RCR Wireless News has been naming a “Person of the Year” for 10 years. This year’s candidates are the most diverse. In fact, one of them isn’t even a person. The criterion for person of the year is simply this: Who had the greatest impact on the wireless industry this year?
The editorial staff already cast its votes, but we’d like to hear who you think most influenced the industry in 2003. Log on to rcrnews.com and go to the poll near the bottom left-hand side of the home page to cast your vote. Previous winners are: Morgan O’Brien (Nextel, ’93); Reed Hundt (FCC chair, ’94); Wayne Schelle and Jai Bhagat (APC and SkyTel, ’95); Irwin Jacobs (Qualcomm, ’96); George Schmitt (Omnipoint, ’97); Dan Hesse (AT&T Wireless, ’98); Alain Rossmann (Phone.com, ’99); Chris Gent (Vodafone, ’00); Allen Salmasi (NextWave, ’01) and Dennis Strigl (Verizon, ’02).
Here are the finalists for the 2003 Person of the Year in no particular order:
Tim Donahue, Nextel Communications Inc.’s chief executive. A runner-up in 2002, Donahue continually leads Nextel with a steady hand, boasting the best ARPU in the industry, garnering a significant share of the lucrative business market, and this year, successfully staving off competition brought on by local number portability and push-to-talk service.
Michael Powell, FCC chairman. Powell’s philosophy of letting the marketplace decide forced wireless carriers to deal with two serious issues this year: LNP and the potential threat from unlicensed wireless technologies. Both of these measures likely will change the face of the wireless industry as we know it.
The consumer. Consumers have always had a voice in the industry. They obviously vote with every dollar they spend on wireless. But this year the consumer voice was the loudest it has ever been. What with a consumer’s bill of rights, Web sites like cellphonehell.org and the mayor of New York City urging citizens to call in dead spots so carriers know where they are (like they didn’t already), consumers are being heard loud and strong. Whether droves of subscribers actually switch carriers via new LNP rules remains to be seen, but subscribers are enjoying their newfound power.
The camera phone. With a nod to LightSurf Technologies Inc.’s Philippe Kahn, the camera phone has captured the heart and soul of the wireless industry this year. Camera phones finally are bringing all of the possibilities of mobile data to the masses. It’s data that works. But the camera phone’s users don’t think of it that way; they’re just snapping photos to capture thieves, show their friends which lounge they are at, or show their spouse which tie they plan to buy. This simple device has the power to forever change the way people communicate.
Go ahead, vote. We’ll announce the winner in our Dec. 22/29 issue.
