As part of its efforts to provide the most valuable information, sessions and programming possible for attendees, NXTcomm is seeking the next generation of thought leaders to speak at its 2008 event in Las Vegas during its Call for Speakers recruitment process. The NXTcomm08 Call for Speakers is now open; deadline for submissions is Friday, November 30. Click here for more information, guidelines for submission and the NXTcomm 2008 Call for Speakers submission form.  NXTcomm08, the leading conference and tradeshow venue for the converged communications industry, comes to the Las Vegas Convention Center June 16-19 and will co-locate with InfoComm.

“If you have a topic, trend, business model or case study relevant to the future of voice, video, data and network-enabled IP communications, NXTcomm wants to hear from you,” NXTComm Executive Director Wayne Crawford said. “Our goal for NXTcomm08 is to build on the success of our 2007 debut and give attendees what they are most interested in, according to our research: useful technology- and business model-oriented conference programming and networking opportunities. Attendees want to hear from the best and the brightest in communications, and our plan is to use the NXTcomm Call for Speakers as an opportunity for individuals to make the case for speaking on the biggest stage in the industry -- next year’s NXTcomm, in Las Vegas in June.”

NXTcomm 2008’s conference programming will consist of world-renowned keynote speakers plus several conference partners that will be announced in the coming weeks, as well as original NXTcomm programming that will delve deep into individual topics such as:

• IPTV
• VoIP
• WiMAX
• IMS
• Home Networking
• Fixed Mobile Convergence
• Software as a Service
• Communications in the Enterprise
• Infrastructure
• Other industry-related topics suggested by conference partners and/or submission authors.

Proposals will be considered for both original NXTcomm programming sessions and sessions developed by NXTcomm conference partners. Submission authors will be notified via e-mail in late January 2008.

For questions about NXTcomm speaking opportunities, send an e-mail to Speaker@NXTcommShow.com.  For further information on NXTcomm, please contact Neil Gaffney at +1.703.907.7011 or ngaffney@NXTcommShow.com.

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On Thursday, November 15, TelecomHUB will sponsor Spectrum Wars, a program of expert discussion on the immense potential for market disruption in the FCC's pending 700 MHz spectrum auction.

Panelists will include Scott Ellison, Vice President, Mobile and Wireless Communication, IDC; Christopher Guttman-McCabe, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, CTIA; Keith Kaczmarek, President, Cyren Call; Rick Whitt, Washington Telecom and Media Counsel, Google; and Scott Wiener, Senior Vice President, Partner Development, Frontline Wireless. The panel will be moderated by Kim Hart, The Washington Post's Technology Reporter.

According to TelecomHUB:

Google, Cyren Call, and Frontline are at the forefront of these debates and have challenged the leading mobile phone service providers, who are all likely candidates to participate in the upcoming auction. Google has stated that they are ready to spend $4.6 billion, if the company decides to join the bidding. Cyren Call was just awarded the role as advisor to the Public Safety Spectrum Trust Corporation (PSST). In addition, CTIA - The Wireless Aassociation represents the interests of all traditional carriers in the industry, and Scott Ellison from IDC is recognized as one of the top analysts covering the mobile space.

The Spectrum Wars discussion will be held at The Tower Club, 8000 Towers Crescent Drive, Vienna, Va., noon-2:00 p.m. Register today at www.telecomhub.org.

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TIA President Grant Seiffert will join industry thought leaders participating in several panel discussions at this year's Mobile Internet World Conference & Expo in Boston, taking place November 13-15.  As TIA's representative, he'll discuss ways in which emerging technologies disrupt, complement or sidestep longstanding business models.

The first panel, a network technology association roundtable, will take place at 12:35 p.m. on November 15 and feature Seiffert, Phil Marshall of the Yankee Group, 3GA President Chris Pearson, Wi-Fi Alliance Technical Director Greg Ennis, CDMA Development Group VP for Technology & Advocacy Stephen Falk and WiMAX Forum VP of Market Mohammad Shakouri.  The roundtable will discuss the network technology choices faced by industry vendors, service providers and investors, and how they implement their mobile Internet strategies.  Representatives from each of the major wireless broadband technology areas will discuss various solutions, emphasizing the commercial benefits and economic performance of their respective technologies.

The second panel, Promoting Consumer Adoption through Mobile Commerce Initiatives, at 4:15 p.m. on November 15, will feature Seiffert, Ecrio Marketing VP Larry Loper, Visa USA Director, Product Innovation and Coordination Michele Janes and Jon Paisner of the Yankee Group.  This panel of industry experts will discuss using mobile devices at retail outlets; which business models will be most effective between mobile operators, credit card associations, and banks and merchants; and whether mobile banking will ease consumer concerns about safety enough to drive consumer adoption of mobile contactless payments, among other subjects.

The conference, featuring more than 85 speakers, panelists and other experts, as well as a small exhibition hall, will take place at Hynes Convention Center.

Special Discount for Telecommunications Industry Association members. Use code MIWMS70 to save $300.  Register Now.

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The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) will host a major event focusing on information and communications technologies (ICT) in motor vehicles. This event, The Fully Networked Car Workshop 2008, will be held March 5-7, 2008, during the 78th Geneva International Motor Show in Palexpo, Geneva.

Topics to be covered at The Fully Networked Car Workshop 2008 can be found at http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem/ict-auto/200803/.

The ITU has issued a call for abstracts for the workshop, including demonstrations of ICT in automobiles.  Potential presenters should submit a half-page abstract, including the title of the paper and the author’s full name, short biography, address, telephone and e-mail, to tsbcar@itu.int by Friday, November 16, 2007.  Presenters will be notified of their acceptance status by Friday, December 14, 2007, and should respond with presentations no later than Tuesday, January 29, 2008.

For information on the 2005 Workshop, go to http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem/ict-auto/200503/index.html; for information on the 2007 Workshop, go to http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem/ict-auto/200703/index.html. 

For more information on The Fully Networked Car Workshop 2008, please contact Tyler Messa at +1.703.907.7743 or tmessa@tiaonline.org.

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This week, the General Services Administration is hosting IDEAS 2007, its annual conference on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center on Mount Vernon Place. TIA Regulatory and Government Affairs Manager Becky Schwartz will moderate a panel on November 1, 1:45 p.m.-2:45 p.m., on technology for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. 

During this session, Schwartz will lead a discussion on the technology solutions that are available for procurement purposes and the cost related to providing these solutions, as well as the security and privacy aspects of each. Panelists will include Jim House, Public Relations and Resource Development Officer, Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Karl Ewan, Agency Liaison for Federal Relay, Sprint; and Michael Young, CAPTEC Manager, Department of Defense Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program.

For more information on TIA's involvement with IDEAS 2007, please contact Ian Martinez at imartinez@tiaonline.org or +1.703.907.7723.

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