Kitchen sees opportunities for dealers in spectrum swap
The International Wireless Communications Expo opened April 23 with remarks from keynote speaker Jay Kitchen. Kitchen, chief executive of the Personal Communications Industry Association, said that “the industry is having a hard time these days.”
“Much like you, at PCIA we have been challenged,” he said. “You’ve seen the press this week. We’ve downsized over a year and half.” (See related story at www.mrtmag.com.)
Kitchen remained optimistic throughout the speech, however, encouraging dealers to listen to their customers and present solutions to specific problems. “I’m still optimistic about wireless and about land mobile radio, which has been around since World War II. The buzz is back in wireless, and it is going to re-emerge. We’ve learned a lot from the last 18 months in this deep valley we’ve been in.”
Kitchen said that the telecommunications industry had been shaken more by the economy, and not by a lack of technology.
Kitchen also discussed the Nextel proposal, saying that it had been causing “a lot of discomfort in the industry.” He sees opportunity if the proposal were implemented. “Relocating frequency blocks to new licensees is not uncommon. Don’t forget that’s nothing new … But moving them around so everyone is treated equally is something we need to work on.
“Put your spectrum needs in perspective. How much of your business plan depends on securing spectrum?” He said entrepreneurs should always be looking and not missing an opportunity. He mentioned opportunities such as other spectrum bands (700MHz, 220MHz, and even 450MHz), spectrum build-outs and dispatch.
“Dispatch is a hot business,” he said, noting Nextel and Sprint PCS as increasing awareness of dispatch.
Kitchen said that five important things to keep in mind are to watch, listen, look around, learn and act. “The turtle only moves forward when its neck is stuck out.”