Though the rift had been rectified, the TIA and the USTA wisely wanted to avoid a reoccurrence of past events. They made the decision to form a third company that would serve as an equally owned yet independent intermediary between the two associations. They named the third party NXTcomm. Wayne Crawford comments, “They said, ‘Hey, let’s form a company that represents the best interest of the industry. NXTComm is actually a L.L.C so they’re a private company.”

When asked whether he saw the relationship between the USTA and the TIA continuing after NXTcomm 2008, Crawford was confident, saying, “They’re in it for the long haul.”

Part of the beauty of NXTcomm’s arrival is its steadfast objective of keeping the relationship equal and flowing smoothly on both sides of the arrangement. Jim Forlenza, Director of Public Relations and Business Development, was one of a few professionals brought in from the outside, apart from both organizations to help in NXTcomm’s growth. “We have a staff of about a dozen that make up NXTcomm. It’s really a mix of people from both associations and people from the outside.”

With its new adjustments the USTA and the TIA are both relying on considerable success out of the NXTcomm tradeshow. Despite a tinge of familiarity in the air, NXTcomm insists there are marked differences between itself and the other tradeshows prior. “What makes it different from the other shows is the broadness of what it is that we’re trying to accomplish,” said Crawford. “We’re trying to focus more on the satellite and cable entertainment industry. We’re focusing more on reuniting the product with the industry.”

Indeed, the goal of NXTcomm is to establish and identify itself as a brand and become known as the voice of the telecommunications industry. Keynote speakers from AT&T, the US Information Technology Office of Beijing, Bell Canada, and NBC Universal, among others are slated to deliver speeches this year. The show will span 200,000 net square feet of exhibit space and offer conferences on Digital Hollywood, WiMax Strategies, ATIS TechThink Technology, and BICSI, along with several others. Forlenza says that the show will focus primarily on Internet protocol and situations involving the entertainment industry. Still, however changed and glamorized the evolution, Supercomm’s tremendous influence on the telecom industry is still integral to the success of its descendant. NXTcomm is merely making what has already been long established bigger and better.