Schedule - Connectivity Expo

15th Annual Golf Outing

WIA’s 15th annual golf tournament will take place at Celebration Golf Club in Orlando, FL. It’s here that you’ll do more than play a round—you’ll feel what it’s like to play the final course co-designed by the renowned masters of golf course architecture, Robert Trent Jones Senior and Junior. See you on the links! Register now.

Location

Celebration Golf Club

State of the OnGo Market

Speaker:

Dave Wright President CBRS Alliance

Sponsor:

CBRS Alliance

Location

Celebration 3-4

TEC: 5G Outlook and 5G Technologies Workshop & Social Panel

With 5G poised to enhance everything from mobile broadband to the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G Outlook & Technologies provides an overview of the anticipated capabilities, key requirements, and an understanding of 3GPP’s progress. Edge computing, network slicing, NFV, fiber backhaul, and C-RAN will also be reviewed, as well as the potential applications and changes required to implement 5G. Course Instructed By: Rikin Thakker • 1:00pm-4:00pm 5G Outlook & Technologies Workshop *Certification presented upon completion • 4:00pm-5:00pm Social Panel with (3) TEC Subject Matter Expert Instructors: Dr. Rikin Thakker, Phil Ziegler, and Barbara Burba Fourth panel slot for sponsor • Refreshments during the Social Panel Register Now!

Speakers:

Barbara Burba CEO Amerisite Wireless Development
Rikin Thakker Vice President of Telecommunications and Spectrum Policy Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC)

Sponsor:

Huntington National Bank

Location

Celebration 7-8

The Economics Driving OnGo

Sponsor:

CBRS Alliance

Location

Celebration 3-4

OnGo Device Update

Speaker:

Alan Ewing Executive Director CBRS Alliance

Sponsor:

CBRS Alliance

Location

Celebration 3-4

OnGo Deployment – Fixed Wireless

Speaker:

Jon Pederson Chief Technology Officer Midcontinent Communications (Midco)

Sponsor:

CBRS Alliance

Location

Celebration 3-4

Infrastructure Developers Forum Meeting

Location

Celebration 1-2

OnGo Deployment – Managed Services

Speaker:

Dan Parsons COO Landmark Dividend/Dallas Rapid Transit

Sponsor:

CBRS Alliance

Location

Celebration 3-4

OnGo Deployment – Private LTE

Speaker:

Alan Bock VP Business Development Vapor IO/City of Chicago

Sponsor:

CBRS Alliance

OnGo Deployment – Industrial IoT

Speaker:

Ken Hosac Vice President, IoT Strategy & Business Development Cradlepoint

Sponsor:

CBRS Alliance

Location

Celebration 3-4

What’s Next For OnGo?

Sponsor:

CBRS Alliance

Location

Celebration 3-4

Closing Remarks and Update on CBRS Alliance Membership

Speaker:

Chris Stark Chair CBRS Alliance

Sponsor:

CBRS Alliance

Location

Celebration 3-4

Launch Party

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar: 9101 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819

Sponsors:

Location

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar

Registration Open

Sponsor:

CommScope

Member Lounge

Open to WIA and HetNet Forum Members.

Sponsor:

McGriff Insurance Services

Location

Regency Foyer

VIP Lounge

Open to VIP Pass Holders Only.

Sponsor:

Tessco

Location

Regency Express

Massive MIMO and Innovative RAN Solutions for Greater Capacity for 5G Networks

Massive multiple-input, multiple-output, (MIMO) groups together antennas at the transmitter and receiver, providing better throughput and better spectrum efficiency. This method’s ability to multiply the capacity of the antenna links has made it an essential element of wireless standards including 802.11n 802.11ac and LTE. Deploying a system with hundreds or thousands of antennas and terminals isn’t easy. What are the deployment scenarios for MIMO? What other considerations from suppliers, RAN vendors, and infrastructure partners are required?

Moderator:

Walter Piecyk Managing Director, TMT Research BTIG

Speakers:

Jim Nevelle President & CEO Kathrein
Dennis McColl Wireless Engineer Verizon Wireless
Dave Garrison Senior Director, 5G RF Performance Spirent

Sponsor:

JMA Wireless

Location

Celebration 1-2

How Blockchain Impacts Future Tower & Infrastructure Decisions

Blockchain is already creating new opportunities for infrastructure operators. It is opening valuable new functions and roles, from real-time asset ownership and management to the very definition of next-generation networks and who will be operating them. To call blockchain a revolution is an understatement. We currently live in a digital world dominated by a few centralized organizations that collect and control our data. The blockchain innovators are right now changing that equation by delivering individual data autonomy and democracy in all applications, transforming everything we do over networks. This session is a discussion of what blockchain is and its significance in simple terms – without the hype or jargon – and why it really is a revolution for networks and applications.

Speakers:

Christopher Anderson Founder and Chief Technologist Bridgetap
Davis Howe COO BRIDGE - The Alternet Project

Sponsor:

MVP Capital

Location

Celebration 3-4

The OnGo Business Case for Critical Infrastructure: Energy, Utilities, Transportation

Utilities and other critical communications industries must meet regulatory requirements for security, reliability, and safety. At the same time, they have a growing demand for capacity and coverage from their wireless communications systems. Experts evaluate ways in which private LTE networks provide a practical solution for providing coverage and capacity, while enabling increased automation of infrastructure systems.

Moderator:

Vijay Venkateswaran CEO Viventum

Speakers:

Warren Westrup Director of Business Development Sierra Wireless
Jared Pickrell SVP Engineering Landmark Dividend

Sponsor:

Cradlepoint

Location

Celebration 7-8

Best Practices in Monitoring & Management of In-Building Infrastructure

Both IoT and Mobile Edge Computing – often referred to as in-building services – will contribute to the return on investment of in-building wireless infrastructure. Understand how IoT and low-latency applications and services are bringing new infrastructure opportunities to property owners and enterprises.

