WASHINGTON-The argument over which trade association should represent the wireless data industry could peak next September when two large trade shows overlap.
The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association’s Wireless IT show is set for Sept. 10-12, 2001, in San Diego. The Personal Communications Industry Association’s GlobalXChange annual conference is scheduled for Sept 11-14, 2001, in Los Angeles.
CTIA, which has always held Wireless IT in October, said there was nothing malicious about moving up its trade show by a month. Instead, it was a booking glitch, the association said. PCIA, which moved the location of its trade show, won’t talk much about the matter.
Having two trade shows in the same week likely will pose problems for some attendees and exhibitors, especially smaller companies with limited resources. A company with only one booth may choose to exhibit at only one show.
“We have always had this event on the West Coast. It is our intention to keep it on the West Coast. … There was nothing malicious on our part,” said Robert Mesirow, CTIA vice president for conventions.
When CTIA discovered the conflict, association President Thomas E. Wheeler sent a letter to PCIA President Jay Kitchen, claiming there was nothing sinister about the Wireless IT move and pointing out the original Orlando date. PCIA’s trade show was originally scheduled for Orlando.
“I wanted to bring to your attention that CTIA’s Wireless IT and Internet event is scheduled for Sept. 10-12, 2001, in San Diego. This event has been scheduled for over a year and was scheduled based upon your announced dates in 2001.
“Undoubtedly, this was an oversight. I wanted to bring it to your attention and ascertain your thoughts on the matter,” said Wheeler in his letter dated June 29.
Kitchen has apparently responded to Wheeler, but that letter has not been made public. No one from PCIA was made available for an interview.
CTIA’s Mesirow “worked for PCIA and booked the Orlando dates in our historical time frame. After he left PCIA, we moved the PCIA 2001 show to Los Angeles to avoid being in Orlando during high hurricane season. In re-booking the location, we stayed within our traditional time frame,” said Kitchen in a written response to a question regarding CTIA’s assertion that Mesirow had personally booked the Orlando Convention Center for October 2001.
