Category Archives: Economy & Jobs
Center of Tech
Silicon Valley gets the majority of California’s tech ink, but according to an encouraging new report from the Progressive Policy Institute, the tech sector is benefiting the entire state as a whole.
According to PPI economist Michael Mandel, California has added jobs at a quicker pace than the rest of the country. Great news, to be sure, but when PPI breaks down the types of tech sector jobs and the areas of the state where employment is booming, things get interesting.
When drilled down to jobs centered around computers and mathematics, the Central Valley has seen the biggest increase in demand over the past year. For media and communications jobs, the Southern Border and Southern California are experiencing a boom. And in web development, it’s the Central Coast and Central Valley (again) that are leading the charge.
None of this means Silicon Valley is on the decline — far from it. But it does show that the tech sector continues to be a major force in the California economy from north to south and all the points in between, and it’s exciting to see another Washington, D.C. stakeholder take note.
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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Mayor’s report suggests ways to attract high-tech industry to Los Angeles
For Los Angeles to develop and expand its high-tech industry, the city must change its public perception, a new report commissioned by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says.
The Los Angeles Mayor’s Council on Innovation and Industry, formed by the mayor last March, released its 24-page report on Wednesday listing ways the city can work with the high-tech industry to develop it further in L.A.
$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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Why Public Policy is Critical to the Communications Revolution
In Silicon Valley local issues and global issues are often closely linked. It’s inevitable in a region where home grown high-tech is creating groundbreaking changes across the globe and supporting an entire region’s economic growth and job market.
With the introduction of the iPhone right here in the Valley and advent of mobile apps, the so-called “App Economy” is a huge local issue for Silicon Valley and the rest of California. It contributes $8.2 billion a year and supports 152,000 jobs in California, according to CTIA and the Application Developers Alliance.
But, the most forceful demonstration of the global impact is the communications revolution taking place today. ”Smart networks,” such as wireless and wireline IP (Internet Protocol)-based networks, allow consumers to tap into super-fast Internet speeds so that they can better access video, voice and data services over the Internet. With communications technology playing a leading role in daily life, it’s no surprise high-tech honchos are holding the Silicon Valley Wireless Symposium on November 2nd at Marvell headquarters in Santa Clara to discuss public policy that ensures a sound path forward for 21st Century communications infrastructure.
Read the Full post at The Daily Kos
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.
Transformational Transportation — The Rise of Uber
On my penultimate trip to D.C., it took far longer to find a cab to Dulles than I anticipated. Once I flagged one down, I thought the stress of the mad dash was essentially over. I was wrong. About a mile away from the airport, I asked my driver if he accepted credit cards, as I couldn’t cover the fee in cash. Much to the surprise of few in Washington, the gruff cabbie said “no,” that he did not take credit cards. He did, however, offer me one option, which felt more like an ultimatum. I could get out of the taxi, shuffle down a flight of stairs, bank left and use an inconveniently-placed ATM. After withdrawing my cash, I could sprint back to the car and exchange my money for my luggage. What a deal.
On my last trip to Washington, I had learned my lesson. Two lessons, actually. The first was to carve out time for an anticipatory trip to the ATM. The second lesson was to download the Uber app on my smartphone.
Why the iPhone Economy Is Drawing Silicon Valley Deeper Into Washington Politics
Anyone looking for evidence that the esoteric and wonky is becoming increasingly important in mainstream politics need look no further than the theatrical launch of the iPhone 5.
Preorders for the latest magical device from Apple have sold out. Numbers released by the Pew Internet & American Life Foundation earlier this week say that 66 percent of younger Americans already own an iPhone or some other smartphone. By some estimates, more than 50 billion devices will wirelessly connect to each other by 2020 – that’s more than seven times the number of human beings on the planet. Wireless technology already also connect our cars, our utility meters, and even devices implanted in our bodies.
New FCC Commissioners a Breath of Fresh Air
Mike Montgomery
It usually takes fresh thinking to bring about positive changes in government, and sometimes it takes fresh faces. We had a great example of that in Silicon Valley last week as Jessica Rosenworcel and Ajit Pai, the two new Commissioners at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), visited with a coalition of technology business leaders to discuss ways to foster innovation and economic growth in tech industries, particularly telecommunications.
What made this visit so refreshing is that it involved two senior regulators going to Silicon Valley to listen to entrepreneurs and innovators and better understand the needs of the high-tech community. To make business work and to keep entrepreneurs innovating, the right business environment must be in place – an environment that promotes and accelerates the invention and application of new devices and technologies. The FCC is key to helping establish an environment that promotes regulatory certainty to enable growth and innovation throughout the entire telecom ecosystem.
In recent speeches and statements, both of these Commissioners have addressed the need for quicker decision making by the FCC and leadership to advance infrastructure investment throughout the industry. For example, Commissioner Pai recently stated that “the FCC should be as nimble as the industry we oversee”, he said the FCC should ensure that it isn’t a barrier to investment and innovation – by making well thought out but quicker decisions in order to spur broadband investment, facilitate growth and create jobs in telecom.
Commissioner Rosenworcel acknowledged during her visit, how the high tech sector promotes innovation with speed and alacrity. After meeting with industry leaders, Commissioner Rosenworcel noted that “[t]he digital economy is growing fast and there are lessons to learn from its energy.” Technology changes rapidly – new devices are invented, new applications are created, new services are brought online and new opportunities enrich consumers’ lives.
To keep our high tech sector growing and innovating, the nation’s policymakers should ensure that we eliminate unnecessary and burdensome barriers that innovators and entrepreneurs face when deciding to invest and deploy in the next generation of facilities, services and applications. In order to continue our leadership role in the deployment of advanced broadband services, the high tech sector needs regulatory certainty, and quick FCC decision making. A strong, bipartisan approach will be needed to set the right policies for our high tech economy to thrive. Fortunately for the FCC, two Commissioners last week took the time to witness what is needed first hand and to listen to the experts — and who came back to DC showing that they understand the needs of our Nation’s high tech community.
We look forward to new and exciting prospects for consumers in technology, and we look forward to the continued great work of Commissioners Pai and Rosenworcel.