Moderator:

Tim Downs Executive Producer Connect (X)

Speakers:

Fakri Sadeh VP Network Technology Strategy and Development, North America Sigfox
Eric Carey CEO and Co-Founder Predictive Technologies, LLC

Sponsor:

Zinwave

Location

Celebration 9-10

Recommendations on the FCC’s Wireless Resiliency Framework

FCC Chairman Pai formed a working group within the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC) late last year to comprehensively re-evaluate the agency’s policy to improve the resiliency of communications infrastructure and develop best practices to restore networks and communications in conditions when an outage occurs. This roundtable discusses the challenges in network resiliency from a policy perspective, and reviews next generation technology that can spur fast response in emergencies and natural disasters.

Moderator:

Doug Dimitroff Partner and Telecommunications Practice Team Leader Phillips Lytle LLP

Speakers:

Kurt Jacobs Director, Solutions JMA Wireless
Eric Hagerson Principal Federal Regulatory Affairs Manager T-Mobile

Location

Celebration 12-13

Data Centers and Edge Computing

The edge data center panel can be a bit more expansive and extend beyond just micro data centers, as many operators focused on distributed data centers in Tier II and Tier III markets view their strategy as more of a practical edge offering bringing the compute and storage closer to the end user in those markets.

Moderator:

Bora Lee Equity Research – Communications Infrastructure RBC Capital Markets

Speakers:

Wen Temitin Chief Technology Officer StackPath
Eric Bozich VP/GM EdgeMicro
My Truong CEO, Senior Director of R&D Packet

Sponsor:

RBC Capital Markets

Location

Windermere Y

All About Millimeter Wave Wireless in 5G Networks: Applications, Deployments, Solutions

Millimeter wave frequencies are key to the multi-gigabit per second data speeds and low latency expected from commercial 5G networks. Verizon and AT&T are both ramping up networks utilizing 28GHz and 39GHz bands. What are the complexities of marrying mmWave fixed wireless with 5G mobile? How are technology suppliers managing design considerations to address line-of-sight issues that hinder performance, such as rain and heavy foliage? What are the use cases that the early deployments are focused on, and how does environment factor into network deployment?

Moderator:

Sean Kinney Editor in Chief RCR Wireless

Speakers:

Slavko Djukic Chief Technology Officer Zinwave
Khurram Sheikh CEO KwikBit
Reza Rofougaran Co-CEO and CTO Movandi

Sponsor:

JMA Wireless

Location

Celebration 1-2

Investments, Partnerships and M&A in a Converged Edge/Tower Architecture

The tower industry is expecting carrier activity to increase significantly in 2019 and beyond. Among the near-term catalysts are shared infrastructure in edge computing, fixed wireless, small cells and 5G. What does this mean for the infrastructure owners outside of the nationwide tower aggregators? What other day-to-day issues are facing today’s tower, small cell and development services companies? On this panel, tower owners, small cell players, services companies and the brokerage community will address the key issues affecting the business.

Moderator:

Pat Troxell-Tant CEO Vogue Towers

Speakers:

Robert Paige Senior Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions Vertical Bridge
Clayton Funk Managing Director MVP Capital
Ron G. Bizick, II CEO, Director Tarpon Towers
Bud Blinick President Cell At Auction
Jerry Sullivan CEO Strategic Wireless Infrastructure Fund
Daniel Agresta President & CEO APC Towers

Sponsor:

MVP Capital

Location

Celebration 3-4

Simplified Provisioning & Integration for Enterprise Deployments

LTE is much more complex than Wi-Fi, a technology that the enterprise is more familiar with. The integration and provisioning can be very daunting for the enterprise. How can vendors and integrators make it easy for the enterprise to deploy CBRS, which is based on LTE?

Moderator:

Monica Paolini Senza Fili Consulting

Speakers:

Paul Reddick VP Corporate Strategy & Development Crown Castle
Bob Ewald SVP Business Development Arterra Mobility
Karim El Malki President Athonet
Guido Voltolina Head of Business Development, Nokia Digital Automation Nokia
Chris Wallace Strategic Product Manager, Advanced Industries Ericsson

Sponsor:

Cradlepoint

Location

Celebration 7-8

Indoor Capacity: Building a Smarter Building from Inside Out

With the advent of 5G, venue owners must consider the entire digital infrastructure holistically. What kind of connectivity that needs to be made available and who the different users of it will be? Next, it is important to consider how the information obtained through these different channels flows into back office data to produce valuable intelligence.

Moderator:

Rich Berliner Publisher Connected Commercial Real Estate

Speakers:

John Meko Director of Engineering, North America WiredScore
Lisa Lombino Vice President, Network Engineering - Managed Networks & Innovation American Tower
Ahmed Hmimy Director of Product Line Management CommScope
Allan Tantillo Vice President of New Technologies Vertical Bridge
Art King IBN Technologies Corning
Greg Spraetz SVP, Real Estate Solutions ExteNet Systems

Sponsor:

Zinwave

Location

Celebration 9-10

Understanding the FCC’s 5G Wireless Infrastructure Orders

Last year, the FCC addressed regulatory barriers that impeded the investment and deployment of 5G infrastructure across the nation. This roundtable addresses the FCC’s actions in 2018 and provides a summary and update to the implementation of the Order.

Moderator:

T. Scott Thompson Partner Davis Wright Tremaine

Speakers:

Joshua S. Turner Attorney at Law Wiley Rein LLP
Robert Millar Associate General Counsel Crown Castle
Laura Phillips Partner Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Location

Celebration 12-13

Fiber Panel: Building for the Connected World of Tomorrow

A panel of experts from across the industry will discuss: increasingly complex demands from the enterprise and carrier customers they serve, future-proofing networks in anticipation of new technologies, the impact of 5G on investment in backhaul solutions and FTTx, and the industry’s stance on greenfield deployments vs. replacing/upgrading legacy long-haul routes

Moderator:

Edward Rubin Managing Director Cowen and Company

Speakers:

Tim Biltz CEO Segra
Brett Lindsey CEO Everstream
Matt Dement CEO Clearwave
Glenn Johansen CEO LightRiver Technologies

Sponsor:

Cowen

Location

Windermere Y

Welcome Remarks: Jonathan Adelstein, President & CEO, Wireless Infrastructure Association

