Thread: INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO East 2010

TMC produced another solid show with ITEXPO East. Although organizers said the show was down 10 percent from last year, there was good energy, and most we talked to seemed pleased with the event. A couple of attendees even went so far as to say it was the best ITEXPO they had attended to date.



According to show organizers, attendees came from companies of all sizes representing all sectors of the IP Communications industry, including service providers, carriers, enterprises, government agencies, resellers, manufacturers and developers.



ITEXPO's educational program teaches resellers, enterprises, SMBs, and government agencies how to select IP-based voice, video, fax, and unified communications to purchase or resell. Service providers can learn how to roll out services profitably that their subscribers are requesting.



Representatives from companies such as Google Voice, Sprint, Digium, Polycom, Skype, Verizon Wireless and Yahoo participated in the keynotes and panels, and the conference was divided into eight conference tracks: Business Communications Delivery Options, Call Center, Developer, Enterprise, HD Voice, Service Provider, Unified Communications and Video Communications.



Some of the most popular sessions were HD Voice, 4G wireless and the future of call centers. One panelist said his session went very well because the room was full, there was lots of energy and the audience asked some good, thought-provoking questions. However, many other ITEXPO sessions were poorly attended.



The show floor was not as large as in the past, but there was steady, healthy traffic. Several exhibitors told us they were pleased with the quantity and quality of the visitors coming by their booths and the leads that they generated. Many also commented on the high energy level in the exhibit hall.


Several events were co-located with the ITEXPO, namely the Smart Grid Summit, 4GWE, M2M, the Cloud Summit and Startup Camp Telephony. From what we have heard, the events had varying degrees of success. The 4GWE and Smart Grid Summit events boasted full rooms sometimes standing room only during most of their sessions. The 4GWE event covered topics such as the role of the network operator in delivering 4G and the realities of deploying 4G technologies. The Smart Grid Summit included a Smart Grid 101 panel, the opportunities for start-ups, what utilities can learn from telcos and a green technology session.



The new Startup Camp, which brought together startups and the financial community, was a highlight for many at the show. Despite taking place at the end of a full day of Expo activity, the room was packed. The format was not unlike that of American Idol, where judges from the financial community gave their feedback after each pitch from a startup representative.



The reason I liked Startup Camp Telephony was the rawness of the ideas, said one blogger. The other three had raw passion around the idea and it showed. One clearly had stage fright. The other had technical glitches, while the third had a great idea whose store was not unfolded until the very end of their presentation.



The media presence was fairly solid. Those in attendance were mostly the usual suspects a lot of TMC folks, obviously, as well as other trade press and analysts from both large firms and independents. The coverage was thorough, both in terms of articles and blogs.



Some of the buzz at the show included talk about the necessity for bigger data pipes and broad access to drive future VoIP technologies, as well as 4G, HD Voice, telepresence, CaaS (communications-as-a-service) and unified communications.



The consensus was that the show continues to be a valuable tool for enterprise, service providers and SMB technology management, and especially companies trying to attract resellers. People were able to conduct enough business at the show to make attendance worthwhile. I had many meetings and developed relationships with several people I met for the first time at the show, said one attendee. This was a strong all-around show for those in the IP industry. The exhibit hall boasted strong traffic and a high level of energy, and although some of the educational sessions were not as well attended as they could be, the keynotes were popular, and there was quite a bit of media coverage.



IT EXPO West will be October 4-6 in Los Angeles.

INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO East 2010

Miami, FL

Miami Beach Convention Center

January 20-22, 2010