The exciting thing about wireless technology is the industry's ever expanding possibilities to impact how we communicate, how we do business, and how we run governments. People all over the world are welcoming the increased convenience and safety that wireless technologies offer. As the industry expands, it is the WCAI's role to facilitate and direct discussion between providers, regulators, and users to explore best practices while ensuring progress in this uncharted territory is constructive and profitable for all involved.

When most consumers think of wireless technology, they think of mobile phones which have freed individuals to work or plan their social lives while on the move. Digital technology now allows carriers to expand services beyond traditional voice transmission to many more consumers while charging them less. These same advances bring ever expanding possibilities for the use of personal wireless devices. Currently, the industry is moving away from finding new cell subscribers and looking towards improving existing services and breaking ground in new fields. The WCAI promotes these developments by disseminating relevant regulatory developments, promoting discussion, and providing a valuable forum for networking.

The capabilities of wireless technology go far beyond personal communications. Law enforcement and federal agencies are employing wireless technology to protect our national security and ensure the safety of our families in times of natural or man-made crisis. The tragic events of September 11th and Hurricane Katrina highlighted the need for emergency and commercial infrastructure that could save lives and keep things running smoothly. Wireless technology offers solutions and also brings advances in healthcare and education. The WCAI strives to bridge the gap between government and industry efforts to develop these capabilities, facilitating an interactive dialogue to ensure efficient and comprehensive planning.

The term "Broadband" refers to Internet access at high-speeds, with greater bandwidth allowing faster, more robust and uninterrupted data transmission. Broadband enables users to take advantage of a much wider range of applications which require larger data capacity than dial-up permits. Consequently, Broadband has become an important tool in a variety of medians including cultural, educational, economic, public safety, telehealth e-commerce and e-government applications among others.

WiMAX, short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a new technology exciting citizens and the wireless industry. This technology is providing Broadband service over long distances in a variety of ways, from point-to-point links to full mobile cellular type access. It is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, which is also called WirelessMAN. WiMAX has gained popularity in the industry and is known among many consumers because it has been promoted as the best option for municipal wireless. In the next few years several US cities (including Washington DC and Chicago) will be test market for this citywide wireless Internet access. There are two branches: Fixed WiMAX and Mobile WiMAX. In fixed wireless networks both the transmitters and receivers are stationary during use while wireless allows the receiver to move during operation.

HSPA is an acronym for High Speed Packet Access. This next generation of wireless Broadband promises to bring faster speeds to users and lower costs for service providers. The innovation in HSPA is a combination of HSDPA in the downlink and Enhanced Uplink in the uplink, both of which are specified in 3GPP Release 5/6. HSPA provides data rates up to 14 Mbps in the downlink and 5.8 Mbps in the uplink. This means faster downloads of mobile TV and applications and cheaper production coast per gigabyte. Some vendors like Nokia and Ericsson are already making HSPA upgrades available to current users.

CDMA, or Code-Division Multiple Access, is a digital cellular technology that uses spread-spectrum techniques. Currently CDMA is available in cell phones as a premium service. Unlike WiMAX it is rarely discussed as a solution for municipal wireless and government applications. With this technology, every consumer is provided the full available wireless spectrum with divisions made assigning each user a specific code so that information is precisely delivered. Individual conversations are encoded with a pseudo-random digital sequence. CDMA consistently provides better capacity for voice and data communications than other commercial mobile technologies, allowing more subscribers to connect at any given time. This technology is used in EVDO and UMB wireless connections.

EVDO is short for Evolution Data Optimized. The service works on existing cellular phone CDMA networks, with a subscription and an EVDO card to plug into your computer you get a broadband connection anywhere you get cell service. EVDO is based on the 1xRTT standard, which is available in almost all cell phone coverage areas and provides Internet speeds of 60K-100K. Signals are secure so users can access private networks and the connection is strong even at high speeds. This service is currently available with Verizon and Sprint Nextel.

UMB, or Ultra Mobile Broadband, is another 4G technology competing with LTE. It is a project headed by Qualcomm to build upon existing CDMA- 2000 technology and bring it up to competitive 4G markets. Supporters of UMB say it will provide a more seamless transition from 3G since it builds on the same technology. Also known as Rev C (EVDO Revision C). The technology works with existing CDMA cell phone coverage and can provide extremely high speed broadband with a theoretical max of 280Mbps.

