One NXTcomm Beats Two Annual Telecoms

Chicago—Comparisons were on the mind of just about everyone at McCormick Place June 18–21 for the nascent telecom tradeshow, NXTcomm: How did it compare to last year's Globalcomm, produced by the Telecommunications Industry Assn.? Or to last year's TelecomNext, produced by the USTelecom Assn.? Better yet, how did it stack up against Supercomm, the Tradeshow Week 200 show formerly co-produced by the two organizations and last held in 2005?

Thoughts were mixed, but most attendees and exhibitors could agree on at least one thing: They were all glad to see TIA and USTelecom together again producing a single annual show.

"At least that's a good step," Kirsten McGregor, director of marketing communications for OCCAM Networks, told TSW the first afternoon of the tradeshow, as more than 10 attendees milled around the booth. "For us, the show so far is good," she added.

Her view of the showfloor beyond her booth was different.

"It's a little slow," McGregor said of the sparsely crowded aisles.

Last year, OCCAM exhibited at both Globalcomm and TelecomNext, the shows the TIA and USTelecom separately launched to replace Supercomm, which they once owned together and then dissolved. After what became a mere one-year trial separation, the associations opted to join forces again.

Show management estimated that NXTcomm spanned 200,000 net square feet and drew 500 exhibitors and 20,000 attendees.

In its last year, Supercomm boasted a 309,000 net sq. ft. showfloor with 670 exhibiting companies and 15,732 professional attendees. It ranked No. 66 on the 2006 TSW 200.

Globalcomm, ranked No. 132 on this year's TSW 200, had 202,725 net sq. ft. of exhibit space, 501 exhibitors and 10,526 professional attendees. TelecomNext, ranked No. 125, had 215,700 net sq. ft. of exhibit space, 278 exhibitors and 10,007 attendees, including exhibitors.

Does anybody care about that now?

"They're similar enough that it doesn't matter to us," said Hugh Wood, COO of Vecima Networks, formerly VCom. He did note, though, that NXTcomm had a better mix of attendees than the previous shows.

As for leads, Wood said, "We've made a few good ones here."

The timing of the show was bad for the company, though. Vecima Networks exhibits at about 40 tradeshows each year. An important one is the conflicting Cable-Tec Expo, held June 20–22 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Wood's company sent its larger booth to Orlando and settled for a 10′×20′ space at NXTcomm.

"We feel good about the start we've gotten today," said NXTcomm Executive Director Wayne Crawford, adding that the Chicago show was a good springboard for next year's event in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Convention Center, June 16–19.

According to Crawford, 50 percent of next year's showfloor was booked by June 18, a day before this year's exhibit hall opened. By the end of the show, he said, he expected 70 percent of 2008's showfloor to be booked.

"We would expect more (attendees) anywhere next year," he added.

Other exhibitors shared McGregor's observation that, while showfloor traffic was down, their booths were busy — and getting busier.

"I think the showfloor traffic increased significantly this afternoon," said Larry Taillie, president of San Jose, Calif.-based CXR Larus. His company shared a booth with one of its distributors.

Some didn't even go that far.

"We elected not to have a booth and, looking around, I think we made the right decision," said Bill Cunningham, a sales manager for GS Battery. The Alpharetta, Ga.-based company — with products including batteries for communications equipment and telecommunications back-up — did have a booth last year at Globalcomm.

"I think traffic is even down compared to last year," he said.

The last time GS Battery exhibited at Supercomm was 2003.

Cunningham and Peter Quinian, sales director for the company, were at the show to see customers and prospective customers in meetings off the showfloor. Quinian said only one company of the five or six competitors they expected to see at the show had a booth.

When asked how NXTcomm compared with Supercomm, Quinian said, "I think traffic there was better than this."

John Grubb, of KGP Telecommunications in Fairbault, Minn., said, "Maybe (it's because) it's the first day, but I expected more people."

Relative size aside, most everyone was happy to have just one annual industry show to go to again.

"We're glad it's back together," said Ray Skowyra of Summit Associates in St. Paul, Minn. "This is better."

Even with slow showfloor traffic, Alison Becker, director of global event marketing for Ciena, a network company, said the show was better than two separate shows last year.

"Last year we had key customers who were boycotting the show," Becker added. Those customers were at NXTcomm this year.

Last year, the company had a 10′×10′ booth at each show and a hospitality suite for client meetings. Ciena took a similar approach this year, but went with a 40′×50′ closed-environment booth to have hospitality for clients and keep away general showfloor traffic.

Although Crawford may not have actually said, "Wait until next year," he seemed to mean it. The associations announced the show launch last Oct. 3, and Crawford was only hired in January, leaving little time to brand the NXTcomm name.

"With an entire year, we have a lot of time to solidify it," he said. "I think all things considered, we did a good job ... We've got just a fantastic start."