Evolutions in telecom are like clockwork: once a decade something extremely important happens. In the 1980s, the first nationwide mobile network operators (MNOs) appeared (think AT&T and the predecessors to Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile). In the 1990s, GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) rolled out as a standard that became like the Bible for the industry. At the turn of the century, 3G was the new rage and, about ten years after that, 4G/LTE opened the floodgates for transmitting large quantities of data.

For many, the holiday season is a special time to pause and reflect on things that are important. It is a time to celebrate, show gratitude, and practice generosity with family, friends, and co-workers. While joyful in most cases, it can also be a very busy time of year, as people travel, attend holiday parties and buy gifts online.

One of the reasons for the proliferation of technological innovation within the United States over the last several decades is due to its “lighter touch” on regulation when compared to global counterparts. Even when comparing the tech industry to other industries within the United States, the technology sector is the least regulated industry with just 27,000 federal laws verses 128,000 for the financial sector and 215,000 for manufacturing.

Last week, I had the good fortune of hearing two thought-leaders speak at separate events. One gentleman I listened to is a Corporate Vice President (CVP) at Microsoft and is leading the technology giant into its next phase of growth and development. The other gentleman was John James, a very impressive 37-year old running for US Senate in the state of Michigan.