It's a trade show, after all...

...so some snafus are to be expected. That worried look on Seamus Hourihan, Acme Packet SVP? He's got his presentations all queued up. But there's no overhead projection equipment in the room, and there is supposed to be. His panel ultimately proceeded without visual aids.

The subject was voice and application peering. As far as drivers, though quality is an issue, Derek Koecher, Qwest wholesale VoIP manager quipped that "price represents nine of the ten criteria for buying wholesale VoIP services." And, presumably also drives desire to peer.

The session was held at NxtComm, which was pretty quiet, though vendors put on a brave face about the quality of their meetings and booth traffic. Nothing like the old SuperComm. Of course, there's a huge current of weariness and dissatisfaction with just about all of the bigger trade shows IP executives have been attending (and I am being polite). People honestly are questioning why they keep coming. And if they are coming, lots of people are saying they won't be exhibiting. Clear signs of trouble for major telecom show producers...