Location

Windermere W-X

Keynote Speech: Neville Ray, Chief Technology Officer, T-Mobile

Speaker:

Neville Ray Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer T-Mobile

Sponsor:

Advantage Engineers

Location

Windermere W-X

Evolution of Technology – Next Generation Technology and Its Impact to your Business Tomorrow and Beyond

Moderator:

Jonathan Adelstein President and CEO Wireless Infrastructure Association

Speakers:

Charles Kriete SVP Commercial Business Tessco
Rick Suarez Group President MasTec Network Solutions

Location

Windermere W-X

Keynote Speech: Shelley McKinley, General Manager, Microsoft

Speaker:

Shelley McKinley General Manager Microsoft Technology and Corporate Responsibility

Location

Windermere W-X

Civic Leaders Discuss Dynamics of 5G and the Municipal Environment and Benefits To Cities

City and County leaders from governments in our host state of Florida will conduct a broad-based discussion about prioritizing 5G deployment and the important economic and social benefits that the technology will bring to our communities.

Moderator:

Zenia Zaveri Vice President External Affairs Crown Castle

Speakers:

John Dailey Mayor Tallahassee, Florida
Buddy Dyer Mayor Orlando, Florida

Location

Windermere W-X

Disrupt or be Disrupted: How to be a Hero of Change

Innovators and innovations are disrupting the telecom industry at a faster rate than ever. At this inflection point we have a responsibility to our companies and customers to drive change — not just for the sake of change, but to ensure our competitive edge, growth, and survival. Hear from heroes of change, learn from their successes and failures and take away actionable insights that you can implement immediately. Thriving during this industry-wide tipping point is possible.

Moderator:

Irene Scher Vice President of Sales SiteTracker

Speakers:

Andy Haldane Co-Founder and CEO Tower Engineering Professionals (TEP)
Christopher Parra Vice President of Business Development and Strategy for the Z5G Group Zayo
Ian O’Brien CIO Congruex

Location

Windermere W-X

Exhibit Hall Open

Tuesday, May 21 4:30pm-6:00pm - Exhibit Hall Happy Hour Sponsored by: Tessco Wednesday, May 22 3:30pm-5:00pm - Exhibit Hall Happy Hour

Location

Regency Ballroom

Fiber: The New Mission Critical Asset in Wireless Infrastructure

Before 5G becomes a reality, the network infrastructure has to be in place to support the billions of devices and the trillions of megabits of data that will flood the network, requiring the use of fiber optics to minimize the time-to-market of massive small cell deployments—a major milestone for the roadmap to 5G. Optical fiber is the preferred medium for existing wireless backhaul networks, even in networks where this is not the case, the wireless backhaul eventually needs to connect into a fiber backhaul. Fiber will also be preferred for “fronthaul,” connecting the dense mesh of 5G small cells. “How many fibers are needed to support each cell?” And the answer depends primarily on what technology protocols will be employed.

Moderator:

Lisa Youngers President & CEO Fiber Broadband Association

Speakers:

Kevin Morgan Chief Marketing Officer Clearfield, Inc.
Jim Young Chief Operating Officer Crown Castle
Jeff Lewis President and CEO VERTICOM
Ron Fangio Director of Business Development Black & Veatch

Sponsor:

JMA Wireless

Location

Celebration 1-2

The Integrated Asset Chain: A New Model of Towers, Fiber & Data Centers

There’s no doubt that 5G will affect all parts of the network – from end users, to both man and machine (things) to data centers, and everything in between. With 5G able to support up to 1,000 higher data volumes, it is likely that consumers will download content more often and at greater quantities. That means time-sensitive content will continue to get processed in the data center and the data center must be close enough to the radio tower to meet service-level agreements. The tower owner and aggregator community is well-positioned to evolve to a new integrated asset (and value) chain that combines towers, fiber and data centers. This session discusses what it takes to make this move and the investment and risk involved.

Moderator:

Pat Troxell-Tant CEO Vogue Towers

Speakers:

Bernard Borghei EVP of Operations Vertical Bridge
Greg Pettine Co-founder and EVP, Business Development EdgeMicro
Corey E. Johnson Managing Director – Head of Telecommunications Cordiant Capital

Sponsor:

MVP Capital

Location

Celebration 3-4

The OnGo Business Case for Industrial IoT and Sensor Networks

The tools we are working with today to put sensors on networks were not designed to handle the diversity of devices growing from miniaturization of electronics, the scope of new capabilities and the massive volume of data-points generated from device interactions. This panel will feature a discussion on private LTE networks, the scope and on the scale that sensors, machines and other related physical real-world operations systems require.

Moderator:

Andrew Scott Co-Founder QuayChain

Speakers:

Ken Hosac Vice President, IoT Strategy & Business Development Cradlepoint
Cameron McCaskill Industrial IoT Business Development Qualcomm
TJ Maan General Manager, Enterprise Business Samsung Networks
Piyush Raj Director of Technology Innovation American Tower

Sponsor:

Cradlepoint

Location

Celebration 7-8

Deep Fiber: Impact and Value in Smart & Connected Buildings

Fiber is fuel for both LTE and future “5G” systems, and service providers are doing their best to increase their fiber footprints. Deloitte expects to see $130 billion-$150 billion in “deep fiber” investment in the U.S. over 5-7 years, due to a combination of broadband competition, ensuring 5G readiness, and expanding fiber into new areas. This session gets into the details of fiber projections, the opportunities it poses to tower owners and infrastructure stakeholders.

Moderator:

Rich Berliner Publisher Connected Commercial Real Estate

Speakers:

Nicholas Stello Senior Vice President Vornado
Allen Dixon Director Channel Management Zinwave

Sponsor:

Zinwave

Location

Celebration 9-10

Wireless Policy with a New Majority: The View from Washington

2019 saw a Congressional change in leadership and policy direction in key House of Representatives committee positions that oversee telecommunications and technology issues. How will the Democrats’ new majority affect policy-setting and oversight? What are likely to be the highest priorities in terms of telecommunications policy and who are the Congressional leaders at the forefront of legislative activity?

