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Announcing Speakers for CTIA-FCBA State and Federal Policy Panels at CTIA 2013

We just released our CTIA-FCBA State and Federal Policy Panels at CTIA 2013 and have a fantastic lineup of speakers and moderators. Our group will have a diverse background – from federal and state policymakers to reporters to our members, there’s a depth and variety of experiences that will mean great discussions.

Our program will kick off on Tuesday May 21st with a panel of leading policymakers from state government, including public utility commissioners and elected representatives, and will continue with a panel focused entirely on emerging  public safety issues in the new mobile world.

On Wednesday, we will do a deep dive on spectrum issues, keynoted by speeches from the Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Ajit Pai. Both of our Wednesday panels will focus on the challenges and importance of bringing more spectrum to market to meet consumer demand and serve as a platform for innovation. One panel will focus entirely on broadcast TV incentive auctions, and the other panel will tackle other key spectrum topics, like the effort to make more efficient use of federal government spectrum, the need for both licensed and unlicensed spectrum and the role of new technologies in meeting mobile broadband demand.

We are looking forward to a great discussion and to seeing you at the CTIA 2013 policy panels!

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Wireless Policy Hot Topics: Tuesday, May 21, 2013;  2:00-3:15 pm

Key state government decision makers will discuss wireless policy hot topics on a range of issues including the growth in mobile broadband adoption, wireless regulation, wireless tax policy, tower siting, universal service policy, and more.  Panelists will answer questions about policies they think will best spur wireless’ continued growth, innovation, and evolution.

  • Moderator:     Jamie Hastings, Vice President, CTIA
  • Moderator:     Ina Fried, All Things D
  • Panelist:          Joe Armstrong, State Representative – Tennessee; President NBCSL
  • Panelist:          Orjiakor Isiogu, Commissioner, Michigan Public Service Commission
  • Panelist:          Paul Kjellander, President, Idaho Public Utilities Commission
  • Panelist:          Bruce Starr, State Senator – Oregon, President-Elect of NCSL

Wireless in the New Public Safety Ecosystem: Tuesday, May 21, 2013;  3:30-4:45 pm

Over the last year, wireless communications have withstood unprecedented emergency events to demonstrate the increasing value and reliance that consumers place on wireless. The evolving wireless landscape has also raised public expectations to utilize wireless for emergency response, coordination and communications. With these growing expectations come challenging technical, operational and regulatory questions. A panel of industry representative, public safety leaders and policymakers will address the major issues at the intersection of wireless communications and Public Safety.  Panelists will explore the deployment of Text to 911, evolution of Next Generation 9-1-1, utilization of wireless emergency alerts, and coordinated responses to emergency situations, among other topics.

  • Moderator:     Brian Josef, Assistant Vice President, CTIA
  • Moderator:     Phil Goldstein, Editor, FierceWireless
  • Panelist:          Jeff Cohen, Chief Counsel – Law and Policy, Director of Government Relations, APCO
  • Panelist:          Holly Henderson, External Affairs Manager, SouthernLINC Wireless
  • Panelist:          Brandt Hershman, State Senate Majority Leader, State of Indiana
  • Panelist:          Charles McKee, Vice President, Government Affairs - Federal & State Regulatory, Sprint Nextel
  • Panelist:          Phil Montgomery, Chairperson, Wisconsin Public Service Commission

All of the Above:  Spectrum Planning for the New Mobile World: Wednesday, May 22, 2013; 1:30-3:00 pm

Spurred by rapid increases in demand for mobile broadband services and the growing importance of mobile broadband to our economy, policymakers have taken an “all of the above” approach to bringing additional spectrum to market.  This panel will focus on the multiple efforts to free up spectrum to meet mobile broadband demand, with a focus on spectrum for licensed and unlicensed use, the balance between cleared and shared spectrum, and the prospects for a new infusion of the fuel that drives mobile innovation.

