Tuesday, the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) opened its first fully live trade show since October 2019, with its WISPAMERICA 2021. The annual convention is being held from April 27 – 29, at the Gaylord Texan Hotel in Grapevine, TX, bringing together service providers, industry experts and suppliers in the fixed wireless internet industry.
WISPAMERICA 2021 features more than 50 interactive sessions, including those covering technical training, business strategies, sales and marketing, human resources and regulatory updates, among others. It showcases over 100 exhibitors, offering an array of products and services from wireless gear to fiber-optics, tower infrastructure, software, cloud services, VoIP solutions, financing, insurance and mapping services.
WISPA President/CEO Claude Aiken welcomed back attendees with his “State of WISPA” address, moderated by Vistabeam CEO Matt Larsen. The presentation touched on a number of topics, from new WISPA member benefits on the operational side, to where legislators and the new administration are headed with recently introduced broadband infrastructure bills in Congress.
As part of yesterday’s opening events, WISPA also announced its annual industry awards winners. These companies are:
- Operator of the Year – Aeronet Wireless
- Manufacturer of the Year – Cambium Networks
- Product of the Year – RF Elements Asymmetrical Horns
- Service of the Year – Preseem QoE Monitoring & Optimization Platform
- Distributor of the Year – ISP Supplies
- Triumph Award – Hudson Valley Wireless
- Triumph Award – Faster Cajun Networks
More than 900 attendees have come to this year’s WISPAMERICA, putting it on par with past attendance numbers, according to the trade lobby.
“I can’t tell you all how happy I am to see you here today,” said Aiken. “It’s been a tough year, and I’m so proud and thankful to be part of an industry that has helped America stay on its feet during these incredibly trying times. It’s just great to be back!”
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