Rev C, also known as Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), is the version Revision C of Qualcomm's EVDO wireless technology. The technology works with existing CDMA cell phone coverage and can provide extremely high speed broadband with a theoretical max of 280Mbps.

Wi-Fi is the promotional name for the technology of Wireless Fidelity. Wi-Fi is a shorter range system, typically hundreds of meters covering only the network operator's own property. Typically Wi-Fi is used by an end user to access their own network, which may or may not be connected to the Internet. If WiMAX provides services analogous to a cell phone, Wi-Fi is more analogous to a cordless phone. Wi-Fi is popular in offices and cafes all around the world as it allows people within a certain area to access the same Internet connection.

LTE, or Long Term Evolution is a 4G service being developed by the 3GPP, the Third Generation Partnership Project. LTE itself is a new technological approach with a new modulation technique called OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex), and antenna technology called MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output). It promises to be more robust that 3G networks in multi-path scenarios, this means better service in downtown buildings and city streets. It will also lower the cost to providers since it requires fewer nodes to be installed and operated. Verizon will begin running tests of the network in 2008.

Cable Broadband represents one of the largest sectors of the Broadband market. It has a fixed channel capacity and is shared by a population of users. Service speed can vary depending on how many people are using the service at the same time. Cable providers must monitor usage patterns, and scale the network appropriately, to ensure that customers receive adequate service even during peak usage times.

DSL Service or Digital Subscriber Line, is a high-speed Internet service that provides high-speed networking over ordinary phone lines using Broadband modem technology. DSL technology allows Internet and telephone service to work over the same phone line. With services primarily in homes and small businesses, DSL only works over a limited physical distance and remains unavailable in many areas where the local telephone infrastructure does not support this technology.

Legislators and Thought Leaders- Legislators can help the development of wireless when they understand how it can improve the lives and safety of their constituents. The Congress can create laws governing the activities of the FCC and open the door to an environment of growth and research. Law makers also control the funding of new government initiatives that could benefit through lower costs and higher productivity of wireless technologies.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) - The FCC is a bipartisan party was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. The FCC decides who can use public air space (spectrum) and how they can use it to benefit citizens. Within the FCC, the Bureau of Wireless Telecommunication oversees cellular and PCS phones, pagers and two-way radios. This Bureau also regulates the use of radio spectrum to fulfill the communications needs of businesses, aircraft and ship operators, and individuals.

Rural Utility Service (RUS) - The RUS is a division of the Department of Agriculture. Since 1995 the Rural Development Telecommunications Program has worked to bring the same technology advances available in major cities to citizens living in rural areas. RUS provides grants to companies expanding in rural areas and the Distance Learning and Telemedicine program continues its charge of bringing electronic educational resources to rural schools and improving health care delivery in rural America.

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) - NTIA is the President's closest advisor on telecommunication and information policy. This division of the Department of Commerce also manages the Federal use of communications spectrum, performs cutting-edge telecommunications research and engineering, including resolving technical telecommunications issues for the Federal government and private sector and administers infrastructure and public telecommunications facilities grants.

International Telecommunications Union (ITU) -The ITU is a branch of the United Nations and is an international organization established to standardize and regulate international radio and telecommunications. It was founded as the International Telegraph Union in Paris on May 17, 1865. Its main tasks include standardization, allocation of the radio spectrum, and organizing interconnection arrangements between different countries to allow international phone calls.

Wireless service providers- These companies are an important sector of the industry as they drive the development of new technology and bring it to consumers and governments. The business sector is responsible for making wireless technology something that changed the lives of average Americans and pushing the industry to develop new uses for existing spectrum.

Ecosystem partners- Ecosystem partners design and build wireless devices for use with wireless service providers. Each new generation of devices is better, faster, and more cost effective.

Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) - A group formed in 1998 and comprised of manufacturers and industry specialists to work on a consensus for globally applicable technology standards for new generation wireless devices. Since that time the group has taken on such projects as developing and testing 4G wireless technology such as LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology.

Wireless Communication Association (WCAI) - WCAI was founded in 1988 as a trade association for the wireless industry. WCAI works to bring together carriers, ecosystem partners, and government officials facilitating discussions such as spectrum harmonization and educating policy makers and the public on the most exciting developments in the wireless Broadband industry, both domestically and internationally.