Moderator:

Christine Crowe Partner Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP

Speakers:

Will Adams Legal Advisor Federal Communications Commission
Roger C. Sherman Founder Waneta Strategies
Jennifer Scheider Head of DC Office American tower
Adrian Berezowsky President and Founder BirchCo, Inc.

Location

Celebration 12-13

2:00pm-2:25pm – Investment Insights, presented by Marc Ganzi, Founder and CEO, Digital Bridge Holdings

Speaker:

Marc Ganzi Founder and CEO Digital Bridge Holdings

Location

Windermere Y

2:35pm-3:50pm – Exploring the Role of Small Cells in the 5G Infrastructure Puzzle

During this panel we will be discussing the role small cells play in the 5G infrastructure landscape. Densification is a key part of any 5G network experience. Small cells (and fiber) represent a key pillar in achieving this densification. We look to explore with this panel what “inning” we are in in the small cell “baseball game.” We will be exploring the role of small cells from many different angels and discuss how spectrum and fiber play a part in their effectiveness. We have a great panels of CEOs and other C-Suite level management to discuss this important issue.

Moderator:

Jennifer Fritzsche Managing Director - Communications Infrastructure / Telecom Services Wells Fargo Securities

Speakers:

Ray LaChance Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Zenfi Networks
Mike Kavanagh Chief Commerical Officer Crown Castle
Iyad Tarazi President and CEO Federated Wireless
Jim Hyde President, CEO & Board Director ExteNet Systems

Sponsor:

Wells Fargo

Location

Windermere Y

4:00pm-5:00pm – US Towers: The Long View

Independent tower leasing has proven to be the most appealing business model across the broader telecom landscape over the past two decades and 2019 appears as though it will be another good year for towercos. Where to from here? A group of industry veterans with diverse viewpoints will weigh in on the outlook for the US tower industry over a multi-year horizon and help identify key opportunities and risks that will influence its growth trajectory and investment appeal over that time.

Moderator:

Nick Del Deo Analyst MoffettNathanson LLC

Speakers:

Ron G. Bizick, II CEO, Director Tarpon Towers
Jeff Langdon Tillman Infrastructure
Lance Cawley CFO InSite Wireless Group
Tim Culver Executive Chairman Phoenix Tower International
Ryan Lepene Co-President Peppertree Capital Management

Sponsor:

MoffettNathanson

Location

Windermere Y

Partner Program: Safer Buildings Coalition

2:30pm Welcome and Opening Remarks John Foley, SVP, Safer Buildings Coalition 2:35pm Keynote Address: If You’re in the Wireless Business, You’re in the Public Safety Business. And Business is Good! Seth Buechley, Founder, Safer Buildings Coalition 3:00pm They Said it Wouldn’t Happen: LTE is Replacing LMR Faster than Expected This panel provides an update on Public LTE deployments such as FirstNet, and how applications and economics are driving municipalities, counties and other jurisdictions to accelerate the augmentation or replacement of traditional push-to-talk Land Mobile Radios with LTE enabled smartphones. Chief Alan Perdue, Safer Buildings Coalition Robert Escalle, Sonim 3:45pm Break 4:00pm All Eyes on Florida Public Safety: In-Building Wireless Connectivity Requirements Florida AHJs discuss the drivers that are propelling the state to the forefront of Emergency Responder Radio Communication System (ERRCS) implementation. This roundtable features a real-world discussion of radio communications, data communications and more occurring at the community level. Moderator: John Foley, GM, Safer Buildings Coalition Jon Pasqualone, Executive Director, Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association 4:45pm Successful by Design: Best Practices in ERRCS System Design Finally! a session that goes Deep into the weeds of ERRCS best design practices. This session features some of the top minds from the SBC Codes and Standards technical work group discussing Radio Frequency engineering and in-building design. Moderator: John Foley, GM, Safer Buildings Coalition 5:30pm Closing Remarks and Networking

Speakers:

Gary Gray Assistant Telecommunications Manager/Radio Systems Manager City of Fort Lauderdale
Greg Glenn Sr. director public safety SOLiD
Kevin Persing Western Regional Manager, MSI Account Manager Cobham Communications and Connectivity
Michael Orendain Area Director Optical Telecom
Jon Pasqualone Executive Director Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association
John Foley Managing Director of the Safer Buildings Coalition Safer Buildings Coalition
Seth Buechley Founder Safer Buildings Coalition
Chief Alan W. Perdue Executive Director Safer Buildings Coalition
Robert Escalle Vice President Sonim
Norman Speicher Program Manager / Computer Scientist, Homeland Security Enterprise and First Responders Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Ryan Burchnell Director-Strategy and Policy FirstNet Built with AT&T
Daniel McAvoy Deputy Chief / Life Safety Management Osceola County Fire Rescue
Don Henry Vice President of Sales, Program Manager of Public Safety Solutions Comba

Location

Manatee Spring I-II

Small Cell Designs, Deployments and Products to Support 5G Architecture

Finding suitable location for small cells, with appropriate power and backhaul, is far from easy. This is just as problematic as using tower and macro site processes and systems to deploy small cells, especially in dense urban environments, on municipal street assets. This panel will examine the latest developments and assess the success that the wireless infrastructure industry can utilize to deliver value to carriers and property owners in a new era of dense 5G networks.

Moderator:

Iain Gillot President iGR

Speakers:

Sean Gallagher Director of Sales Valmont
Tormod Larsen Chief Technical Officer ExteNet Systems
Slavko Djukic Chief Technology Officer Zinwave
Patrice McAree American Tower Corporation
Kurt Jacobs Director, Solutions JMA Wireless

Sponsor:

JMA Wireless

Location

Celebration 1-2

Automation: Tools to Reduce Costs, Increase Profits in the Micro and Macro Network

Managing the complexity of the site is challenging when cells are smaller, sites are located closer, devices require different topologies, and more networks come on line. Information from location management, location intelligence, interconnection, asset management, process management and workflow management all require more automation and new tools, This allows all stakeholders in the site to manage large portfolios of complex and dynamic projects and assets. Learn more about the impact these tools have on your business.

