New Connections

The Spring 2004 CompTel/ASCENT Alliance Conference & Expo in Anaheim, Calif., was reminiscent of the industry’s heyday, drawing more than 2,500 visitors and a sold-out expo hall. The first combined show of the newly merged association featured a keynote speech by FCC Commissioner Kevin Martin, various educational workshops, board elections, the return of the “big booth” to the trade show floor and plenty of after-hours networking.

Click here for pictures from the show!

Martin, who was honored alongside Talk America’s George Vinall as a Champion of Competition, was the planned keynote speaker, but was unexpectedly called back to Washington, D.C., to attend to FCC business. In lieu of a live presentation, videotaped remarks from Martin were broadcast before Monday’s general session, “The Battle in Washington to Preserve Competition.” Martin exhorted Alliance members to continue their fight against encroaching threats of RBOC re-monopolization. “It’s time to speak now or forever hold your peace,” he said.

Martin, who was acknowledged for his commitment to competition first and deregulation second, said the battle to preserve local competition is not over and, in fact, is “more tenuous today that it was one year ago,” citing incumbents’ success at moving the debate from policies that can advance competition to how the rules should be made more fair to the incumbents. “The fight is up to you,” he said.

Vinall, executive vice president of business development for Talk America, was honored for his innumerable contributions during 25 years in the telecom industry. Due to the debilitating effects of Lou Gehrig’s disease, however, he was unable to attend the ceremony. CompTel/ASCENT Alliance CEO H. Russell Frisby Jr. gave Vinall his Champions of Competition award in a videotaped presentation, which featured some of Vinall’s former colleagues recalling their favorite anecdotes about him. Vinall said the last five years have proven the most inspiring and productive, in spite of his diagnosis. He said the impending crisis to the CLEC industry caused by the Triennial Review NPRM was too critical to ignore, so he formed the Competitive Working Group. He says the group, “greatly aided” by CompTel/ASCENT, helped align the competitive industry for the compromises contained in the eventual order.

Vinall says of himself: “Armed with little more than a rickety wheelchair and a big mouth he tirelessly lobbied on the Hill and FCC. Although his work on the TRO helped prevent the elimination of UNE-P carriers, he failed in his crusade to fix the handicapped door on the eighth floor of the FCC, which remains broken to this day.”

On Tuesday, the second day of the conference, members of the CompTel/ASCENT Alliance also elected their 2004 Board of Directors in Anaheim. Six directors were chosen in both the large and medium member categories, and nine were elected to represent small members. The board then selected Sherman Henderson, president and CEO of Lightyear Communications, as its chairman for 2004. Past chairman Richard Burk, president and CEO of nii Communications, was named vice chairman for 2004, and Joe Ambersley, president of PAETEC South for PAETEC Communications, will return as vice chairman/treasurer. Beginning this year, the CompTel/ASCENT Alliance board members will serve staggered terms.

“I look forward to working with all of our 400 member companies to further our goals of bringing choice to consumers and businesses across the country and around the world,” Henderson said. “2004 will be a challenging and rewarding year for the competitive telecommunications industry. This merger could not have come at a better time, as we need to stand together to ensure that consumers continue to experience additional savings, which is paramount to the economic growth that we are now experiencing.”

A number of workshops sought to educate members, as well, with topics ranging from reducing churn to regulatory issues to OSS solutions to revenue assurance strategies and more.

The spring show also saw the long-awaited return of the “big booth” to the trade show floor. Companies including Sprint, BellSouth Interconnection Services, Qwest Communications International Inc. and MCI contributed to the re-energized feel of the telecom industry by erecting the large booths found more often in years past. Optimism and high hopes charged the atmosphere, and comments from exhibitors throughout the floor reflected that enthusiasm.

Ernest Ellis, president and CEO of Telecom Compliance Services Inc., said the show, by the first morning, already had “surpassed our expectations. We’re going to leave here and be very, very busy.” Mike Turnbull, Norlight Networks’ manager of new business development for wholesale services, said he thinks telecom is re-emerging and “getting better.” JODE Corp’s Jim Silva said his company considered the spring show a “coming out party,” since it recently scored two major contracts.

