WCA September 2010

From the americas

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)

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.

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2010