Moderator:

Don Bishop Editor AGL Media Group

Speakers:

Rob Tymchyshyn CEO FieldClix
John Leigh Vice President of Operations Sitetracker
Andy Trench CEO VertSpec
Jim Poss CEO Modifi

Sponsor:

MVP Capital

Location

Celebration 3-4

Enterprise Connectivity: Extending your LAN over LTE

The recent emergence of more readily available private spectrum and more advanced Evolved Packet Core technology is allowing enterprises to think about connectivity in an entirely new way. By placing the Evolved Packet Core behind enterprise firewalls, the IT department is now able to manage connectivity, segmentation of devices, security protocol and other 5G type applications over any 'evolution' of cellular tech - over private LTE or Tier 1 operators globally. No more APNs and multi-carrier management.

Moderator:

Daniel Intolubbe-Chmil Senior Analyst Harbor Research

Speakers:

Ryley MacKenzie CEO Expeto Wireless
Stanley Chia CTO Tomorrow Street, Vodafone Procurement Company
Nick Johnson CTO and Head of PLM ip.access

Sponsor:

Cradlepoint

Location

Celebration 7-8

Neutral Host: Infrastructure, Ownership and Service Models

When we talk about neutral host systems, a neutral network is one that allows many different tenants to connect onto. If we can share fronthaul, backhaul, cabling, switches, that’s a win. We need an infrastructure for everyone. Who owns the in-building wireless infrastructure in the enterprise, property, venue or campus? Learn more about the growing role for third-party integrators and neutral hosts to empower the wireless commercial property and enterprise.

Moderator:

Rich Berliner Publisher Connected Commercial Real Estate

Speakers:

Allan Tantillo Vice President of New Technologies Vertical Bridge
Greg Najjar Director of Business Development ADRF
Bo White VP Global Business Development Macquarie Group
Nicholas Stello Senior Vice President Vornado
Paul Fettucia President & GM, ANS Advanced Network Services

Sponsor:

Zinwave

Location

Celebration 9-10

Connectivity and Sustainability: Closing the Digital Exclusion Gap

Today, an estimated 55 million people in the U.S. lack access to a broadband connection. Many, but not all, of them live in rural areas where it is estimated to cost billions to bring broadband access to them. In addition, many low-income communities still lack internet access. For many cities, a digital divide is also a barrier to urban revitalization and any prospect for realizing a ‘smarter city’ vision. This industry panel offers addresses what Federal authorities can do to ensure that broadband access is universal, affordable, and addresses the nation’s digital divide.

Moderator:

Anna Gomez Attorney at Law Wiley Rein LLP

Speakers:

Bryan Darr Executive Vice-President, Emerging Technologies Ookla
Aimee Meacham Chief of External Affairs NTIA
Dorissa Griffin Chief of Staff and Staff Counsel MMTC

Location

Celebration 12-13

HetNet Forum Reception

Open to HetNet Forum Members only.

Sponsor:

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Location

Orchid Room

Opening Reception

Sponsors:

Location

Regency Foyer

4th Annual Music Movement Charity Concert Featuring Joe Nichols, Billy Dawson, and The Band Plan

Location: BB Kings Blues Club, Orlando, FL
Doors open at 7:00pm
Purchase tickets with your Connect (X) registration!

Enjoy a night of great music for a great cause! Secure your tickets for the 4th Annual Music Movement Charity Tournament featuring Joe Nichols, Billy Dawson, The Wireless Band, & more! This can't-miss concert is to be held on Tuesday, May 21st at BB Kings Blues Club in Orlando and is brought to you by title sponsor Vertical Bridge. All proceeds from from the concert benefit music-centric therapy programs for young people with Autism and other forms of IDD. Apply promotional code Connect(x) upon ticket selection to receive a 10% discount on your GA ticket order.

Location

BB Kings Blues Club

Registration Open

Sponsor:

CommScope

Member Lounge

Open to WIA and HetNet Forum Members.

Sponsor:

McGriff Insurance Services

Location

Regency Foyer

VIP Lounge

Open to VIP Pass Holders Only.

Sponsor:

Tessco

Location

Regency Express

Indoor Outdoor 5G: Demystifying the Needs and Customer Expectations for 5G

5G networks promise ubiquitous coverage, improved capacity, ultra low latency communications links to manage complex applications that meet today’s and tomorrow’s high-bandwidth application. This panel discusses the realities of 5G network infrastructure and what is technology components are required to fulfill the 5G promise: millimeter wave, edge computing, fiber and more.

Moderator:

Tim Downs Executive Producer Connect (X)

Speakers:

John Caselli Wireless Business Manager Anixter
Diego Gonzalez In Building Solutions AT&T Mobility
Rachel Rea VP, Business Development JMA Wireless

Sponsor:

JMA Wireless

Location

Celebration 1-2

Sustainable Networks: Opportunities in Disaster Response

Following the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, the FCC and industry have begun to develop best practices for coordinating new solutions to provide connectivity and bandwidth to communities following a disaster. In this session, tower owners, site acquisition firms and solutions providers discuss new solutions to speed restoration following a disaster, and new business opportunities to serve ad hoc network needs: public safety, disaster response and more. Hear from innovators and new solutions providers whose products and services may contribute to the solution.

Moderator:

Jim Fryer Editor Inside Towers

Speakers:

Keith Kaczmarek President inPhase Wireless
Joe Ryan Vice President and General Counsel Altaeros
Allen Bell Joint Use Manager Georgia Power Company

Sponsor:

MVP Capital

Location

Celebration 3-4

Total Cost of Ownership Models in Fixed CBRS Applications

The choice of which fixed wireless technology to use for fixed connectivity depends on availability and requirements of various technologies, as well as on cost. Within each band, equipment costs vary substantially among vendors. While there may not be an average TCO for a point-to-multipoint deployment, it is possible to review TCO models for CBRS in different use cases, including enterprise and network extension.

