Texas has become a breeding ground for Hispanic-owned businesses and entrepreneurs, but wireless technologies appear to be a problem in targeting audiences and markets.

According to University of Texas at Austin report, titled "Survey of Texas Hispanic-Owned Businesses with Paid Employees," Hispanic-owned businesses represented 20.7 percent of all businesses in the state based on 2007 figures. The Hispanic-owned businesses are the second-largest percentage behind non-Hispanic White-owned firms, which represented 62 percent of all Texan businesses.

Hispanic-owned businesses in Texas have increased by 40.2 percentage points between 2002 and 2007 from 319,340 to 447,589 firms.

While the Hispanic-owned businesses helped contribute more than $60 billion to the state's economy every year, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's President and CEO, Javier Palomarez, said that these businesses are not reaching their full potential and noted that the problem rests in wireless technology.

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According to Palomarez, via the Houston Chronicle, Hispanic businesses can expand their audience and markets through "expanded and enhanced" high-speed Internet connection access at regional, national, and international levels. Latinos, notably, are more likely than the general U.S. population to own and frequently use smartphones.

"However, due to increased consumer and business demand for mobile data, wireless carriers' networks are increasingly congested," wrote Palomarez. "This means there is less capacity on their networks to deliver quality connectivity and support all of the innovative mobile technologies that can empower our Hispanic-owned businesses."

The problem could be solved through national means with the federal government opening more airwaves, or "spectrums." The spectrum has become crowded for consumers yet the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has yet to make adjustments. As Palomarez noted, 50 percent of all Hispanic households are "wireless-only" homes. The last time more airwaves were freed was in 2008 for consumer mobile use. Since 2008, technology has increased with more smartphones and the introduction of tablets.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has defended the agency's decision to limit the spectrum among the wireless carriers, notably to AT&T and Verizon. Wheeler's message came after 78 House Democrats asked him to allow unlimited competition for the wireless carriers once a 2015 auction for spectrums begins. AT&T has stated its intention to not participate in the auction if the current FCC plans continue.

"Federal spectrum policy has huge implications for jobs, economic growth and social improvement - especially for our communities and businesses. In the upcoming wireless auctions, all carriers should be allowed to bid freely and unfettered by excessive restrictions," added Palomarez.

The FCC voted 3-2 to set a portion of the wireless spectrum exclusively for smaller mobile carriers on May 15. Although some say the ruling can affect AT&T and Verizon, it can prove beneficial to Sprint and T-Mobile if they choose to place a bid, respectively.

"While we would have preferred the FCC to reserve more spectrum for competitive carriers, we are hopeful the auction rules will enhance competition and benefit consumers," said T-Mobile's Vice President of Federal Regulatory Affairs' Kathleen Ham.

The FCC has conducted spectrum auctions since 1994 and are open to eligible companies or individuals that have submitted an application and upfront payment.

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