’ll wait. Om? Steve? Anyone?

Didn’t think so.

Although cell phone abuse is not classified as a medical condition, doctors admit it’s a widespread problem. “The overwhelming majority of cell phone users — if not all of them — let the phone interfere with their life,” says Dr. Lisa Merlo, professor of psychology at the University of Florida. “Of course, the severity of interference varies greatly among users, but interestingly, many of these individuals did not notice such interference when they were using a ‘regular’ cell phone.”

In other words, when they weren’t using a so-called smartphone. But the number of “regular” cell phones is waning fast. According to Amy Storey, director of public affairs for CTIA, the number of data-capable phones has doubled since 2005 to account for more than 88 percent of all mobiles today, meaning that abuse is more prevalent than ever. Houston, do we have a problem?

As Dr. Merlo says, it depends on the user. “If an individual cannot turn off their smartphone — or better yet, leave it at home — for at least a few hours at a time, they may want to reconsider their behavior.” That can be a tough pill to swallow, especially for those with demanding bosses, clients or investors. But before you blow off the idea, try to envision the productivity, social and sanity benefits it could yield.

Balancing alerts, face time and downtime

Undoubtedly, mobile phones can enhance user productivity. Without moderation, however, those same devices can significantly hinder output, as consumer research (and anyone who’s owned a smartphone for more than a day) will acknowledge. The most common productivity killers: obtrusive alerts at all hours of the day, cross-contamination of professional and personal correspondence, and multimedia diversions such as Facebook and YouTube.

When cell phones intrude on outside life, it can result in the alienation of established relationships, says Merlo. Granted, cell phones are powerful tools for cultivating new relationships, but when a phone supersedes the presence of good company, the net effect of networking is lost. “When you take a call, answer an email, or otherwise turn your full attention away from someone in person, this can severely damage their impression of you,” she says. “It sends the message that you find them less important than whatever is occurring on your phone.”

OK, OK. It makes sense to prioritize cell phone use accordingly, be that at work or when interacting with friends and family. But surely there’s no harm in foregoing personal time to get the job done? Some sacrifices must be made to meet an immediate deadline, right? Of course. But when you neglect personal downtime for an extended period of time, you’ll inevitably burn out, affecting both your health and desire in the process. It happens to the best of them, as Timothy Ferris documented in his provocative book on “the new rich.”

Fixing a problem takes discipline

Since there’s no scientific evidence classifying cell phone abuse as an addiction, the good news is you can overcome problematic use without costly rehab or medication. But first you’ll need to determine whether or not you’re engaging in behavior that needs fixing. “The ‘turn it off’ test is the easiest indicator,” of cell phone abuse says Merlo, referring to the aforementioned inability to walk away from your phone without feeling anxiety. Another obvious sign is if friends and family exceedingly complain, she says, or if you’re having trouble sleeping, or waking in the middle of the night to check messages on your phone.

So is there a safe, general or optimal amount of time users should not exceed in a 24-hour period? “A good rule of thumb is to stay off the phone during meals, family time, and in social/work gatherings where your active participation is expected,” Merlo concludes. “Leisure activities involving live people should exceed leisure activities involving phone interaction.” Chris Ziegler, an admitted cell abuser and mobile editor for Endgaget, on the other hand, is quick to note that cell phones are increasingly becoming an extension of who we are, so any time limits would be unfair. “Keep in mind that young people are just as likely to use smartphones as an integral tool for connecting socially,” he says, “which means they could be on the phone all day for work and on the phone all night for play.”

And what about mobile providers? Should they play a role in limiting abuse by, say, notifying consumers of the obsessive nature of smartphones? Merlo says no. “Again, we don’t have adequate data to suggest that that phones themselves are addictive, so I think such a recommendation would be considered premature at this point. However, it may be useful to include warnings against texting while driving and other dangerous behavior.” Noting that AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Apple and Research in Motion all profit from overuse, it’s understandable that they all declined comment for this story. You’re on your own for now.

If you decide you do have a problem, the best way to avoid future abuse is to plan ahead. For example, decide beforehand when and how you will use your phone, including periodic power downs. Turn off alerts for low-priority phone messages. And set limits on how often you tweet, so as not to disturb more important things in life — like true friendship, hard deadlines and (you guessed it) safe driving.

Image credits: Crackberry.com, Zazzle.com

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I won’t go all the way out to say the wireless sector regularly engages in bad business practices, but it’s pretty hard to argue the industry has been best serving the customer for, let’s say, the last 15 years.

Good luck in staring down a government with rolled-up sleeves and the political will to impose heavy regulation on offending businesses.

More regulation may not be the answer, but a bit more electronics liberation would be nice.

Check out the disingenuous quote from the CTIA veep below — wireless offerings are cheaper than 15 (fifteen!) years ago? Really? And there are services you can get today that weren’t available in 1994? Wow that progress thing is just so cool! Thanks for setting this story straight Mr. Spokesman.

From the link:

Facing an unprecedented onslaught of criticism of its pricing practices, exclusive handset deals and other moves, the wireless industry is gearing up to defend itself in hearings before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other government groups.”The wireless industry in the U.S. has the coolest handsets, the applications are more robust, and the networks have the highest speeds with the lowest pricing,” said Christopher Guttman-McCabe, vice president of regulatory affairs at the CTIA in an interview today. “Can things get better? Yes. But things will get better.”

The CTIA, an association of carriers, handset makers and a growing number of wireless ecosystem players like Google Inc., says it is a bit confused by the level of criticism heaped upon the industry in recent weeks. Critics have leveled a variety of complaints ranging from what they contend is a lack of wireless innovation to overcharging for monthly services, Guttman-McCabe said.

“I think it’s extremely hard to understand the criticism we’re hearing,” Guttman-McCabe said. “People pay … a hell of a lot less than they paid [for wireless services] 15 years ago, and think of what you get now that you couldn’t get then.”The CTIA is planning to carefully watch the FCC’s meeting on Thursday to consider whether to conduct three probes, or “inquiries,” into the wireless industry. The FCC will decide whether it will work to find ways to encourage wireless vendors to be more innovative, competitive and open in providing information to consumers looking to buy wireless services.