Lots of Moaning and Groaning at Internet Telephony Expo

There was lots of moaning and groaning last night at Internet Telephony Expo at precisely 8:05pm. Let me explain. The exhibit hall officially closed at 8:00pm and Michael Genaro, TMC's VP of Marketing gave the exhibit hall 5 extra minute before dimming the exhibit hall lights to clear everyone out.

The immediate response when he dimmed the lights in a jam packed exhibit hall? A CHORUS of "awwww" and other sighs of disappointment filled the air. Nobody wanted to leave the exhibit hall! It was amazing that at 8:05pm people were still interested in learning more about VoIP, buying VoIP products as well as performing the essential task of networking with other people - which is.so critically important at these shows. Or it could have been the free beer in the exhibit hall. You decide. : )

Actually, in all seriousness it wasn't due to the alchohol. 99% of attendees were still in booths checking out the VoIP products, asking questions, etc. Even the ones with beers in hand were still working - networking with other people.

I live and breathe VoIP every day, so it made me proud to see this industry doing so well. This has been a great show so far. It's 3:05pm and I've barely been able to speak with the exhibitors since many of the booths are 5 people deep just to speak to the exhibitor.

At 8:10pm Wednesday, I was tempted to go upstairs and watch the "Get Lex Verizon Sweepstakes" episode of Smallville. However, I knew I had set my MCE 2005 PC to record it at home, so I could just stream it over WiFi once my workday was done using a company called Orb Networks - but that is a blog for another day - and unfortunately, my wife turned off the cable box so it recorded a black screen. Doh!