Things to know about IWCE 2024: Conference highlights

We have revamped the conference track structure this year, organizing tracks by specific industries, as well as by technological topics.

Whether you work for a utility, are responsible for the critical communications for a transportation network, or are among those making first-response effort a reality, you will find sessions organized in a track established for your industry sector. In addition, sessions within the tracks are infused with the type of hot topics and emerging-technology discussions that are IWCE staples.

Throughout the four-day conference, IWCE will offer hour-long, interactive panel discussions, as well as 30-mintue Power Session talks. There will be plenty of time—inside and outside the sessions—to interact with the speakers and critical-communications colleagues.

Learn more about all the content happenings at IWCE 2024 by accessing the online conference page at https://iwceexpo.com/conference-overview. On the Session Viewer page, sort the online conference agenda according to what is most important to you—by track or technological topic—to create a personal schedule.

Other cool things happening at the conference include:

Conference tracks are described below, followed by a list of conference topics for IWCE 2024.

Track summaries

911 & Alerts: Learn how 911 centers use communications technologies, from legacy systems to IP-based next-generation 911 (NG911) platforms that that are designed to accept voice, data and video natively.

First Responder Communications: Examine how Public Safety integrates traditional voice-based systems like land mobile radio (LMR) with broadband offerings such as LTE/5G and Wi-Fi/CBRS in the field. Explore the roles that connectivity options like microwave, satellite and deployable solutions play, as well as IoT devices, drones, and challenges associated with cybersecurity.

Incident Management: Explore the capabilities needed within an emergency operations center (EOC) or other headquarters, including hardware/software solutions, power management, interoperability and other strategies.

In-building Wireless: Gain an understanding of the importance of communications inside buildings for enterprise, public safety, and the public at-large via LMR, commercial cellular, and private networks. Speakers will address the needs for voice-based, sensor-driven and location services in this oft-challenging environment.

Transportation: Learn about advances in operational connectivity for terrestrial, rail, airborne and maritime mass-transit vehicles, from computer-aided dispatch (CAD), voice/data communications, location-based services, and “smart” and secure transportation solutions.

Utilities: Hear speakers discuss the rapidly evolving world of utility communications, from voice-based systems to SCADA to “smart-grid” platforms that require robust two-way, IP-based connectivity.

State & Local Government: Learn how state and local governments are turning to technology to “do more with less,” including IoT-powered smart-community initiatives. Technologies addressed by speakers will include analytics, data storage, cloud/edge solutions, as well as video-surveillance and motion-detection systems. Funding, privacy and cybersecurity concerns also will be discussed.

Federal Government: Review its role in critical-infrastructure communications as space-based systems become more commonplace. Crucial policy questions regarding spectrum and funding to support critical-communications initiatives will be debated.

Topics list

Artificial Intelligence (AI); Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR); Backhaul; Broadband; Cloud Connectivity; Critical Infrastructure; Cybersecurity; Drones; FirstNet; Funding; Interoperability; Information Technology (IT) & Operational Technology (OT); Internet of Things (IoT); Land mobile radio (LMR); Next-generation 911 (NG911); Project 25 (P25); Private Networks; Project Management; Push to talk (PTT); Regulatory; Satellites; Situational Awareness; Smart-X; SCADA; Spectrum; System Resiliency; Video

We look forward to seeing you in Orlando!

Erin LeMoine is the event director for Informa Tech’s government portfolio, which includes IWCE.