Comms Connect 2013: get involved

RadioComms Connect returns in 2013 as Comms Connect, and the organisers have issued a call for papers from the industry.

Australia’s leading radio and combined communications conference and exhibition, RadioComms Connect, returns in 2013 as Comms Connect.

At the core of the event is still radio communications - its uses, applications and benefits. But with the convergence in communication technologies being seen - from IP to mobile broadband and more - the change in name reflects the fact that the event is not just about two-way/narrowband radio and that attendees are able to experience, firsthand, an increasingly broad range of communication technologies and solutions, both mission and business critical, in addition to what has traditionally been available.

Comms Connect 2013 will include workshops, case studies, technology sessions, panel discussions, keynotes and plenary sessions. The audience includes users from a wide range of sectors including numerous government departments, public safety agencies, transportation (rail, road), utilities, mining, and oil and gas along with communications integrators, dealers, consultants and manufacturers.

The conference organisers are now calling for industry members to submit papers, which can target specific groups of users or be more general papers with broader appeal.

A variety of workshops will be presented in 2013 with up to three hours allocated for each. If you, a colleague or your organisation would like to present, or have an idea for a workshop that you would like to be involved with, please call or email Paul Davis on 02 9487 2700 or pdavis@westwick-farrow.com.au to discuss in the first instance.

Training Workshop topics for consideration include, but are not limited to:

• Infrastructures and towers
• Mobile broadband and LTE
• Advanced radio over IP
• M2M/SCADA/Telemetry
• LMR for the IT professional
• Spectrum and licensing
• Wireless backhaul - from microwave to IP
• Public safety communications, including mobile broadband

Workshops may have multiple presenters from different organisations and you may be asked to work with industry colleagues to deliver a training workshop. Handouts, classroom-style interaction and demonstrations are expected for the workshops and materials should be available for distribution by the organisers in the week prior to the workshop to help participants prepare.

The conference will again feature case studies, and this year particular attention and priority will be given to case studies in key focus areas - see the Comms Connect 2013 website for more details.

Key focus points for Comms Connect 2013:

• Spectrum and licensing
• SCADA/M2M/Telemetry
• Backhaul - IP, microwave and everything in between
• Public safety communications
• LTE and mobile broadband
• Business critical communications - what are the most cost-effective solutions available?
• Networks and infrastructure
• Applications for radio users - what are they and how can they be used?
• Underground and in-building DAS systems - available solutions and their application

The organisers are seeking a broad cross-section of papers and case studies from the following sectors:

• Transportation - road, rail operators, ports and airports, taxis and buses
• Public safety - including all agencies and volunteer organisations
• Utilities - water, gas and electricity
• Resources - mining, oil and gas
• Government - customs and excise, defence and military
• Commercial - retail, construction, venues, health facilities etc

The deadline for abstract submissions is 31 May. Notification of successful applications is 31 July and the material submission deadline is 31 October.

More information, including how to make contact with the Comms Connect 2013 team, is available on the Comms Connect 2013 website.