Moderator:

Monica Paolini Senza Fili Consulting

Speakers:

Dr. Mohammad Shakouri Director, Community Broadband Initiative Joint Venture Silicon Valley
Nick Dewar Vice President, Products and Systems Engineering Telrad

Sponsor:

Cradlepoint

Location

Celebration 7-8

New Business Models: How Edge Computing Can Unlock the Economics of 5G

The enormous investments required to upgrade wireless networks to 5G can be underwritten and offset by new business models. Shared infrastructure, cloud computing, new revenue streams, and unlicensed spectrum create new flexibility in CAPEX/OPEX expenditures and new opportunities and threats to the wireless operators. Who ‘owns’ the edge equipment? What kinds of services will generate new revenue? How will lower barriers of entry benefit from new efficiencies? This session will cover:

Shared infrastructure
Cloud services for telecom (e.g., 5G-as-a-Service)
Change from fixed-function appliance devices to software virtualized functions
Software on Demand, unlicensed spectrum and MVNOs

Moderator:

Iain Gillot President iGR

Speakers:

Sandro Tavares Head of Campaign Strategy, Networks Nokia
Anton Kapela CTO EdgeMicro
Wen Temitin Chief Technology Officer StackPath
Thomas Switala Director Detecon

Sponsor:

iGR

Location

Celebration 9-10

Deep Dive Into the AT&T 5G Path From Today & Beyond

We are excited to sit down with Susan Johnson – Executive Vice President of Global Connections and Supply Chain at AT&T to delve into the ins and out of the company’s 5G strategy. We plan to go ‘soup to nuts’ - to see what AT&T has done (and what it thinks it still needs to do) to be 5G ready. We plan to discuss all the critical elements of the of the 5G platform – spectrum, fiber, small cells and the virtualization of the network. With AT&T’s 5G service today live in almost 20 cities and nationwide coverage expected next year – we expect AT&T will have much to say as to lessons learned thus far, and to what it sees as critical needs in infrastructure to support growth into the future. We will also examine how AT&T’s 5G service offering for the consumer and enterprise segments differ. Today, AT&T is the only one serving both silos with its 5G service. We hope you can join us for this exciting panel as we will have much to discuss!

Moderator:

Jennifer Fritzsche Managing Director - Communications Infrastructure / Telecom Services Wells Fargo Securities

Speaker:

Susan Johnson Executive Vice President - Global Connections & Supply Chain AT&T

Sponsor:

Wells Fargo

Location

Windermere Y

Keynote Speech: Dan Rabinovitsj, Vice President, Facebook

Speaker:

Dan Rabinovitsj Vice President Facebook

Location

Windermere W-X

The View from the Top: Tower Executive Roundtable

Moderator:

Jonathan Adelstein President and CEO Wireless Infrastructure Association

Speakers:

Alex Gellman Chief Executive Officer Vertical Bridge
David Weisman President, CEO, and Co-Founder InSite Wireless Group
Jay Brown President and Chief Executive Officer Crown Castle
Steve Vondran Executive Vice President and President, U.S. Tower Division American Tower
Jeff Stoops Chief Executive Officer SBA Communications

Sponsor:

NB+C

Location

Windermere W-X

Keynote Speech: Adam Koeppe, SVP of Network Planning, Verizon, Interviewed by Sean Kinney, Editor in Chief, RCR Wireless

Speakers:

Adam Koeppe Senior Vice President – Technology Strategy and Planning Verizon
Sean Kinney Editor in Chief RCR Wireless

Sponsor:

Stonecrop Technologies LLC

Location

Windermere W-X

Disrupting the Wireless World with OnGo: How On-Demand Spectrum is Redefining the Indoor and Outdoor Business of Wireless Infrastructure

Speakers:

Iyad Tarazi President and CEO Federated Wireless
Tormod Larsen Chief Technical Officer ExteNet Systems

Location

Windermere W-X

Keynote Speech: Susan Johnson, Executive Vice President – Global Connections & Supply Chain, AT&T

Speaker:

Susan Johnson Executive Vice President - Global Connections & Supply Chain AT&T

Location

Windermere W-X

Exhibit Hall Open

Tuesday, May 21 4:30pm-6:00pm - Exhibit Hall Happy Hour Sponsored by: Tessco Wednesday, May 22 3:30pm-5:00pm - Exhibit Hall Happy Hour

Location

Regency Ballroom

Accelerating Small Cell Deployments with Innovative Infrastructure Solutions

5G technology promises a lot, including billions of dollars in infrastructure deployment and millions of new jobs. Along with its promises, 5G comes with the need to deploy hundreds of thousands of small cells and other facilities in communities across the nation. Find out how carriers, site development firms, software enablers and new entrants are deploying UAVs, video, software applications and more. Learn how they plan to meet the challenge of a dramatically different cost and fee scenario for 5G.

Moderator:

Alan Tilles Partner Shulman Rogers

Speakers:

Edward P. Bieging Jr. Project Manager, Small Cell Street Light Deployment Xcel Energy
Jim Lockwood CEO Aero Solutions
Michael Whitley Vice President Business Development PeakNet
Zouheir Mansourati, Ph. D Board Member and Chief Growth Officer (CGO) Fresnel

Sponsor:

JMA Wireless

Location

Celebration 1-2

Distributed Energy and Energy Storage: New Opportunities in Telecom Infrastructure

Fueled by the rapid growth of mobile technologies, the need for higher levels of data and increased reliability, the telecom industry is investing heavily in distributed generation and battery storage. Carriers are increasingly looking to DG and new ES solutions to reduce the cost of electricity at tower sites and to maintain operations in areas with unreliable power. With an increasing emphasis on reliability, DG and ES technologies are logical solutions to communications infrastructure in order to reduce the cost of power; to ensure the continuous operation of telecom networks, regardless of location or external factors, and also to meet the demand needed to supply regular power in areas with extended outages or crisis situations. This session examines innovative products in DES and opportunities for infrastructure owners to provide new services in distribute energy services.