Of course, there was fun to be had on the exhibit hall floor, too. VeriSign invited passersby to shut themselves in a booth and grab for real cash and “VeriSign money” as it spun around, powered by bursts of air. Several companies, including Norlight Networks and SNET DG handed out mood rings, with everyone collectively judging the show’s mood as “very good.” Meanwhile, Onvoy Inc. offered its visitors free massages courtesy of massage therapist Ambra. During some downtime, SNET DG’s Seth Donad enjoyed a back massage, and was unable to comment on it much beyond a mumble as he rested facedown in the chair.

The enthusiasm and excitement over the hoped-for rebound in the industry was palpable, especially after hours. Several big name companies hosted lavish parties in Downtown Disney and other parts of Anaheim, giving Alliance members the chance to relax while working on deals.

Perhaps Frisby summed up the success of the conference and expo best when surveying the trade show floor and remarking, “It shows competition will work and does work.”

CompTel/ASCENT Alliance Members Elect 2004 Board of Directors

Members of the CompTel/ASCENT Alliance elected their 2004 Board of Directors on the second day of the conference and expo in Anaheim. Six directors were elected in both the large and medium member categories, and nine directors were elected to represent small members.

At its first meeting, the board chose Sherman Henderson, president and CEO of Lightyear Communications, as its chairman for 2004. Past chairman Richard Burk, president and CEO of nii Communications, was named vice chairman for 2004, and Joe Ambersley, president of PAETEC South for PAETEC Communications, will return as vice chairman/treasurer.

“It is a tremendous honor to be elected the first chairman of the combined CompTel/ ASCENT Alliance,” Henderson said.

The CompTel/ASCENT Alliance also named member company representatives to serve on its executive committee. The board and its executive committee (in bold) are listed below:

Large Company Representatives: Left to right, Joe Ambersley, Susan Jin Davis, Barbara Peda, Rob Curtis, Drew Walker and Jim Lewis.

Large Member Representatives (Companies with annual revenue above $250 million)
AT&T, Barbara Peda, SVP, Product Management/Marketing
Covad Communications, Susan Jin Davis, VP, Government & External Affairs
ITC^DeltaCom, Drew Walker, President, Business Services
MCI, Jim Lewis, SVP, Policy and Planning
PAETEC Communications, Joe Ambersley, President, PAETEC South
Z-Tel Communications, Rob Curtis, President

Medium Company Representatives: Left to right, Dan Moffat, Jim Falvey, Richard Burk, Jerry James and Sherman Henderson, not pictured, Joseph Gregori.

Medium Member Representatives (Companies with annual revenue of $25 million-$250 million)
Grande Communications, Jerry James, President
InfoHighway Communications, Joseph Gregori, CEO
Lightyear Communications, Sherman Henderson, President & CEO
New Edge Networks, Dan Moffat, President & CEO
nii Communications, Richard Burk, President & CEO
Xspedius Communications, Jim Falvey, SVP, Regulatory Affairs

Small Company Representatives: Standing, left to right, Bill Capraro, David Kelley, Thomas Coughlin, Robert Hale and Casey Wojciechowski. Seated left to right, Lynn Refer, Philip Forbes, Ron Contrado and David Malfara.

Small Member Representatives (Companies with annual revenue of less than $25 million)
Alliance Group Services, Thomas Coughlin, Chairman
American Farm Bureau Inc., Casey Wojciechowski, General Manager
CIMCO Communications, Bill Capraro, CEO
Granite Communications, Robert Hale, Chairman
Homisco Inc., Ron Contrado, President
Looking Glass Networks Inc., Lynn Refer, CEO
PPL Telcom LLC, David Kelley, President
Remi Communications, David Malfara, President & CEO
USCarrier Telecom, Philip Forbes, Executive VP

Beginning this year, the CompTel/ASCENT Alliance Board members will serve staggered terms. Those elected to one-year terms on the board include Ambersley, Burk, Coughlin, Curtis, James, Malfara and Wojciechowski. Those elected to two-year terms are Capraro, Davis, Falvey, Forbes, Moffat, Refer and Walker. And those elected to three-year terms include Contrado, Gregori, Hale, Henderson, Kelley, Lewis and Peda.