Telecoms event season is under way – are you ready?

The telecoms event season is upon us again. More telecoms you say? It’s barely been 11 weeks since Mobile World Congress! Yet May and June will see a number of key telecoms events such as International Telecoms Week, Digital Transformation World and 5G World.

For many telecoms companies, smaller events, which deliver a focussed agenda, can offer a more suitable environment for doing business, compared to the huge scope of events like MWC and CES. At larger shows, the voices of some companies can get drowned out by major announcements from handset manufacturers, operators and OTT players. In comparison, a niche set of exhibitors, keynotes and networking sessions can suit companies that want to demonstrate their value to a specific audience within the industry.

ITW took place this week, with the global wholesale telecoms industry gathering in Chicago to discuss the impact of the IoT on carrier networks. Many carriers are still trying to understand how they can support the IoT from the front- and back-end of their networks; businesses meanwhile are looking for ways to monetise big data generated by the IoT.

BICS, a global provider of wholesale carrier services and a long-term Babel client, announced at the show that eight more operators had signed up to a code of conduct to combat fraud in the industry, adding to 10 that have already agreed to it. The code includes a commitment to share information regarding fraudulent traffic flows with peers; a great sign of the industry collaborating for the good of the whole.

TM Forum Live has this year aptly changed its name to Digital Transformation World, and is taking place next week in Nice, France. The event now reflects the sweeping changes within telecoms as operators move to more open and flexible architectures. Whilst historically catering for companies that have their roots in core OSS and BSS, the event now incorporates those specialising in artificial intelligence and machine learning, blockchain, NFV and 5G.

Amdocs, a company pioneering the Open Network Automation Platform (ONAP), will be at the show, voicing its opinions on a range of issues from cloud and NFV to digital transformation and AI. Amdocs will be hosting a breakfast briefing to discuss how an initiative focussed on how AI can empower business assurance. Breakfast briefings such as this are a great way of engaging with key influencers – customers, partners, the media and analysts – outside of show hours.

Finally, as we move into June, Informa’s 5G World will open in London. The event, formerly LTE World, aims to tackle the migration from LTE to 5G, focussing on how networks, standards and use cases are evolving as we approach the commercialisation of the communications standard.

5G is the most disruptive technology in telecoms right now. Subsequently, there’s large number of stakeholders in the telecoms industry – including operators, tech vendors and government bodies – that are jumping on the bandwagon and trying to claim a leadership position in the technology.

Babel is working with both VIAVI and NETSCOUT, which are attending 5G World next month. Over the past could of years, we have helped define their 5G messages, developing compelling arguments on how their solutions and services fit into the 5G ecosystem, and building strong narratives on how the technology will evolve.

Of course, a similar approach has been taken with all of our clients attending events throughout year. We have worked closely with them to develop nuanced messages for the audiences attending the shows, and often hear how PR opportunities surrounding events have helped drive leads. Whilst not every event has the scope of MWC, they nevertheless all require laser-focussed messages in order to break through to prospective and retained customers, as well as the media and analysts.

By developing news stories, articles and securing inclusion in features, we are ensuring that clients and their messaging are synonymous with key industry trends and technologies. Other businesses must take the same initiative or risk being left in the wake of other, more organised and proactive companies, before the conversation moves on to the next big industry issue.