Give up DoD spectrum fight
Dear Editor,
I am writing you in concern of the battle over the Department of Defense spectrum battle. I myself am split between how I feel and what should be done with this spectrum. I have worked in the wireless industry for the past two years and have seen first hand the lack of spectrum needed for 3G networks.
At the same time I do not feel it is right for DoD to be pressured to give up their spectrum. The reason I feel this way is that I also served several years in the U.S. Army. I was part of a six-man team that had the mission of being deployed far behind enemy lines and operating under hazardous conditions. As the communications man for these teams, the last thing I want to worry about is that I am going to get interference from some civilian wireless carrier. Our communications are our lifeline.
How would you feel being dropped off 70 kilometers behind hostile lines and not being able to make contact with your headquarters. You are the eyes and ears of your Division and/or Corps. These fellow soldiers’ lives depend on what you see and hear. Without any communications, you cannot call for a medical evacuation, extraction, or fire support. You are six men left behind the lines on your own. This has happened all because of the people and the country that you so dearly love and are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for have gotten greedy and taken away that communications link. Next thing you know, six young men, sons, fathers, and husbands, are left for dead.
I say leave the DoD spectrum alone. They had it first and need it the most. Our fighting men and women are the ones protecting us. They provide us with the security and the rights we all take for granted. Without them, we would not have the technology and freedom to use it.
Nick Swords
Former member of 75th Range RGT 151st LRSD U.S. ARMY
EMS: No interest in brands
Dear Editor:
In the interest of accuracy, I would like to point out that in an RCR Wireless News’ recent article, “Contract manufacturers gain influence” (June 25, 2001) made a crucial mistake by failing to recognize the distinction between two industries. The title subject, “contract manufacturers,” lumps two distinct groups together-electronic manufacturing services providers and original design manufacturers. Unfortunately, the author fails to separate the two and inaccurately characterizes Solectron and the EMS industry.
I was interviewed for this story to provide an overview of how Solectron and others EMS companies provide services that aid handset and networking OEMs with their manufacturing needs. When the story appeared, I was surprised to read that EMS providers will “acquire enough expertise and experience to develop their own brands and technologies.” While experience accumulation is certainly part of any successful business, the entire concept of developing “brands” is completely contradictory to the philosophy of the EMS industry. It does, however, more accurately describe the ODM industry. In fact, my comments made during the interview to describe this differentiation were excluded from the article.
Solectron has become the world’s largest EMS company by providing OEMs with design, manufacturing and after-sales support services for their products. To compete with OEMs by creating and branding our own products would seriously contradict the premise of our business model-and would be the quickest way to lose our customers. This is a fundamental philosophy of all of the EMS companies today.
That approach differs markedly from ODMs, which can and have branded and marketed under their own name virtually the same products they make for OEMs. That practice often means ODMs compete with the very customers they serve.
To clarify, ODMs design and develop product platforms for OEMs to market under their customer’s brand by designing and manufacturing commoditized products, such as desktop PCs and low-cost laptops. ODMs have also marketed these same platforms as their own brand, which can add to the total volume of the common platform and help reduce cost through economies of scale. By utilizing ODM core competencies, OEMs are able to refocus their efforts on creating other products, such as telecom and networking equipment, and next-generation computing and consumer products.
In contrast, Solectron and other EMS companies focus on refining designs and manufacturing high-end, next-generation products for our OEM customers.
Philip Fok
VP of corporate administration
Solectron Corp.
Milpitas, Calif.