Moderator:

Tim Downs Executive Producer Connect (X)

Speakers:

Ray Ansari Founder & CEO HCI Energy
Michael Hess Smart City Project Director City of Orlando
Mike Hoganson COO CityPole by Comptek

Sponsor:

MVP Capital

Location

Celebration 3-4

Technology Migration Strategy to LTE in Broadband Networks

With access to licensed spectrum and next generation LTE technology, broadband carriers and competitive service providers have new opportunities that did not exist before. These opportunities include increased mobility, access to neutral host networks for enterprises, improved security, quality of service, and more. This session focuses on the business model and ROI for competitive communications carriers to offer fast and reliable licensed services to replace or augment their DSL and fixed wireless access networks.

Moderator:

Kyung Mun Principal Analyst Mobile Experts

Speakers:

Jon Pederson Chief Technology Officer Midcontinent Communications (Midco)
Dr. Olufemi (Femi) Adeyemi Chief Solutions Architect for Mobile Networks Fujitsu Network Communication
Dave Wright President CBRS Alliance

Sponsor:

Cradlepoint

Location

Celebration 7-8

Edge Computing Architectures and the Pathway to 5G

To meet the latency performance goals of 5G, key network elements need to be re-architected and moved to the edge so that the request and response have less far to travel and hence latency is reduced. This edge journey is being conducted through the adoption of innovative solutions such as micro data centers, open, interoperable, IoT-enabled system architectures and platforms. This session defines this shift from centralized, cloud-based systems to decentralized edge cloud. Is this the next wave of shared infrastructure spending and investment? This session will cover:

Centralized to decentralized infrastructure
Hardware appliance to VNF evolution
Tower-connected edge data centers
Software defined networking at the edge
Cloud computing and workload/data orchestration at the edge
The power and inevitability of shared infrastructure

Moderator:

Alex Marcham Principal Analyst Network Architecture 2020

Speakers:

Cole Craword CEO and founder Vapor IO
John Kelly Advisory Director Berkshire Partners
Ihab Tarazi Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Packet
Patrick Henkle Director of Software Product Management JMA Wireless

Sponsor:

iGR

Location

Celebration 9-10

A Fireside Chat with John Kelly

John Kelly is currently a partner at private-equity firm Berkshire Partners and is the former CEO of Crown Castle. During his time at Berkshire Partners, Mr. Kelly has been involved in various communications infrastructure businesses including fiber, data centers, and towers. Most recently he helped lead Berkshire Partners investment in South African data center provider Teraco. Mr. Kelly was also inducted into the WIA Hall of Fame in its inaugural class in November 2018. During the fireside chat Mr. Kelly will share his views on the various business segments that make up Communications Infrastructure and the future of the sector.

Moderator:

Colby Synesael Managing Director and Senior Research Analyst Cowen and Company

Speaker:

John Kelly Advisory Director Berkshire Partners

Sponsor:

Cowen

Location

Windermere Y

The Minority Serving Institutions and Connectivity Sector Apprenticeship Accelerator Symposium and Workshop

This workshop engages leaders from minority serving institutions, the connectivity sector and the U.S. Department of Labor in an interactive and instructive forum about how to participate in one of the most impactful workforce strategies in our nation: registered apprenticeship.

Location

Rainbow Spring

Ramping up for 5G and Hyper-Densification with DAS, Small Cells and Wi-Fi

5G will be a paradigm shift, connecting billions of people and billions of things with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity and speed. This session will provide insight on how the industry is ramping up for the 5G revolution with sophisticated infrastructure innovation that place DAS, Small Cell and WiFi networks at the forefront. Hyper-Densification, 5G NR and Shared Spectrum are key areas that will be covered.

Moderator:

Andre DeGrasse President AIMM Global

Speakers:

Brian Daniels SVP, Strategic Networks and 5G Zayo
Kevin Travelstead Business Development Manager BHC RHODES
Naren Muthiah Director of Marketing & Product Strategy Tessco Technologies
Patrick Henkle Director of Software Product Management JMA Wireless

Sponsor:

JMA Wireless

Location

Celebration 1-2

2.5Ghz Spectrum: Update and Opportunities in Prime 5G Spectrum

According to the FCC, the 2.5Ghz EBS spectrum is the single largest band of contiguous spectrum below 3 gigahertz and has been identified as prime spectrum for next generation mobile operations, including 5G. The FCC has proposed several possibilities to utilize this key spectrum band, including rationalizing existing licenses; opening “local priority filing windows” so that certain users could get access to unassigned spectrum; and the possibility of an auction for some or all of the spectrum. This session focuses on an update on this spectrum band and a mid-term view of the opportunities for carriers and spectrum holders to utilize.

Moderator:

Rhett Westerman President and Founder Deep South Communications, LLC

Speakers:

Don Van Splunteren Global Vice President of Sales Phoenix Tower International
Andreas Bitzarakis Director Broadband Spectrum Select Spectrum
Kelley Dunne President and CEO Novation Services

Sponsor:

MVP Capital

Location

Celebration 3-4

The Roadmap to Cellular Interconnect on CBRS and Private LTE Networks

Despite the lingering uncertainty about the licensing framework for the shared CBRS bands, there exists strong interest about how and when Private LTE solutions can interconnect with the major mobile network operators today, tomorrow and over the next five years. This session focuses on the evolution toward cellular interconnect; what that means for neutral host networks (especially inside buildings), and how enterprises utilizing CBRS/OnGo can use cellular interconnect to maximize their private LTE investment.

