NXTcomm typically isn’t the first trade show that comes to mind for wireless news and announcements, but that is starting to change as it becomes harder to talk about any part of the telecom industry without wireless creeping into the discussion. At this year’s NXTcomm08 conference, mobility will be a larger focus than in year’s past, and the themes will be what service providers are doing to make wireless an integral part of their bundle today.

The triple play used to be the topic of concern for most service providers, but that’s no longer true. Now, as more consumers express a willingness to embrace the quad-play bundle of television, landline, Internet and wireless services, this has become the primary focus for service providers of all sizes. As such, how to maximize the quad play or go from a triple to a quad play is at the forefront of most telcos’s minds. Service providers like AT&T and Verizon, both of which have head honchos speaking at the conference, are busy rolling out video services while simultaneously working on ways to tie their wireless service seamlessly into the rest of the bundle. They’ve got a head start on other players like Sprint and T-Mobile and most independents, who lack a crucial part of the package, but the race is far from over. And as all service providers continue to lose access lines as more customers ditch their home phones, the role of wireless and the opportunity of the quad-play bundle will be a topic many panels, speakers and vendors find themselves coming back to.

Apple is one company not attending NXTcomm08, but that won’t likely matter for the new wireless behemoth. Apple has a history of being absent from the telecom industry’s largest trade shows, but nonetheless having a notable impact on the show from afar. With this week's launch of the iPhone 3G at the Worldwide Developer’s Conference in San Francisco coming just one week before NXTcomm08, the reverberations of new device are likely to be felt next week in Las Vegas as well. In addition to a lower price tag and faster network, the iPhone 2.0 includes new enterprise features and third-party applications that will have the industry reeling for the next few weeks as competitors figure out how to match the iPhone’s offerings and potential partners clamor to get on deck. The new competitive landscape, as well as the 3G networks, will be remain hot topics well into NXTcomm08.

Still, the biggest mobile focus at NXTcomm08 will come from the incorporation of Broadband Wireless World, traditionally its own show. At this year’s adjacent conference, everything from mobile backhaul, IMS, Wi-Fi to WiMAX, wireless networks and infrastructure and WLAN will be discussed in terms of the current manifestation of the market and its potential going forward. While there may not be major wireless announcements (although you never know), those with an interest in wireless – essentially everyone involved in some aspect of the industry – will find a wireless theme that affects their company or business at NXTcomm08.

Email me at sreedy@telephonyonline.com.