The CTIA Conference in San Diego was filled with both strong ideas and subtle hints about where mobility is headed in the next year. The week got started with keynote addresses by the CEO's of AT&T, Verizon & Sprint. The crowd didn't quite know what to make of uncomfortable jabs sent back and forth between AT&T and Sprint. Sprint's CEO (Hesse) compared AT&T's CEO (de la Vega) to John Wilkes Booth; not so flattering a comparison. In reply, de la Vega quipped that it was Hesse who was more like President Lincoln's assassin, because Hesse was "the biggest actor in the industry." Here are 3 things SDSol took away from the conference:
1. M2M (machine-to-machine) Technology is going to have a strong year next year. As GPS hardware continues to evolve, more comprehensive data is becoming accessible over web and mobile applications. For instance, do you own a fleet of trucks, and want to know where they are, how fast they're going, when they'll arrive at their destination, where the driver went to eat, etc...? The hardware being created is getting more and more advanced, and is hungry for custom software integration. Most of the companies SDSol talked to did not have applications for their hardware. Software companies would be wise to make strong contacts in the M2M hardware industry.
2. Healthcare Mobility will save lives and money in years to come. More accurate record keeping, fewer visits to the doctor, document/x-ray viewing capability, and remote monitoring devices will drive costs down for patients and doctors. The next incarnation of healthcare is certain to make Dr. Gregory House jump for joy, as it will bring about less patient/doctor interaction, and more efficient data accumulation. Mobile Apps are bringing the Doctor’s office to your smart phone. Elements of M2M and unique software ideas and integration will hopefully help to drive costs down for everyone. We’ll believe it when we see it.
3. MVNO Companies need to play a bigger role in the market . Mobile Virtual Network Operators are the second tier in the Mobile Network Environment. These companies buy minutes from AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, and offer recycled or revamped mobile packages for end users. Boost or Virgin are examples of MVNO's. As mobility grows, and smart phone technology is becoming a necessity, not a luxury for businesses, MVNO's are in a position to take a bite out of the market, ONLY, if they partner with the right MVNE, or Mobile Virtual Network Enabler. SDSol was disappointed with MVNO presence at the show, but we know that MVNO’s are a growing industry with a promising future.
