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Vol. 9 No. 38                  September 30, 2013
In This Issue
COMPTEL PLUS
AT THE FCC
MEMBER PROFILE
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
MEMBER NEWS










For more information about submitting member company news, please contact Gail Norris.
FCC
DEADLINES

 

October 7

 Oppositions to Petitions to Deny the AT&T/Leap Wireless Merger Due 

 

Comments due on Proposed Changes for Form 555 and Accompanying Instructions

 

SOCIALIZE WITH COMPTEL

 

@COMPTEL 

@COMPTELPLUS 

@COMPTELADVOCACY
                          

Diamond Rio publicity shot

 
TOP OF THE NEWS

COMPTEL PLUS Fall Provides the Game Plan for Success

More than 57 Percent of Attendees were Senior Decisionmakers
 
COMPTEL last week proved again that the COMPTEL PLUS Convention & EXPO is the place where business deals are sealed. During the annual Fall event, which took place at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, attendees took advantage of the opportunity to visit key vendors and prospective customers in a single location, setting up approximately 530 meetings via the COMPTEL PLUS Business PLANner.

"COMPTEL PLUS has a strong reputation of being the destination where exhibitors and attendees can meet with prospective customers and partners, and ink deals that are vital to their business; and this Fall's show was no exception," said COMPTEL CEO Jerry James. "What makes our shows unique is the quality of attendees, which include many of the top executives and key decisionmakers at communications service providers and vendors, and our ability to continue bringing new exhibitors to the show floor."

At last week's show, more than 57 percent of attendees were senior level decisionmakers, and COMPTEL's CEO breakfast attracted more than 40 C-level executives for networking and an interactive discussion on policy issues of importance to the industry. In addition, the EXPO featured 19 exhibitors that were at the show for the first time, including providers of cloud services, unified communications, VoIP, network management and optimization, carrier Ethernet,
corporate compliance, and video caching and delivery.

 
Other highlights of the annual convention include the inspiring keynote address by former Denver Bronco Pro Bowler Karl Mecklenburg, who outlined the six keys to success that are vital in both personal and professional lives, and expert-led educational sessions on topics such as the IP transition, cybersecurity, Lifeline, VoIP, cloud solutions, Ethernet, small cells, financial markets and strategies for strengthening the bottom line. The convention kicked off with more than 60 golfers at the annual Fall golf tournament and an opening night reception in the EXPO hall attended by more than 1,000 guests, and concluded with a half-day workshop hosted by Technologies Management Inc.

New this Fall, FISPA collocated its Fall meeting at COMPTEL PLUS, to increase its members' networking opportunities with the innovative communications companies and supplier partners in the EXPO hall. FISPA also hosted luncheons and evening networking events, to which COMPTEL PLUS attendees were invited to learn more about that organization and the offerings of its members.

Grand Prize Winner 
Andy Yankovsky with COMPTEL CEO Jerry James
At the end of the EXPO on Wednesday, September 25, there was an exhibit hall drawing sponsored by exhibitors CSF Corporation, GeoResults, GSAssociates, Overture Networks, RAD Data, Sales Tax Associates, Sonus Networks and Telco Systems. Winners of the raffle received American Express gift cards. Winners included Andy Yankovsky of Technologies Management Inc. ($1,500), Tammy Coughlin of Windstream ($1,000) and Jim George of American Cable Services ($500). The EXPO drawing sponsors also held raffles in their booths during the convention, in which selected attendees each won $100 gift cards.

News from the COMPTEL PLUS Fall 2013 Convention & EXPO can be found online in the COMPTEL PLUS Show Daily. For news from Tuesday, September 24, and Wednesday, September 25, visit the COMPTEL PLUS archives.
AT THE FCC
FCC Issues Mandatory Request for Special Access Data

On September 18, the Federal Communications Commission released its mandatory special access data request order. Jerry James, COMPTEL CEO, stated that "we appreciate the Chairwoman's unwavering support for special access reform and we are pleased the Commission is taking this step. COMPTEL and its members look forward to working with the Commission on this critical issue, which needs to remain at the forefront to ensure that competitive choice is not limited, and innovation and investment in communications networks can continue to thrive. Special access is a vital element of a robust competitive marketplace. As a multi-billion dollar market, special access is an economic driver that is not only important to competitive telecommunications carriers, but also to businesses of all types, as communications services are paramount to their operations." 

 

FCC Chair Circulates Rural Call Completion Order 
On September 17, Mignon Clyburn, the acting chairwoman of the FCC, announced that she circulated an Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will help make sure that calls to rural areas are completed. 
 
She said that "it is shocking that in this day and age, long-distance calls to rural Americans all too often are not being completed. Emergency calls to state troopers have failed. Families trying to check on the health and well-being of elderly parents cannot get through. Rural businesses have lost customers frustrated when it appears that no one is there to take an order. All told, this is a serious and unacceptable situation for people living in rural America.... The Order will enhance the FCC's ability to investigate and crack down on this problem while also taking immediate steps that will improve the performance of long-distance calls to rural America."
MEMBER PROFILE

WiMacTel Evolves into Full Telecom Service Provider 

WiMacTel was founded in 2000 as QuorTech Solutions, a spin-off of the Millennium division of Nortel Networks, serving the public communications industry. The company formally launched as WiMacTel in 2010, as it evolved into a full telecommunications service provider with a focus on operator services, directory assistance, long distance and inmate/public payphone services. The company's customer base includes LECs/CLECs in the United States and Canada, airports, universities, hospitals, hotels, correctional facilities, payphone providers and other small/medium businesses. WiMacTel is a certified IXC/OSP, wireless and VoIP reseller and payphone service provider nationwide in the U.S. and Canada, and has nationwide LEC/CLEC billing agreements and is a PCI DSS-compliant credit card merchant.
 
Visit the COMPTEL website to learn more about WiMacTel.

For more information on submitting a member profile, or updating an existing one, e-mail Anna Bayer or call 202-296-6650.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS 
All COMPTEL Committee meetings are held at the Association's headquarters, 1200 G St NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20005, unless otherwise noted.  All times listed are Eastern. For more information, call 202-296-6650.

October 1        
Regulatory/Legislative Committee Meeting
2 p.m.              Contact Karen Reidy

October 8        Regulatory/Legislative Committee Meeting
2 p.m.              Contact Karen Reidy
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