Obama aide heads to wireless trade group

A senior technology aide to President Obama is taking on a top role at the trade group for cellphone, mobile device and wireless service companies.     

Tom Power, the former White House deputy chief technology officer for telecommunications, is taking over as the senior vice president and general counsel at CTIA-The Wireless Association, the group announced on Monday morning.

{mosads}In a statement, Power said that the wireless industry is a “dynamic field” that has been “enriching the lives of all Americans.”

“I look forward to working with wireless companies, policymakers and all stakeholders to build on these successes and to ensure that the mobile industry continues to provide Americans with the world’s best products and services,” he added. 

Before serving in the White House, Power was chief of staff at the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration and a top executive at Fiberlink Communications, a mobile management company.

He replaces Michael Altschul, who is retiring after 25 years of work.

The move comes at a critical time for the industry, as it prepares to face new Federal Communications Commission regulations that for the first time would apply net neutrality restrictions to people accessing the Internet through their mobile devices. A separate effort led by Republicans on Capitol Hill would also apply new restrictions to wireless Internet service.

The industry has long rejected the notion that its Web service would be regulated similar to wired broadband Internet. It is technically more difficult to manage Internet speeds delivered over the airwaves than through a fiber optic cable, executives say, so there should be separate rules that allow companies to fairly manage that network. They also point out that the wireless market is more competitive than the market for wired Internet, so companies should be allowed to differentiate themselves through specialized services. 

Wireless companies are also winding down one major auction for the nation’s airwaves and are preparing for another multi-billion dollar sale next year. Companies like Verizon and AT&T say that their ability to control those airwaves is critical to allow people to easily surf the Web, play games and download applications on their devices.