... is so down to earth and simple. My Dad enjoyed it even and felt slightly empowered with some new knowledge that before seemed only available to a secret society.
In fact, that is exactly what I think we in the IP businesses need to remember. It's okay to talk to each other in technical jargon and acronyms, but is that how we meet the needs of the masses, you and me and as many more as possible?
Just returned from the 4th IP conference and expo and a VoIP seminar in a row, practically back to back: Fall VON, London World Communications awards, Gitex, Pakistan DIDXChange Connecting the World Event, PTC07 and TMC IT Expo in Ft Lauderdale, Florida.
I met all types at our booths, at conference sessions, or in our hospitality suite or elsewhere. Not one moment was wasted. I managed to hand out about 20 DIDX tshirts to some rather smart homeless in Ft Lauderdale who said they would proudly wear them, and guess what? I had so many comments from booth visitors at TMC IT Expo like, "I was shocked to see all the homeless walking around in front of the Port with VoIP tshirts on." I wasn't trying to get brownie points. It was a fair and respectful trade.
A variety attends IT shows and in the case of TMC IT Expo...
Some were high school newspaper editors looking for a hot tech article. Others were either using or planning to rollout or use an IP-PBX, call center, VoIP solution, adding IN to IM from any type of phone imaginable... I met CLEC's, ILEC's, equipment vendors, peering groups (DIDX is a type of voip peering especially those who use our free API), government mayors and military officers, and little tech grannies (nothing against them, I'm one already).
The VoIP Peering session I did get to attend, needed a bigger room. It was packed. Other sessions had good attendance but not as much. I heard many say they wanted to see a VoIP peering panel that included Xconnect, Kayote Networks, Arbinet, Neustar, Stealth, DIDX, VoIP Supply or Cylogistics, and Pkosh and others. They wanted to see a panel that was basically a package in one. And to KISS (keep it sweet and simple.)
Item to promote networking: a huge white board, not too tall for short people like me with stickie notes to ask for meetings, maybe have categories, even ones for those who want to find running partners. I never found one. Wow, in fact, let's have a daily run available sponsored by a company with special tshirts?
Can we allow companies to sponsor the escalators? I am not joking. How about the bathrooms? Why not? People take their time to read more in the bathroom than they do just about anywhere else on average. (My dad has a bookstore in his.)
What was absolutely a wonderful surprise to me at TMC Internet Telephony 2007? Exhibitors were treated with the same respect as the paid conference attendees. Think of it, exhibitors pay $4500+ to showcase their goods and services, and yet at many events like this, they must pay extra to attend meals, receptions and other special events. Power strips were supplied at every table in the hall and FREE WIFI as well as quite a strong signal, two must-haves, not usually offered. Rich Tehrani and the TMC IT Expo team is approachable by everyone. Example, Maureen Gambino of the TMC team offered to man my booth when I needed to leave it for a meeting.
In the Fall TMC IT Expo show, we'll have several ACTUAL DIDX members at our booth to tell it like it is, take the mystery out of routing DID over SIP and IAX2. ;-) 4500+ and growing members as of Jan 31, 2007 (began with 100 in August 2005), get ready now.
The TMC IT EXPO 2007 DIDX photo gallery is at TMC IT Expo 2007 DIDX Photo Album. I'll be adding a file on Youtube of Rich Tehrani discussing the show with attendees at the 2nd night's reception. He has got the attitude of a Good to Great leader. I'm talking about the book, and as soon as I get a chance, I'm going to recommend Rich to the author to review. Rich and his TMC IT team is good at taking the mystery out of VoIP. And the VoIPest thing of all is he doesn't try to be an icon, but he is one. Everyone I know had a ball.
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