CCA to rebrand annual event to focus on new business opportunities for mobile carriers
The Competitive Carriers Association is looking to infuse a new focus into one of its annual trade shows, announcing plans for a mobile carrier-focused event beginning next year.
The trade association said that its annual “spring” event, currently operating under the Global Expo title, would be renamed Mobile Carriers Show starting in 2016. The newly named event is currently scheduled for mid-April in Nashville, Tenn. CCA is set to host what could be its final Global Expo next week in Atlanta.
Look for RCR Wireless News coverage of the 2015 CCA Global Expo beginning March 25, including stories on top news from the event and live video streaming of the important keynotes and panel discussions.
CCA said the event will be focused on mobile carriers, highlighting “smart strategies, innovations and business opportunities in the ever-evolving industry,” with plans for vendors to stress revenue-generating opportunities for CCA’s members. CCA President and CEO Steve Berry said the organization will look to attract new speakers from outside the traditional telecom industry as well as have educational programs that target a broader range of vendors.
“Existing mobile industry events have shifted their focus away from the carriers and toward the retail market,” Berry said in a statement. “CCA events have always been the home for mobile carriers, and we see an opportunity to grow a conference and trade show that focuses on revenue generation, business development and technology innovation within the carrier community. Mobile Carriers Show is built to connect the highest-level decision-makers from the carrier market with the technology and business innovators who will collaborate with them to move the industry forward.”
Following up on the announcement, Berry explained that while the overall view of the show will change, CCA still plans to focus on topics at the heart of the organization’s operations, including policy issues. Berry also explained that the event will take place at the Nashville Convention Center, which will provide for a larger floor plan for “bigger partners and pavilions.” Berry also added that the expected increase in exhibitors and larger venue will allow CCA to keep the show floor open longer.
CCA said exhibitors being targeted include those serving the connected car market, mobile health, home automation and software companies.
Berry said the changing focus of the spring event will not impact its fall event, which runs under the Annual Convention title. Berry said that event, which is currently scheduled for Oct. 6-9, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will continue focusing more on CCA-related organizational issues, including association member meetings and the election of organization officials.
The CCA fall event last year was joined in the same week and in the same city by fellow trade association CTIA, which rescheduled its annual trade show from the spring to the fall, a move that did not please Berry.
“It is very disappointing that CTIA has chosen to move its 2014 trade show to the exact same dates and location of CCA’s 2014 Annual Convention,” Berry said at that time. “CCA’s 2014 convention dates have been confirmed and public for two years, and it is hard to see how this is helpful to the industry, the competitive mobile ecosystem and ultimately consumers. CCA’s membership has grown significantly over the past few years, and our association has made great strides in the policy arena for competitive carriers.”
In recent years, the early spring schedule on the trade show calendar has suffered a bit at the hands of a growing focus on mobile technology at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in January and the Mobile World Congress event, which has shifted to a few weeks later in the year. MWC this year was held in early March, having in the past been held in mid-February.
CCA looks set to reinvigorate the domestic-focused wireless trade show market with its new venture. CCA has seen its membership grow from mostly rural operators to nearly all domestic mobile carriers outside of Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility.
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