This year's VON was the biggest and best ever in many ways.
VON never looked better. The smoothness in which it operated is a credit to Jason, Scott and the team that puts it on. The hallways and show floor was full of bodies and the exhibitors all have clearly moved from pipe and drape in days of old to a more polished, grown up and yes, slick look.
That said the questions and whispers I hear, can't go unnoticed. Some asked where were the Skype's, AT&Ts and other big time players. Others asked did you see anything "new" or was anything innovative.
Long gone are the interops and bakeoffs that brought out the techies.
The speaker rosters remain a who's who (despite not enough women in my view). The efforts that Jeff Pulver and company take to keep this show hot still is in evidence, and even if I missed the party, as I was just too tired, the community that VON has built is thriving and growing. And with that comes maturity.
The innovation everyone is looking for isn't on the show floor. It's in the hallways and in the private rooms. Those not taking part are missing out where it's happening, and if you're not at the event, you're not learning what really is happening. Little of it is on the show floor for a reason. That's where what's ready to go can be found.
Despite some whispers and pointed questions, VON is more than alive and well...it's outrightly showing just how alive the VOIP community really is....
