I was referred to an opinion piece by Sara Diamond, president of the Ontario College of Art and Design, in yesterday’s Globe and Mail and I think it merits your review. I’m not sure I agree with the article, but there is an interesting discussion that it launches.
The article asks “Will Canada miss the next wireless revolution?” and suggests that except for a handful of companies, Canadians are sleeping through a dramatic shift in the international economy.
But with the exception of Research In Motion, the Viigo IP Platform, QuickPlay, Marble Media, and a host of bright young micro companies, we don’t get it. Our internal market has been too small to propel a profitable local industry, data rates have been too expensive, appetite for risk and access to Canadian carriers too limited.
Do Canadians really not get it? Does the future belong to these “micro companies”? How can Canadians participate and win in the mobile economy?
Next week, the Information and Communications Forum at University of Toronto is running an executive development program, looking at The Networked Society in 2020, with an objective of trying to identify opportunities for leadership for the Canadian ICT industry.
And of course, mobile and wireless issues are front of mind at The 2009 Canadian Telecom Summit, June 15-17.
Update [May 5, 11:00 am]
Alec Saunders has perspectives on the Sara Diamond piece on his blog.
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Canadian Telecom Summit, OCAD