Making Technological Investments That Change Lives
By Lisa Deaderick
Originally published by San Diego Union Tribune
Ten years ago at a company retreat, Bill Bold had an idea born out of the frustration of having new technologies people in other countries weren’t able to use.
“I thought a program where we subsidized coverage to address these underserved markets could do a lot of good while also making an important point about the value of new technologies,” Bold, senior vice president of government affairs for Qualcomm, says. “It was pretty basic at that stage, and I’ve been blessed to work with wonderful professionals who have turned an idea into a world-class program.”
The idea was Wireless Reach, an initiative that provides new wireless technologies in places that otherwise wouldn’t be able to implement them. There are programs for portable ultrasound devices, smart phones and tablets used as digital textbooks in more remote locations or mentoring and services for entrepreneurship and managing businesses.
