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Technology Stocks : Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JGoren who wrote (136341)	1/2/2005 10:44:00 AM
From: Art Bechhoefer	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 152472

JGoren--Based on my personal knowledge of the area, particularly in Indonesia, some of the islands are almost flat and would be inundated by a tsunami, no matter what. But that doesn't mean a cell tower would be knocked down or that its battery backup would not enable it to operate in a general communications network, for both land and satellite based communications. The populated part of Aceh is flat, but there are mountains nearby stretching almost the entire length of the island of Sumatra. Some of these areas are quite remote and are home to a dwindling number of animals such as tigers. But they still would be suitable for remotely operated solar powered base stations. The tsunami should be ample proof that a communications infrastructure should begin with a wireless network for both voice and data. I think we'll see a rush toward these networks in all the affected countries, with wireless local loop especially appropriate for India. The base stations need not be connected to what is usually an unreliable power grid in those areas. Instead, the base stations could be powered by wind and/or solar photovoltaic units at a cost that would be competitive with conventional oil or gas fired electric generating facilities, given the high cost of transmission and distribution in these areas. Installing such facilities ought to be a priority of the countries giving aid, particularly the U.S., with its large helicopters that can bring in the equipment and technical personnel quickly. The descriptions of how monitoring stations in the U.S. and elsewhere were unable to communicate quickly with local areas affected by the tsunami indicate that the technology for emergency communications is about 50 years behind the times. It's a real opportunity for wireless, and very likely an opportunity not factored into current earnings estimates for companies like QUALCOMM.