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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2010
36
From the
americas
As noted by Edward Wyatt in the
International
Herald Tribune
, “While it is not unexpected that the
Obama administration would embrace some of the
recommendations of the National Broadband Plan [a
Federal Communications Commission vision for universal
broadband access in the US by 2020], the announcement is
significant because it puts momentum behind actions that
the FCC does not have the authority to take on its own.”
(“Broadband Availability to Expand,” 27
th
June)
Mr Wyatt observed that some aspects of the effort could be
opposed by television broadcast companies perhaps wary
of giving up any of their holdings. Cable companies that
have invested heavily in wired telecommunications networks
could also lose from the new direction, he said.
Doctors’ visits by cell phone? San Diego
envisions a leadership role in the nascent
wireless technology health sector
On the same day on which President Obama announced
his broadband-enhancement initiative, the city of San Diego
was positioning itself out in front of the trend – as a wireless
health hub. The scope of its ambitions can be gauged by
the international cast of experts gathered in nearby La
Jolla to discuss the convergence of cell phone technology
and medicine.
San Diego
Union-Tribune
staff writer Keith Darcé reported that
the event was being hosted by the World Economic Forum,
the Geneva-based organisation best known for its annual
meeting in Davos, Switzerland, which convenes presidents,
company chieftains and scientists to consider some of the
world’s urgent concerns and promising opportunities.
At La Jolla, the focus was narrowed to the delivery of health
services by way of small portable devices enabled by cell
phone technology.
The event, which was closed to the public, was
spearheaded by the forum’s Council on the Future of
Mobile Communications. That group is led by Paul Jacobs,
chairman and CEO of Qualcomm, the global wireless
technology giant based in San Diego.
The southern California retirement oasis best known for
having the world’s most perfect weather also happens to be
home to 300 wireless companies, 500 biotechnology firms,
dozens of medical research institutes and several large
hospital systems.
As noted by Mr Darcé, “A growing number of technology
experts said the combination is giving birth to a wireless
health cluster that could be a dominant player on the global
stage and create hundreds of businesses and thousands of
jobs in the region.” (“Summit Planned on Mobile Medicine,”
27
th
June)