Internet + Television + Expo = INTX

Since NCTA’s move from The Cable Show to INTX, many have been left wondering, what exactly will this year’s show encompass?

As the IoT has taken off recently, there have been more opportunities to integrate apps into the overall cable video experience. As a result, NCTA has shifted the focus of the show to encompass the growing digital landscape throughout the industry as opposed to just cable. This year’s event will bring the two even closer together to cover the latest happenings in OTT, wireless integration and overall operations.

Here are a few things to expect at this year’s show:

  • The show floor, now called INTX marketplace will feature about 300 exhibitors. The area has been “reimagined,” and will feature “boulevards, plazas and circles” at various “intersections.”
  • In addition to keynote discussions among top industry executives, the annual Spring Technical Forum will dive deeper into tech than it has in previous years. The lineup consists of 43 technical papers that will be presented at eight different sessions.
  • NCTA will also sponsor a 24-hour hackathon, INTXHAK, which will challenge developers to create apps from scratch using the latest APIs, tools, data and content from a huge list of today’s leading tech, media and entertainment companies.

Will you be attending this year’s show? Let us know in the comments below.

What Caught our Eye at Mobile World Congress 2015?

Mobile World Congress 2015 attracted more than 93,000 telecom professionals – a record-breaking number for the world’s largest mobile event. As expected, it was a great show. Earlier this year, we shared our thoughts on what to expect and sessions to attend.

With the show behind us, here’s a recap of the topics and news we enjoyed most:

  • 5G was crowned the hottest trend at MWC by Light Reading. Their poll found that 5G beat out SDN/NFC and the ever-talked about Internet of Things (IoT)
  • The debate on the use of unlicensed spectrum for LTE and Wi-Fi heated up as Verizon and T-Mobile both announced support for unlicensed LTE (LTE-U)
  • Taking the connected car another step further, AT&T announced plans to link AT&T Drive, its connected car platform, with its home security and automation service.

What caught your attention at Mobile World Congress? Let us know in our comments below.

MWC Infographic: What Does the Global LTE Footprint Look Like?

5G and LTE-related technologies have taken over Mobile World Congress this year as more wireless carriers search for ways to bring faster network speeds to their customers.

This begs the question, while we look at standards for 5G, where are we at with global availability of LTE?

Mosaik Solutions, the leader in telecom business intelligence and visualization services, created an infographic to show us. The image points out some interesting facts:

  • 99.4% of U.S. residents have access to LTE
  • 64% of the world population is predicted to have LTE coverage by 2019
  • In 2014, 113 countries had LTE, up from 2 countries in 2009

You can view the image here.

Top Four Sessions to Check Out at MWC 2015

Last week, we shared five things that will likely be announced at Mobile World Congress. As we get closer to March, we’re also excited about the topics that will be discussed at the show by industry leaders. Sure, there will be discussions on wearables, personalizing the consumer’s connected experience and mobile security, however we’re most looking forward to these hot topics:

  • Spectrum – Between the U.S. FCC spectrum auctions and the outcomes from WRC 15, we’re in for some interesting developments that will reshape the industry. Don’t miss “The Seismic Spectrum Shake-Up” on March 2 at 2 p.m. to learn more.
  • Mobile Retail – With the explosion of mobile payments in 2014, 2015 will be about driving customer loyalty through Online, mobile, in-store and offline experiences. The “Mobile Retail: Delivering Contextual Experiences to Drive Loyalty & Spend” session on March 3 at 4 p.m. will discuss this further.
  • 5G – We’ve heard about 5G for a while now, but where is it going and how will it be used? March 4 is the day to hear some thoughts on this during the “5G Requirements” session at 2 p.m. and the “5G Services” session at 3:15 p.m.

What sessions are you most excited to attend?