Yes, yes y’all, we’re ready to bring the action straight from the first day of CTIA 2010. Up first is the opening keynote with AT&Ts CEO of Mobility, Ralph de la Vega. Sit back, relax, and hopefully stand up and shout when some news breaks!
9:00 AM: It’s just getting started and we’re in our seats ready to go!
9:09 AM: Ralph de la Vega is on the stage. He’s talking about a revolution (insert Beatles lyrics here).
9:12 AM: speaking about the transformation of industries as a whole and the important role that wireless is going to play in the future world and U.S. economy.
9:14 AM: U.S. has 117 million 3G subscribers, accounts for 18% of world’s subscribers. Only has 7% of world’s customer base.
9:15 AM: U.S. has 70,000 Wi-Fi hotspots, the next closest country is China with 36,000. de la Vega says that these hotspots are complimentary to a vibrant mobile broadband network.
9:16 AM: U.S. is predicted to spend $22-33 billion on wireless capital expenditures in 2010.
9:17 AM: Ralph just threw in a dig about the success of the U.S. wireless industry being due to the “lack of regulation.”
9:19 AM: de la Vega declares LTE the winner in 4G technology. Wonder if Dan Hesse will have anything to say about that when he speaks at tomorrow mornings keynote.
9:20 AM: This talk is very U.S. focused.
9:22 AM: 75% of workers will depend on a mobile broadband network (in some capacity) by 2013 (IDC Mobile Worker Study, December 2009).
9:25 AM: “Consumers have gotten a taste of what the U.S. mobile broadband ecosystem can deliver…” from CTIA’s statement to the FCC today.
9:25 AM: Pew research says that by the end of 2020 mobile devices will be the primary internet device for most people world wide.
9:26 AM: Cisco predicts that mobile video will the lions-share of mobile broadband traffic by 2014.
9:30 AM: He’s killing us with numbers… and isn’t the most captivating speaker.
9:30 AM: LTE is 2.5x more efficient than HSPA.
9:31 AM: LTE isn’t enough to supply the bandwidth consumers want. Will have to leverage Wi-Fi hotspots and femtocell technology.
9:34 AM: Talking about adding spectrum (call to FCC) and on the entire wireless broadband ecosystem (all carriers) working together to give consumers the best experience possible.
9:36 AM: Talking about legal policies (think Congress) that will allow the industry to grow.
9:36 AM: Mercifully, he has finished.
9:37 AM: Up next…
9:38 AM: We’re now watching a professionally done video about Wi-Fi use. And… it was 15 seconds long.
9:39 AM: 285.6 million wireless subscribers, is $41.3 billion in revenue for wireless companies
9:40 AM: +28% year-over-year
9:40 AM: 1.6 trillion text message were sent in 2009 (didn’t specify whether that was in the U.S. or worldwide), along with 34.5 billion MMS in the U.S.
9:42 AM: Chairman of the FCC has a video for us about the U.S. Mobile Broadband Plan and how awesome said plan is. Fosters freedom, transformative, totally rad, you get the idea.
9:43 AM: Chairman (via video still) is talking about spectrum owners voluntarily surrendering some of their spectrum in exchange for a share in the auction proceeds.
9:46 AM: Video is done. Steve Largent has the mic again — he’s introducing Randal Stephenson, Chairman, CEO and President of AT&T, Inc.
9:50 AM: Just referred to “well intended but stifling regulation” being a cause for some of the U.S.’s wireless issues.
9:50 AM: Talking about innovation, jobs, U.S. lead in wireless usage/subscribers/investment.
9:54 AM: AT&T’s network carrier’s around half of all U.S. wireless data traffic, so says the CEO.
9:56 AM: Talking about lab tests AT&T is conducting. One interesting one was a device that can scan a geographic area of cell phones and blast a text message out to those devices even if the network does not know the phones MAC address. Useful for disaster warnings and first responders. Obviously it will be controlled from the network side, won’t be able to pick one up at RadioShack®.
9:59 AM: The three pillars of wireless according to the CEO: regulation, spectrum, strategic industry collaboration and cooperation. “We get these right, the U.S. leads the world in innovation.”
10:01 AM: Stephenson is done. Up next, world famous handball player (yes, I’m serious), Chairman of Telophica International USA Iñaki Urdangarin.
10:02 AM: ANNOUNCEMENT CTIA will provide Latin American carriers with a short code standard (as it does in the U.S.), creating the worlds largest mobile marketing tool.
10:06 AM: Okay, he’s beginning his keynote now. We’re seeing a video. “Just follow the day and reach for the sun…” I hate this song.
10:07 AM: He looks sort of short to be an Olympic handball player.
10:11 AM: Telefonica’s services are ranked #2 worldwide in Enterprise Value (AT&T is #1) and #4 in worldwide market capitalization (ChinaMobile is #1).
10:14 AM: Talking about how the majority of cash reserves and in-turn investment potential are in “emerging economies” and not “advanced economies.”
10:19 AM: Captain’s Log: I need a Red Bull.
10:19 AM: “movilforum” is connecting developers with Telefonica’s corporate client’s. First even will be in Brazil and will have over 2,000 developers in attendance.
