Since that time, I have constantly been hearing tales of that mythical place – an annual event where the major players in the world of telecoms come together to do business, forge connections, swap stories and make plans for their future in the communications marketplace.
I am writing, of course, about ITW, the world’s global carrier meeting. The event was everything I had been led to believe and more, but nothing could have prepared me for the sheer impact of this international telecoms event. With over 5,300 delegates gathered together in the Washington venue, there were no telecoms interests unrepresented. Carriers and providers were present from every geographical region, along with proponents and practitioners of every telecoms technology – whether mainstream or cutting edge – to identify opportunities for growth, development and investment.
What struck me most was how much the key players in the industry have in common and how much they value this opportunity to gather with their peers. What other industry could bring together so many major businesses, all practising and competing in the same space? The spirit of co-operation was seen in many conversations, at many bilateral tables and in many meeting rooms. But, to my mind, one of the most notable examples was the plenary session held by the i3 Forum, where CEOs and senior executives from 24 leading carriers came together to discuss strategies for accelerating the industry’s migration to IP.
This challenge is, of course, one which we will be facing for years to come. But with events such as ITW providing opportunities for the industry to discuss, debate and negotiate, we must be optimistic that together we can continue to grow and develop.
