Call for Proposals

The IWCE conference advisory committee, who are experts in their field, will review each proposal within a given track. They will rate on a scale of 1 - 5 plus provide written insight on why the proposal is relevant (or not) and technical-focused (or not). When the advisory committee completes their reviews, the IWCE content team will review all proposals and input from the advisory committee to determine a balanced program.

You will self-select both the Track where your session will fit, as well as any Topic(s) covered in your proposal.  

1). Please select both a PRIMARY and SECONDARY track if your proposal suits two tracks. Please see below for the focus for each track. 

• 911 & Alerts: This track will have a public-safety focus. Your proposals should address how dispatch centers use communications technologies particularly those that impact the transition from legacy systems to IP-based platforms that accept voice, data and video such as next-generation 911 (NG911). We are also interested in how Alerts and Notifications are executed and managed across multiple platforms.
• First Responder Communications: This track will have a public-safety focus. We are interested in proposals on the multiple ways in which a first responder can communicate such as land-mobile-radio (LMR) systems; broadband solutions such as LTE/5G and Wi-Fi/CBRS. Areas of interest include the leveraging of satellites, deployables, IoT devices, drones, and the foundational need for cybersecurity/encryption on all communications. What are they? What’s new? What are the challenges?
• Incident Management: This track will have a public-safety focus. We are interested in proposals about strategies and issues that should be considered when establishing and management of incident response including hardware and software solutions. In addition we will look at the capabilities needed within an emergency operations center (EOC) or other headquarters. Logistical factors such as ensuring power and interoperability solutions will be appreciated.
• In-building Wireless: The ability to communicate inside buildings is essential for Enterprise, Public Safety, and the public at-large. We are interested in proposals that will explore the current state of in-building wireless coverage, including leading technologies, best practices, problems and solutions, funding challenges, and policy topics. The scope includes LMR, commercial cellular, and private networks that enable both traditional voice- and location-based services. Proposals may address technologies such as the delivery of broadband and LMR signals via BDA, DAS and ad-hoc "bring the network with you" solutions. We will also consider proposals regarding in-building policies as part of fire code or those established by an authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).
• Transportation: We are interested in hearing proposals about operational connectivity supporting efforts like remote management, scheduling, video security, payment collection and broadband for a variety of terrestrial, rail, airborne and maritime mass-transit vehicles. Technologies such as computer-aided dispatch, voice/data communications, location-based services and “smart” transportation solutions—including those relying on satellite, vehicle-to-anything (V2X) and direct-mode connectivity. As well, proposals that help identify what measures can be taken to ensure that transportation is highly reliable, including protection from cyberattacks.
• Utilities: Utilities have long been a trendsetter in the world of critical infrastructure through the deployment of technologies like LMR and SCADA. Today, the communications needs in the sector as utilities implement “smart-grid” platforms that require robust two-way IP-based connectivity to exchange information with IoT sensors that inform how distribution systems provide—or collect—electricity, water and gas. Relatively new spectrum options provide unprecedented challenges, but some of these opportunities are complicated by the growing cybersecurity threats faced by the sector.

• State & Local Government: In addition to their considerable public-safety responsibilities and the use of typical LMR, cellular and IP-network communications, state and local governments increasingly are turning to technology to help them “do more with less.” IWCE welcomes submittals in these areas, such as:

  • IoT-fueled smart-community initiatives promise unprecedented amounts of data that can be used to make citizens’ lives more convenient and to inform policymakers’ strategic decisions, particularly when couple with effective analytics tools.
  • Video-surveillance and motion-detection systems can help ensure safety within schools and other civic buildings while also serving as a method to proactively identify maintenance issues on a daily basis.
  • Proposals that address the reality that such powerful solutions often are accompanied with practical challenges, such as how to maintain and coordinate disparate systems, determining which data should be stored locally and which should be in the cloud (or clouds), and which tasks should be done by government employees and which should be outsourced to a third-party company.
  • Policy questions regarding issues such as funding, privacy concerns, who owns/controls data continue to arise, and how to address the cybersecurity issues that have impacted multiple government entities in recent years.
• Federal Government: Expanding the broadband footprint for consumers has been a significant push for many federal governments in recent years. Beyond consumers, ensuring the reliability and resiliency of critical-infrastructure communications in the face of a variety of threats—from cybersecurity attacks to catastrophic weather events—remains a priority, albeit one that is fraught with challenges. IWCE welcomes proposals that explore these issues, from technologies like satellite and analytics to policy questions surrounding spectrum, funding and implications surrounding greater deployment of video-surveillance and artificial-intelligence systems.

2) Topic Tags - you will be able to select as many topics as your submission covers. For a full list of tracks and topics, please visit our Call for Proposals page

• Create or log into your account (you'll be able to edit your proposal until the deadline)

• Speaker(s) contact information: name, title, company, their email address, mobile phone, city, state, bio, headshot. (speaker headshots not mandatory during submission process)

• Session title: Provide a session title in fewer than 10 words. Please try to include keywords and topics covered by your talk.

• Track(s)

• Topic(s)

• Format: Select the from these options: 30-minute power session; 60-minute short course panel; Individual Speaker.

• Speaker(s) bio including both technical expertise and past speaking experience. LinkedIn profile / Twitter handle.

• Session description: In less than 250 words, provide a concise description of your session as you would have it appear on the IWCE event website agenda page. Write the description in the third person, present tense. Real-world use cases are highly encouraged and will receive preferential treatment in session selection.

• Attendee takeaway: In 3-4 bullets, tell us what the attendees will gain from this presentation. Give concrete examples.

• Supporting material: It's optional to submit supplemental information that supports your session proposal. Additional materials may include white papers, demos, videos, etc.