WiMAX World "Pre-Conference"

Why do people hold conferences in Boston? And if you have to have a conference in Boston, must you hold it out in the middle of nowhere? As with the VON Conference (which I complained about last month) the organizers of WiMAXWorld are holding their conference out in the new convention destination, across the river from downtown. Someday it will be a great place to hold a conference (notwithstanding that it is in Boston). But today it is still under construction. So, not enough hotel rooms, no infrastructure (how about a Starbucks? Or ANY place, other than Dunkin Donuts to get a coffee?). And the traffic is horrible with frustrated drivers weaving amingst traffic cones and almost hitting the pedestrians. But maybe that is just Boston

Ah Boston in late October. 3 hour delay getting in here because of this weeks Hurricane Wilma fed early "Noreaster" -- just late enough to miss the 1:00 AM close of every place around my hotel to get dinner... then a cold wet morning to cross town to get to the Seaport Hotel and "World Trade Center."

This morning I spoke with conference host, trendsmedia CEO Eliot Weinman. He apologized for the (a) lack of signage (b) lack of a press room (won't be open until tomorrow) and (c) cramped quarters. He said that when they booked this space a year ago, "we had no idea how big WiMAX would be by now." Hopefully a positive indication that this will be a fascinating look into the future... There certainly are a lot of people here for 8:30 AM on a "pre-conference" meetings day...