2026 Schedule


SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2026
2:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.	Registration Open 5th Ave Pre-Function Sponsored by
4:45 p.m.–5:30 p.m.	First Timers Reception (invitation only)
5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.	Boots Bites & Bandwidth Welcome Reception Broadway Ballroom Pre-Function Kick off The 2026 INCOMPAS Show in Music City style—with a little twang and a lot of connections. Boots, Bites & Bandwidth brings attendees together to enjoy Nashville hospitality, Southern comfort food and local libations in a casual, high-energy atmosphere that turns first handshakes into lasting partnerships. Come ready to kick up your boots and plug into everything the show has to offer.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2026
7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.	Registration Open 5th Ave Pre-Function Sponsored by
7:30 a.m.–8:30 a.m.	Breakfast & Learn The Great Communications Reset: Winning in the Next Era of UC, AI and Teams Legends Ballroom D Presented by The communications industry is entering a period of unprecedented change, and a massive revenue opportunity is unfolding. AI is reshaping customer expectations, Microsoft Teams is redefining workplace communications and legacy voice platforms are reaching the end of their lifecycle. For service providers, the question is no longer if they should evolve—but how to do it while protecting margins, retaining customers and creating new revenue opportunities. Join this session to explore the key market forces driving the next wave of transformation and the strategies successful service providers are using to modernize their communications portfolios. You'll gain practical insights into AI, Microsoft Teams, cloud communications and migration strategies that can help strengthen your competitive position, accelerate growth and prepare your business for the next generation of communications services. Presenter: Brian Gregory, Senior Director, Product Marketing, Intermedia Intelligent Communications
8:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.	Exhibit Hall, Deal Center and Meeting Rooms Open Broadway Ballroom Deal Center sponsored by
8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.	Specialty Coffee INCOMPAS Bar - Broadway Ballroom
8:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m.	Welcome Remarks & State of the Industry Legends Ballroom D Chip Pickering, CEO, INCOMPAS
8:45 a.m.–11:30 a.m.	Keynotes and Panel Discussions Legends Ballroom D CEO Outlook Featuring operators with different vantage points on where fiber infrastructure is headed. AI Has a Geography Problem. Rural America Has the Solution Featuring the perspective of INDATEL and executives from statewide middle mile network providers. Capitalizing on the Digital Backbone: Private Equity and Infrastructure Investments The digital backbone is no longer a supporting layer of the economy—it is the economy. As demand for connectivity, cloud scale, AI compute, and data‑rich applications surges, private equity firms are backing everything from next‑gen fiber and edge nodes to AI‑ready data centers and digital energy solutions. This session brings together investors and institutional capital providers to examine where value is being created, how investment strategies differ, and what macroeconomic, technological, and regulatory trends will shape the next decade of digital infrastructure investing.
11:00 a.m.–Noon	Buyers Forum Broadway Ballroom Pre-Function The INCOMPAS Show Buyers Forum features a dynamic “speed-meeting” format, free and open to all registered attendees, exhibitors and sponsors, on a first-come, first-served basis. Engage with buyers to learn more about needs for their upcoming projects; have quick, impactful meetings; or plan for more in-depth discussions later.
11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.	Attendee Lunch Broadway Ballroom
1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.	Specialty Coffee INCOMPAS Bar - Broadway Ballroom
1:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m.	Policy Workshop Legends Ballroom D In addition to spotlight sessions on topics such as pole attachments, USF, E-rate, subsea cables and robocalls, the Policy Workshop will feature panel discussions on: The IP Transition Is Here: Competing Paths for the Future of Voice Interconnection The FCC is racing to finalize its landmark IP Transition and Network Modernization proceeding, with an order expected by early 2027 that will reshape how every voice network in the country connects, prices, and plans. This panel brings together the companies that are shaping that outcome to break down where the Commission's deliberations stand — including the competing paths on the table - incumbent proposed public internet exchange framework, a condition-based transition model, and a National Transit Provider concept. Attendees will gain insight on what is likely to happen, the expected timeline, and what it means for interconnection costs, network planning, and competitive positioning heading into 2027. This is a must-attend session for anyone whose business depends on knowing how voice traffic will move once TDM is gone. Getting Networks Built: Permitting Progress, Persistent Barriers, and What Comes Next Federal, state, and local policymakers continue to pursue changes intended to accelerate broadband and AI infrastructure deployment—but which reforms are advancing, and which will make a measurable difference? This session begins with a concise update on legislative, regulatory, and administrative developments, followed by a moderated discussion with network and AI infrastructure builders, permitting experts, and public-sector stakeholders. Using real-world deployment challenges, the speakers will examine where progress is reducing delays and costs, where obstacles remain, and what providers and policymakers should prioritize in 2027. National Security and the Communications Supply Chain: New Rules, New Risks, and Business Readiness The FCC and the Administration are moving rapidly to impose new national security protections that could significantly affect supply chains supporting consumer electronics, broadband networks, energy infrastructure, data centers, and advanced manufacturing. This session will examine recent Covered List actions, new rules affecting component parts and online marketplaces, and the potential for additional congressional and agency action. Panelists will focus on what businesses should do now to identify exposure, evaluate vendors and alternatives, and prepare for the cost, time, and operational changes that new restrictions could require.
