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Record-Breaking Industry Attendance and Major Highlights at CommsConnect Melbourne 2024

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

The Comms Connect Melbourne 2024 event demonstrated the critical communications sector's ongoing expansion and innovation.

Comms Connect, the premier critical communications event in the Southern Hemisphere, last week, returned to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. A diverse array of industry professionals attended the two-day conference and exhibition, which was conducted from October 16th to October 17th. Additionally, ARCIA and the ACCF conducted pre-conference seminars on October 15th.

The expansion of the FirstNet public safety network in the United States, the release of the RFI for Public Safety Mobile Broadband (PSMB) in Australia, and the Senate's report on the Optus Network Outage were all significant developments in the critical communications landscape that led to this year's event. Throughout the event, which was characterized by a full conference agenda under the themes of Public Safety, Critical Communications, and Industry, these milestones were thoroughly examined.

Government officials, telcos, first responders, and industry executives convened to deliberate on the most recent trends and obstacles in critical communications. Attendees from various countries, including the United States, Finland, New Zealand, and Hong Kong, were in attendance. It was equally dynamic on the exhibition floor, as dozens of vendors displayed state-of-the-art solutions. A "Demo Hub" that was specifically designed for attendees offered live product demonstrations, which further enhanced the hands-on experience.

As a major part of the event, the ARCIA Industry Gala Dinner and Excellence Awards, which were conducted on the evening of 16 October in conjunction with Comms Connect, commemorated extraordinary accomplishments within the Australian radio communications industry. Geoff Spring, a panelist from The University of Melbourne's Centre for Disaster Management and Public Safety, was awarded a lifetime membership to ARCIA. Kevin Graham, the CEO of TCCA, was presented with the prestigious Jonathan Livingston Seagull Award for his contributions to the sector.

Geoff Hird, Events Director for Comms Connect, expressed his satisfaction with the turnout this year, stating,

"We witnessed two days of lively activity in our largest-ever exhibition space, with exhibitors surpassing expectations by constructing visually captivating and innovative stands."

The conference sessions were equally well-attended, with over 300 delegates acquiring valuable insights from over 70 expert lecturers from across the region and internationally. The Comms Connect Melbourne 2024 event demonstrated the critical communications sector's ongoing expansion and innovation.