Fierce in force at CTIA

 

Fierce in force at CTIA 

Welcome to the first edition of CTIALive!, the official online show daily for the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment conference. FierceMarkets' team of journalists is bringing you all the key CTIA news in the traditional Fierce format that cuts through the noise and delivers the most relevant information.  If you want to see more of our coverage, please visit the CTIA Live! portal at www.ctialive.com

In recent years, Billboard's Mobile Entertainment Live! conference tended to draw the crowds and dominate the pre-show conferences. However, this year there was a definite lull. The carrier Q&A featuring Mark Collins, vice president of consumer data at AT&T, was well attended but was not the typical standing room-only crowd. During the breaks, networking was minimal and the press room (typically crowded with reporters) was empty.

I think this is definitely a sign that the mobile entertainment industry is maturing. Gone are the crowds of entrepreneurs looking for a way to make a quick buck. What's left are the real players--those with the business strategies and necessary relationships to make it for the long-term. Let me know if you agree with my assessment. Email me at sue@fiercemarkets.com