Welcome to a special CTIA edition of Hedgehogging by RCRNews.com Online Editor Mike Dano. To read more of Dano’s columns, visit RCRNews.com and click on “Worst of the Week.”
So as far as I can tell, one of the big issues at this year’s CTIA Wireless 2007 show was coverage. Boring, huh?
I personally was hoping for something a little more exciting to happen, like maybe Disney buying Sprint Nextel or Nortel giving up in wireless and getting into the used-car business. But maybe that’s just me.
Anyway, cobbling together a few of the news items from the show offers evidence that coverage is a big deal: Samsung introduced a new CDMA femtocell, Alcatel-Lucent scored a $6 billion network-upgrade contract, and Verizon Wireless announced it now employs almost 100 “test engineers.” (I wonder if they’re all as annoying as that “Can You Hear Me Now” guy?)
Coverage is an especially important topic since several RCR Wireless News staffers could not get reception inside our offices at the Orlando Convention Center. This resulted in some hilarious communications mishaps, like missed deadlines and meeting screw-ups. But hey, it’s only a job, right?
The point is that wireless service at the convention center seemed kinda sucky. Why is this? The wireless industry has been around for more than 20 years now, so why am I still having trouble getting text messages? I’m paying $100 a month for this service, but I don’t get the “please wear a suit” message until after my important meeting? It’s not like I was crossing the Sahara-I was in downtown Orlando!
I know that in-building coverage is difficult, and there’s plenty of steel and concrete to get in the way, but seriously someone should fix this!
Indeed, convention center coverage was so bad that I wasn’t able to watch Justin Timberlake TV on my cellphone. And I LOVE Justin Timberlake TV.
And now, some extras:
- AT&T announced an agreement with Lifetime Entertainment Services to begin carrying Lifetime, LMN and Lifetime Real Women on its U-verse cable TV service. With channels like that, I can’t tell if they’re trying to get people to sign up for their service. or scare them away.
- At the show, UTStarcom invited CTIA show attendees on “a journey to a world of better communication.” I was hoping this meant the company was going to explain its products a bit more clearly, but unfortunately this is not the case. From the company’s press release: “UTStarcom has historically led the industry in the development of next-generation technologies including the IP DSLAM, Gigabit Ethernet, PON and IPTV.” I think IP DSLAM is a religious holiday, but I’m not sure.
- Several major news outlets covered the CTIA Wireless 2007 show along with RCR Wireless News. One notable news headline to come out of the show: “CTIA Wireless show to focus on wireless services.” All I have to say is: Well, duh.
