Category Archives: Access to Technology & Broadband
Mike Montgomery: President Obama’s State of the Union Address Should Offer Hope for the New Economy
Today, speechwriters in the West Wing will put the finishing touches on President Obama’s State of the Union address. The State of the Union provides every President an unparalleled opportunity to showcase his policy priorities. And the opportunity is never more valuable than in an inaugural year, when it can set the tone for the next four. This year I hope the President speaks to the digital economy and, specifically, California’s burgeoning tech sector.
In my dream scenario, the President’s speech will sketch a blueprint for building a stronger future for America. To me that means focusing some policies on Silicon Valley and San Francisco, still the headquarters of the new economy, a fact that Washington seems to forget from time-to-time. Tech-friendly policy initiatives will directly benefit the new economy, California, and the U.S. Take these, for example:
Give the app economy a boost. As consumers and businesses use more and more data, California’s burgeoning app economy could use a digital infrastructure upgrade, which could be accomplished by moving to all-IP networks across the country. A new Brookings Institution book by Robert Litan and Hal Singer, The Need for Speed: A New Framework for Telecommunications Policy for the 21st Century, offers a potential roadmap for a regulatory re-think that could help expedite the delivery of broadband to consumers and keep the new economy humming. Meanwhile, the federal government, under President Obama’s leadership, needs to speed the reallocation of underutilized spectrum, the invisible radio waves over which our connected devices communicate. If our telecommunications infrastructure clogs up like our freeways at rush hour, either because of inadequate spectrum or insufficient private investment, then our app economy will suffer.
CALinnovates and California-Based Tech Groups Ask FCC to Speed Modernization of Nation’s Communications Networks
| For Immediate Release Wednesday, January 30, 2013 |
Contact: Mike Montgomery mike@calinnovates.org 415-494-8626 |
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$14 Billion Additional Investment in Broadband Networks Means Big Things for Consumers and Innovators
| For Immediate Release Tuesday, November 13, 2012 |
Contact: Mike Montgomery mike@calinnovates.org 415-494-8626 |
$14 Billion Additional Investment in Broadband Networks Means Big Things for Consumers and Innovators
CALinnovates’ new infographic says evolving consumer behavior demands private sector investment to expand communications infrastructure and support tech innovation
SAN FRANCISCO – California’s economic recovery will be bolstered by a recent announcement that AT&T plans to invest an additional $14 billion to expand and enhance its wired and wireless Internet Protocol (IP) broadband networks. For Californians looking for expanded access to the benefits of the Internet, this development signals great optimism for the future of communications, according to CALinnovates, a San Francisco-based high-tech advocacy group.
According to their 3-year investment plan, 300 million people will be covered by AT&T 4G LTE by the end of 2014, and millions more will have access to next-generation wireline IP broadband networks. CALinnovates Executive Director Mike Montgomery stated, “Connecting virtually everyone in the U.S. with high-speed Internet is a long stride in the right direction toward meeting the goal of President Obama’s National Broadband Plan. And we know that high-speed Internet connections, both wired and wireless, create the kind of jobs we urgently need right now.”
“Consumers, entrepreneurs and people everywhere are clamoring for more connectivity and faster speeds. It takes this kind of multi-billion dollar private sector investment to give people the high-speed connections they want and need,” said Montgomery. “Investment is the linchpin to staying ahead of the massive growth in consumer demand for speed, data capacity and devices and apps that are now central to our lives.”
A new CALinnovates infographic on its website documents how consumers are driving the market that is revolutionizing communications and creating skyrocketing demand for new technology that can handle more data than ever before. In describing the infographic, Montgomery said, “Consumers today want to be connected everywhere in every way possible. But, we can’t take for granted the robust high-speed networks that are necessary to carry the innovations that are driving the economy and improving our lives. Those networks require mega investments to keep them growing and improving.”
“Continued investment to build the communications infrastructure of the future is what will keep the U.S. and Silicon Valley ahead of the innovation curve,” he said.
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Transformational Transportation – The Rideshare Revolution
Yesterday, I joined the rideshare revolution. Today I’m writing about it. I downloaded this app on my iPhone and took three short car trips yesterday courtesy of SideCar, a San Francisco-based ridesharing company that connects people who need a ride with drivers already on the road. Simply put, it’s a reinvention of carpooling through smartphone technology.
SideCar, founded by visionary cleanweb venture capitalist Sunil Paul, is only available in San Francisco at this time.
Staying Connected: A Runner’s Perspective
If you run or bike while listening to music and want to keep your eyes on the road, the smartphone is your friend. An iPod is great, but it doesn’t give you the variety a smartphone offers. Today, we don’t really need to carry multiple single-use devices. Today’s smartphones incorporate many of the following standard-use items:
- Phones
- Music Players
- Televisions
- Computers
- Flashlights
- Cameras
- Phone Books
- Maps
- Newspapers
Of course, not every item is necessary if you’re training for a marathon like our interviewee is here, but why carry more than one device if you’ve got to carry anything at all?
See our interview with Lauren, a marathon runner who uses her iPhone during long practice runs.
Interview with Phil Ting, SF Assessor-Recorder and Candidate for CA Assembly
CALinnovates interviews Phil Ting about the SF tech rebirth, his role in ensuring a tech-friendly environment in San Francisco, and as a candidate for CA Assembly*, how he will bring these common sense public policy solutions to Sacramento.
*This is not an endorsement of Ting’s candidacy. CALinnovates cannot endorse candidates for elected office per its 501(c)(4) nonprofit status.
Interview with Richard Bloom, Mayor of Santa Monica
Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom met with us to talk about his experience with and vision for California’s tech community. The City of Santa Monica, while known mostly for its beaches, is also home to a thriving tech community. Mayor Bloom has embraced the biz-tech community and, as a candidate for the State Assembly*, is outspoken about the role tech will play in our state’s future.
*This is not an endorsement of Bloom’s candidacy. CALinnovates cannot endorse candidates for elected office per its 501(c)(4) nonprofit status.
Interview with John Duffield, JWT Inside
CALinnovates sits down with John Duffield, Senior Digital Strategist for JWT Inside. Hear what he has to say about reaching out to job seekers, increasing broadband access, and the “Pirates of Silicon Valley”
Using Tech to Stay “In Tune:” the Ultimate Guitar App
CALinnovates interviews an Americorps volunteer who uses the “Ultimate Guitar” app to lead campfire sing-a-longs on his outdoor education trips