When Qualcomm’s Dr. Irwin Jacobs looks forward to the next World Telecom show, in 2003, he predicts the continuing convergence of the computer and mobile phone. Jacobs foresees a cellular phone that is used throughout the day, with data downloaded once a user returns to the office or home. “We’ll be seeing tremendous computing power in phones,” he said.
Jacobs also sees a future that is even more wireless-oriented. Communications backbones will be fiber, but individual access will be wireless, according to Jacobs.
“I think wireless will be all-pervasive,” he said. “Most phone calls will be placed on wireless terminals. Users of [wireless] data will expand greatly.”
Position-location services, combining network-based and global positioning system (GPS) technology, also will become more important. “Phones will provide position location for the user. You’ll be able to get information and be charged depending on your potential location,” said Jacobs.
For Qualcomm, this Telecom conference will differ from Telecom ’95 in that the company was still educating the industry about its CDMA technology four years ago. “Some people were very skeptical about it [in 1995],” said Jacobs. “In the last four years, that has changed considerable … The technical and commercial issues are behind us. [Now the focus is on] expanding the market and adding new applications.”
Sandra Wendelken in Denver, United States