4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.	Opening Night Reception: Turn Up the Connections Dedicated Exhibit Hall Hours Broadway Ballroom Get ready to amplify your networking and spark new conversations during our opening night reception in the exhibit hall. Meet the exhibitors shaping what’s next in communications, reconnect with industry colleagues at the INCOMPAS Bar and discover new opportunities to grow your business over food and drinks. Whether you’re looking to strike the right chord with a new connection, strengthen an existing relationship or simply get into the rhythm of the show, this is the place to be.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026
7:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.	Registration Open 5th Ave Pre-Function Sponsored by
7:30 a.m.–8:30 a.m.	Breakfast & Learn Legends Ballroom D
8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.	Exhibit Hall Open, Deal Center and Meeting Rooms Open Broadway Ballroom Deal Center sponsored by
8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.	Specialty Coffee INCOMPAS Bar - Broadway Ballroom
8:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m.	Opening Remarks Legends Ballroom D Chip Pickering, CEO, INCOMPAS
8:45 a.m.–11:00 a.m.	Keynotes and Panel Discussions Legends Ballroom D From Permit to Power-On: Aligning Regulatory Strategy and Business Objectives for Digital Infrastructure Deployment Permitting now determines whether broadband, fiber, wireless, edge and data center projects launch fast or get stuck. With deployment accelerating and timelines tightening, treating permitting as mere compliance is no longer viable. It’s a strategic function that shapes speed, cost and competitive advantage. This session explores how regulatory, legal, engineering, government affairs and business teams can turn permitting into a catalyst for execution. Learn practical ways to navigate federal, state and local approvals while balancing stakeholder expectations, capital efficiency and community engagement to move from delay‑driven permitting to a deployment‑driven strategy. The New Digital Infrastructure Compact: Aligning Hyperscaler Growth, Energy Policy, and Economic Competitiveness AI and cloud adoption are exploding, pushing hyperscale infrastructure to the center of national strategy and national debate. Energy consumption, grid strain, permitting delays, workforce gaps and data governance are no longer technical details; they’re economic battlegrounds. This session will explore how business and government leaders can collaborate to align hyperscaler expansion with smart energy policy, streamlined regulation and long-term competitiveness. Speakers will insights on public‑private partnerships, new regulatory models, innovative energy procurement, and the strategic role hyperscalers play in global competitiveness.
11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.	Attendee Lunch Broadway Ballroom
1:00 p.m.– 2:00 p.m.	Buyers Forum Broadway Ballroom Pre-Function The INCOMPAS Show Buyers Forum features a dynamic “speed-meeting” format, free and open to all registered attendees, exhibitors and sponsors, on a first-come, first-served basis. Engage with buyers to learn more about needs for their upcoming projects; have quick, impactful meetings; or plan for more in-depth discussions later.
1:00 p.m.– 3:00 p.m.	Specialty Coffee INCOMPAS Bar - Broadway Ballroom
1:30 p.m.– 3:45 p.m.	Marketing Workshop Legends Ballroom D The marketing game has changed — and the companies who adapt fastest will rise above in the next wave of industry growth. This fast‑moving workshop is designed to help companies break old habits, modernize their approach and build a communications and marketing engine built for today’s faster, more competitive and increasingly complex landscape. Join us for three interactive sessions and learn how to replace stale strategies with a modern marketing and communications machine that enables your team to stay head of rapid industry shifts.
1:30 p.m.-2:15 p.m.	The MDF Money Sitting in Your Vendor Contracts: How to Maximize Your Marketing Budget Legends Ballroom D Sixty percent of vendor marketing dollars go unused every year. Meanwhile you're always scraping for more marketing budget. In this workshop, we'll cover how to get more marketing development funds (MDF) to fund your marketing, understand what programs are worth pursuing, and how to get the most out of it without making it another full-time job. Attendees will leave knowing how to turn unused funds into real marketing dollars that drive pipeline, not just another line item spent on an event with nothing to show for it. Presenter: Laura Johns, Founder & CEO, The Business Growers
2:15 p.m.-3:00 p.m.	The Death of Lead Gen Legends Ballroom D Form fills are down, buyer trust is harder to earn and the old lead gen playbook is producing fewer inbound opportunities than ever. In this workshop, we’ll unpack what’s changed in how B2B buyers engage and why “more leads” is no longer relevant. Learn how to shift from lead capture to value creation, identify signals, prioritize the right contacts and use account intelligence to generate better conversations. Presenter: Joy Milkowski, Partner, Access Marketing Company
3:00 p.m.-3:45 p.m.	Navigating Communications When the Opposition is Attacking Legends Ballroom D When opposition turns aggressive, the communications strategy must shift from promotion to protection. This session explores how companies can stay factual, disciplined and credible while managing misinformation, personal attacks, stakeholder pressure and project risk. The focus is on reducing escalation, protecting people and keeping the project conversation grounded in facts, community needs and trust. Presenter: Ilissa Miller, Founder and CEO, iMilller Public Relations
4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.	Happy Hour and Dedicated Exhibit Hall Hour Broadway Ballroom
5:00 p.m.	Exhibit Hall, Deal Center and Meeting Rooms Close Broadway Ballroom
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.	High‑Speed Honky Tonk: The Final Download Closing Party Barlines at the Omni Nashville Hotel As The 2026 INCOMPAS Show hits the last stretch, the energy doesn’t slow—it spikes. High Speed Honky Tonk: The Final Download is a turbo charged closing party worthy of Nashville’s legendary Broadway nightlife. Enjoy Southern BBQ, live music, refreshing drinks, and plenty of opportunities to celebrate with colleagues and new connections before everyone heads home. It’s the perfect sendoff: a high-speed finale that keeps the show’s energy in overdrive all the way to the last note.