Two words are sure to dominate the upcoming Competitive Carriers Association Annual Convention: spectrum and auction.
Several of the event’s scheduled keynote addresses and seminars are centered on topics related to spectrum challenges facing CCA’s members as well as the planned 600 MHz incentive auction currently scheduled to begin March 29. Keynote addresses are currently scheduled from the Federal Communications Commission’s Michael O’Rielly and Mignon Clyburn, as well as panel discussions with regulatory representatives from a number of CCA members.
One perhaps missing component to the event will be the lack of a prominent carrier CEO taking the keynote stage or joining a panel discussion. CCA’s Global Expo event earlier this year managed to snare Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure as part of a panel discussion, and at past events had drawn similar star power.
CCA does have a carrier CTO panel discussion planned, which should provide more “nuts-and-bolts” insight for attendees.
Adding further heat to the auction discussion was Sprint’s recent decision to sit out the 600 MHz incentive auction, which removes a significant player eligible to bid on the auction’s 30 megahertz of spectrum set aside beyond the reach of the market’s heavyweights in Verizon Wireless and AT&T. T-Mobile US remains the largest carrier eligible to bid on that reserve spectrum, though many assume the carrier will likely look at purchasing around 20 megahertz to support broader coverage of its LTE network, leaving at least 10 megahertz open to smaller carriers also eligible to bid.
The event also has a number of panel sessions and discussions catered towards “5G” technology and small cells. Both of those topics are sure to draw mixed feelings from attendees as many rural carriers are only just now completing or in the midst of rolling out “4G” LTE services, while small cells are often seen as a bigger issue for larger carriers serving dense, urban markets.
CCA could also provide more insight into its Data Services Hub, which recently had CCA member T-Mobile US join the program. The Data Services Hub, which was established by CCA in 2013 through a partnership with Transaction Network Services, provides a platform to ease LTE roaming agreements between CCA members.
CCA President and CEO Steve Berry recently spoke with RCR Wireless News about T-Mobile US joining the program as well as other regulatory topics.
This year’s CCA Annual Convention should also have a different feel from last year’s event, which through some questionable scheduling took place in the same town and the same week as wireless trade group CTIA’s annual convention. CTIA held this year’s event in early September.
Look for RCR Wireless News coverage of the 2015 CCA Annual Convention beginning Oct. 7, including stories on top news from the event and live video streaming of the important keynotes and panel discussions.
