Carriers say telecom fuels economic growth

Carrier executives pushed telecommunications as a powerful driver of economic growth at the NXTcomm trade show on Tuesday, and their progress reports on building out their own networks indicated they may be right. "Connectivity is, always has been, and always will be the foundation for commercial velocity and economic growth," said Randall Stephenson, chairman, president, and CEO of AT&T, in the first keynote address of the annual telecommunications industry gathering. Telecommunications, and especially mobile technology, is playing the role that seaports, railroads, and roads did in the past, he said. While Stephenson and executives from Verizon Communications, Qwest Communications International, and Australia's Telstra frequently claimed to be changing the world during the two hours of speeches and a panel discussion, it was clear that, at least in some cases, they are putting big money into the economy.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/06/17/Carriers_say_telecom_fuels_eco...