Pricing and Costs of Telecom Industry Events

The scoop on the costs of telecom events; tips for saving money when attending

Conferences in telecom are of importance from a career networking as well as educational perspective. They are an ideal place to meet industry peers, potential mentors, as well as get to know your competition.

The pricing and costs of telecom industry events depends on the locale, the duration of the telecom event and the prestige of the speakers. The amount of money your business should budget for telecom conferences should also take into account transportation and lodging costs to attend. When looking for telco events to attend, consider the following:

1. Look for telecommunication conferences sponsored by your industry's association.

2. Consider registering for educational webinars.

3. Save money by finding telecom conferences to attend close to home.

 

Look for telecom industry events sponsored by your industry's association

Many telecom industry associations sponsor conferences in telecommunications that pertain to your business' particular area of business. The cost of attending an industry sponsored event will depend on how big an event it is and how big the keynote speaker is. Many events have big marquis names listed that will prove a big draw, both in terms of crowds and potentially your wallet. Airfare and hotel are not included in the registration fee.
Try: CTIA, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, has an online event calendar detailing industry trade shows, conferences, etc. Minimal entrance is $250 per person, but depending on how many days you want to attend and which speakers or networking events you wish to attend, the price can go up as high as $1,000. Hosted by the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society, the IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium is $750 for industry members to attend week-long events. If you just want to hear one speaker, the price varies from $100 to $300.

Register for webinar telecom events

Webinars, or online seminars, are a great way to save time and money. They tend to cost anywhere from $200 to $400 and generally last no more than a few hours. All you need is the time to spare and a laptop with an Internet connection. Simply register and log on a few minutes prior to the time specified on your registration confirmation. Make sure your PC has the right media tools downloaded to ensure proper viewing.
Try: CCMI offers webinars as well as seminars with topics of interest to those in the telecom industry and cost less than $300 depending on if you are a member and when you register. The United States Telecom Association, aka US Telecom, is an association for broadband providers. Their webinars are free to members.

Save money by attending telecom events conferences close to home

Save on airfare and hotel by locating telco conferences close to home. Another option is to review conference materials from the comfort of your own home or office by purchasing the materials, including slides and audio, of conferences that took place elsewhere.
Try: If you work in the Atlanta area, TechLINKS Media Holdings is advertising its recent fifth annual Atlanta Telecom Professionals (ATP) Awards Gala complete with a networking cocktail party. Non-award nominees were invited to attend. United Business Media Limited, under the name Light Reading, hosts industry telecom events around the world. You can purchase past conference materials in full for $500 per event.

 

• Be the early bird. Many events in telecom will offer a registration discount if you sign up by a certain date.
• Consider staying at a non-venue hotel. You may be able to negotiate a less expensive nightly rate.

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