Moderator:

Walter Piecyk Managing Director, TMT Research BTIG

Speakers:

Mike Brownson Director, IBW Business Development Westell Technologies
Jim Jacobellis Vice President Geoverse
Gary Richenaker Principal Solutions Architect Iconectiv
Michael O’Dwyer Sales & Marketing Director Druid Software

Sponsor:

Cradlepoint

Location

Celebration 7-8

Software is Eating the Edge: The New World of Edge Applications

Much of the software that runs the wireless industry is still defined by vertical integration on radios, switches and network appliances that takes 12-18 months to test and deploy. The software velocity (and variety) that we’ve come to expect as commonplace in "the cloud" is not at all the norm in wireless. Developers (and the software they write) are eating down the stack to take advantage of and optimize hardware, networks, datacenters and (for the first time) wireless networks and in-building access. This is unleashing incredible efficiency, velocity and new services in a domain that was always seen as a “black box” for developers. Is Wireless the Last, Unconquered Frontier for Developers? This session will discuss, including:

Edge and cloud software integration
When and where to run workloads in edge cloud
Platforms for edge computing
Edge cloud resource marketplaces
Edge-native and edge-enhanced applications, software architectures
Attracting developers

Moderator:

Matthew Trifiro Chief Marketing Officer VaporIO

Speakers:

Rolf Muralt Vice President of Product Management MobiledgeX
Alex Reznick Chair ETSI MEC
Greg Shields Director of Business Development NetFoundry

Sponsor:

iGR

Location

Celebration 9-10

Communications Infrastructure M&A Perspectives

The Comm Infra M&A panel will address investing trends and investment theses across data centers, fiber, towers, & small cells. This will address the large influx of infra funds and other institutional funds (pension, insurance, SWF), the fundamentals of each of the Comm Infra subsectors that attract them, their targeted returns, the evolution of transaction multiples, the impact on traditional strategics and other financial investors, etc.

Moderator:

Sebastian Caputto Director, Global Investment Banking RBC Capital Markets

Speakers:

Robert Paige Senior Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions Vertical Bridge
John Apostolides Investment Partner Melody Investment Advisors
Clint Karcher Principal SDC Capital Partners
Kanan Joshi Executive Director Upper Bay Infrastructure

Sponsor:

RBC Capital Markets

Location

Windermere Y

Supplier Diversity Summit Meetings

Location

Celebration 12-13

Small Cells & Municipalities: Business Solutions to the 5G Siting Bottleneck

As capital expenditures continue to shift toward small cells, companies across the ecosystem will need to rethink the way small cells are identified, permitted, deployed and maintained. So far, legislation at the State and Federal level has tried to create a consistent framework, and yet the problem persists at the municipal level. This session discusses and details innovative systems, products and platforms that will deliver rapid, low cost, and minimal touch deployment methods. This is our industry’s opportunity to showcase business answers, rather than legislative answers.

Moderator:

Greg Rapisarda Partner Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP

Speakers:

Gary Williamson Vice President of Telecom Innovation OneVizion
Douglas Metzger City of Orlando
Alexander Gamota Senior Vice President & General Manager, Information and Communication Technologies Bigbelly
Randy Muench President, Business Services Telamon

Sponsor:

JMA Wireless

Location

Celebration 1-2

The Municipal REIT: Classifying Mobile Infrastructure into Traditional Municipal Finance Model Covered by Transportation, Utility, Water, Sewer

City and state government are prioritized toward traditional asset classes (Transport, Utility, Water, Sewer) as well as traditional services (Fire, Police, Ambulance, School). Today, in the era of ubiquitous connectivity, municipalities have the opportunity to holistically approach their mobile assets (tower, small cell, fiber) and mobile services (wireless, broadband) in much the same way. At an industry level there are not enough capital dollars available to build 5G nationwide. Transitioning government infrastructure to a REIT like model will deliver multiple benefits, all of which is outlined here.

Moderator:

Corey E. Johnson Managing Director – Head of Telecommunications Cordiant Capital

Speakers:

Jefferson Wang Managing Director Accenture
Joe Kochan COO US Ignite
Marc Powell Senior Managing Director Ernst & Young Infrastructure Advisors, LLC

Sponsor:

MVP Capital

Location

Celebration 3-4

Beyond CBRS Rules: Understanding GAA and PAL Licensed Access to 3.5 GHz Mid-band Spectrum

This panel provides a comprehensive understanding of the FCC’s CBRS 3.5 GHz service rules governing the anticipated licensed and unlicensed use of this spectrum, outline key aspects of the sharing regime. Understand how the PAL scheme works, and what the limitations are to a GAA users.

Moderator:

Kyung Mun Principal Analyst Mobile Experts

Speakers:

Kurt Schaubach CTO Federated Wireless
Van Bloys Associate Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Mark Gibson Director, Business Development & Regulatory Policy CommScope

Sponsor:

Cradlepoint

Location

Celebration 7-8

Data at the Edge: The Telco Edge and the New Centers of Data Gravity

Catalyzed by four enabling technologies: Internet of Things devices, 5G, AI, and edge data centers, a radically new way in which we create and act upon data at the edge of the network is creating new markets and unlocking new value. This session examines this data explosion and the economics of data as it shifts from centralized to the edge of the network. Understand how the solutions for managing, moving, activating and interpreting data is the next era in infrastructure opportunity

Moderator:

Matthew Trifiro Chief Marketing Officer VaporIO

Speakers:

Chetan Vankatesh President, CEO and Co-founder Macrometa Corp.
Samantha Clarke Director of Business Development Seagate Technology
Sami Badri Senior Analyst Credit Suisse

Sponsor:

iGR

Location

Celebration 9-10

Overseas Towers: Opportunities, Risks, and the Keys to Success

While the US was the first market to fully embrace the independent tower leasing model, the underlying appeal of infrastructure sharing has sparked a global shift toward third party ownership of towers and drawn a commensurate degree of investor attention. Considerable diversity exists across markets, including how the multi-tenant model has been implemented, growth rates and lease-up potential, standard contractual terms, legal protections, and so on. The executives on this panel will assess opportunities, risks, and the keys to success associated with investing in wireless infrastructure in overseas markets, in particular Latin America and Europe.

Moderator:

Nick Del Deo Analyst MoffettNathanson LLC

Speakers:

David Porte Senior Vice President - International SBA Communications
Kevin Smithen Partner Digital Bridge Holdings
Dagan Kasavana Founder & Chief Executive Officer Phoenix Tower International
Alex Mestre Chief Commercial Officer Cellnex

Sponsor:

MoffettNathanson

Location

Windermere Y

President’s Reception

By Invitation Only

Sponsor:

The Lyle Company

Location

Orlando M-N

WWLF Reception

Location

Garden Terrace

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