Channel Partners Expo Review: The Show That Never Sleeps

There was a New York state of mind at The Fall Channel Partners Conference & Expo as more than 2,100 attendees packed the Meadowlands Exposition Center. The daytime activities were held across the harbor from New York City in Secaucus, N.J., but the networking and deal making extended into Manhattan in the evening (and wee hours) during the three-day event, held Sept. 26-28.

The show was kicked off by a keynote address from former NFL great Merril Hoge, now an ESPN analyst. His address, co-sponsored by AireSpring and Magellan Hill Technologies, encouraged attendees to always find a way to achieve their goals no matter the circumstances; and he supported his claims by discussing one of the biggest struggles hes ever won his battle with cancer.

A second keynote from Kevin OHara, president and COO of Level 3 Communications Inc., discussed the ever-changing telecom landscape and what that means for the channel as well as Level 3s struggles with integrating its many acquisitions into a wholly new company and channel program.

Partners funneled into an already packed seminar room for the Roundtable: What is a Partner Worth? This frank point/counterpoint discussion between carriers and their indirect sales reps was led by MarketRace founder Michael Fair. Ted Schuman, CEO of PlanetOne Communications, asserted that one of the major strains in the carrier-agent relationship was that the agents dont feel the support that they receive is reciprocal to the revenue agents provide. Carriers countered that not all agents perform equally well and providing support to one is different than to another. Agents suggested a move to a performance-based contract.

Concurrent educational sessions covered everything from marketing and conflict resolution to trends in converged communications and hosted call center opportunities.

The Opening Reception, co-sponsored by New Edge Networks and the Capital 2.0 Conference, allowed attendees to get their first look at nearly 160 exhibitors displaying new products and channel programs SIP trunking, hosted VoIP, wireless and data services were on offer along with incentive trips and special promos.

And, of course, lets not forget the after-hours party at NYC nightclub, Lotus. The party, hosted by McLeodUSA and Telecom Brokerage Inc., welcomed 11 busloads of telecom industry executives who chatted and danced the night away!

Early the next morning (too early for some), the concurrent sessions started up again, covering managed services, wireless policy and growth strategies. The morning wound down with a general session address from Bill Taylor, president of Corporate Ladders, and then the attendees flocked to the expo hall for an afternoon of networking.

The Channel Partners Conference & Expo came to an end on Friday, and attendees regretfully left the East Coast and the city that never sleeps although, after such a busy and successful show, sleep is exactly what we all needed.

Its a Win-Win-Win!

With so many exciting giveaways on the show floor, we are sure that almost nobody left the show empty-handed. The Channel Partners Conference & Expo, along with PHONE+ magazine, also gave away three hefty prizes to qualified attendees. Mike Peterson, president of master agent Telemetrics Communications was the lucky winner of a $1,000 Marriott Gift Card. John Altom, managing partner of AG VoIP Solutions LLC out of Whitehouse Station, N.J., took home a $1,500 Home Depot Gift Card and it also happened to be Johns first show! Finally, Channel Partners Expo brought back its popular passport promotion, where attendees got their cards stamped by participating exhibitors to be included in the drawing for the grand prize. The lucky attendee was Joseph Boyd, channel sales agent for MainBoard LLC. He took home a $2,500 American Express Gift Card.