Kick-off Remarks:        Jessica Rosenworcel, Commissioner, FCC

  • Moderator:     Scott Bergmann, Assistant Vice President, CTIA
  • Moderator:     David Goldman, CNNMoney
  • Panelist:          David Goldman, Legal Advisor -- Office of Comm.  Rosenworcel, FCC
  • Panelist:          Tom Power, Deputy Chief Technology Officer, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
  • Panelist:          Tom Sugrue, Vice President of Government Affairs, T-Mobile
  • Panelist:          David Taylor, CEO, Capitol Solutions
  • Panelist:          Peter Tenhula, Senior Advisor, National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Spectrum Incentive Auctions:  Step Right Up!: Wednesday, May 22, 2013; 3:15-4:45 pm

The U.S. has long led the world in both wireless services and spectrum policy.  That trend will continue in 2013 with the introduction of an all-new tool: voluntary incentive auctions.  In 2012, Congress authorized the FCC to design and hold incentive auctions to free up valuable broadcast television spectrum for mobile broadband use.    The effort will create new challenges for policymakers and new opportunities for mobile players.  This panel will discuss the broadcast television incentive auction, its implementation, and its implications for U.S. wireless leadership.

Kick-off Remarks:       Ajit Pai, Commissioner, FCC

  • Moderator:     Krista Witanowski, Assistant Vice President, CTIA
  • Moderator:     Kevin Fitchard, Senior Writer, GigaOM
  • Panelist:          Matthew Berry, Chief of Staff, Office of Comm. Pai, FCC
  • Panelist:          Paula Boyd, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Microsoft
  • Panelist:          Joan Marsh, Vice President-Federal Regulatory, AT&T
  • Panelist:          Grant Spellmeyer, Vice President - Federal Affairs and Public Policy, US Cellular

The Smartest Buoy in the Bay

For more than 300 years catching fish, oysters and the famous Chesapeake Blue Crab has been a major economic driver for many Maryland residents. By using wireless interpretive buoys, vital data and information, such as speed and direction of the currents, are being transmitted to the watermen and charter captains improving their chances of a better “haul.”

Quick Facts on the U.S. Wireless Industry

A couple of weeks ago, we released our semi-annual survey. With the year-end 2012 numbers, the industry continues to grow and invest despite the current economy. The fact that our members spent the highest ever in capital expenditures in 2012 shows that they are focused on providing their customers – you and me – the fastest and best networks in the world.

I know that some people like to gripe about the U.S. wireless industry, but the facts remain that we are the world’s leader. Carriers spent $94 per subscriber in the U.S., compared to $16 per subscriber for the rest of the world, even though we have only five percent of the world’s wireless users! We have more 4G subscribers than any other country, despite having fewer people. We talk and text more than other countries, yet we pay less. We have 96% of users with a data plan.

After working in this industry for more than 20 years, I recognize that I may be perceived as a bit biased. So that’s why I pulled together this one page independent assessmentPDF about the U.S. wireless industry.

Whether it’s innovation, value, competition, economic impact or mobile access and satisfaction, the U.S. wireless industry is workingPDF.

As Stanford Professor Bill Barnett explained in a blog post, “As a firm competes, it becomes more capable, and so performs better.  Even though its rivals also perform better, the net effect turns out to be beneficial in time. Highly competitive markets, over time, feature some of the world's greatest competitors…Competition is good for you.”

NCMEC Hope Awards 2013 Dinner

Last night in Washington, D.C., CTIA President and CEO Steve Largent accepted the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) Hope Awards.

Steve accepted the award on behalf of the wireless industry for its work on the Wireless AMBER Alerts, which has now transitioned to

CTIA Statement on the FCC’s NPRM Examining Ways to Address Contraband Cellphones in Prisons

Upon release of the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) examining ways to address contraband cellphones in prisons, I said:

“We applaud the Commission for continuing the effort to identify ways to combat the problem ...

CTIA Year-End 2012 Semi-Annual Wireless Industry Survey

Today, we released CTIA's year-end semi-annual survey and CTIA's Wireless Industry Indices report (the comprehensive round-up and analysis of the survey results).

Once again, the wireless industry survey reveals some extraordinary results. Capital investment, for example, reached ...

CTIA Statement After Mignon Clyburn Named Acting Chairwoman of the FCC

After President Obama named Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Mignon Clyburn as acting Chairwoman, I said:

"On behalf of the wireless industry, we are pleased that Commissioner Clyburn has been named Acting Chairwoman of the FCC. We have worked for several years with the Commissioner and her staff, and believe that she ...

CTIA Statement After President Obama Nominated Tom Wheeler as FCC Chairman

After President Obama nominated Tom Wheeler as Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman, I said:

"On behalf of the wireless industry, we congratulate Tom on today’s announcement. Tom has a deep understanding of communications issues, a passion for hard work and creative thinking, a diverse background that spans the realm of the ...

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