The 2025 INCOMPAS Show, held November 2–4 at the JW Marriott and Tampa Marriott Water Street in Tampa, Florida, brought together more than 3,000 leaders across communications, broadband, fiber, and technology sectors to explore the evolving landscape of connectivity and competition. One of the most influential gatherings in the U.S. communications ecosystem, the event provided a platform for senior executives, policymakers, and innovators to align on strategies shaping the future of broadband deployment, infrastructure investment, and digital transformation.

This year’s theme of collaboration and convergence set the tone for a comprehensive agenda that highlighted how technology, policy, and innovation are coming together to expand connectivity and bridge the digital divide. Across three days of panels, workshops, and executive-level discussions, speakers addressed the accelerating impact of AI, automation, and public-private partnerships on both network operations and competitive strategy.

The Convergence Era: Policy, Infrastructure, and AI

The opening remarks emphasized the urgency of convergence in today’s communications landscape. Chip Pickering, CEO of INCOMPAS, framed the event with a focus on consolidation, critical infrastructure, and the growing interdependence of networks, power, and policy.

That theme carried into high-profile sessions featuring executives from Verizon, Lumen Technologies, and Bluebird Fiber, where speakers examined how fiber density, cloud connectivity, and edge infrastructure are reshaping both network design and M&A strategy. Panels such as Future-Proofing the Network and Strategic Convergence: How Wireline-Wireless Integration Is Impacting M&A highlighted how capacity planning and integration are now central drivers of transaction value.

AI-driven transformation emerged as a defining force throughout the agenda. In the session Powering Intelligence: The Convergence of Energy, Networks, and AI Infrastructure, leaders including Jeff Uphues, CEO, DC BLOX and Dan Davis, CEO and Co-Founder, Arcadian Infracom explored the mounting energy demands of AI workloads and the need for resilient, scalable infrastructure. Discussions emphasized that AI is no longer an overlay, but a foundational consideration in network architecture, power strategy, and long-term investment planning.

Cybersecurity also took center stage, with experts from Granite Telecommunications, UNITEL, Axcent Networks, and Verizon Partner Solutions outlining how AI is being deployed to detect threats, automate responses, and protect increasingly complex telecom environments.

Policy at the Center of Broadband Expansion

Policy reform remained a cornerstone of the INCOMPAS agenda. Sessions focused on the future of the Universal Service Fund, broadband permitting reform, and federal regulatory alignment drew strong engagement from both providers and policymakers. Led by INCOMPAS policy leadership and legal experts from firms including Morgan Lewis, Cooley, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, and JSI, these discussions reinforced the critical role of permitting, spectrum access, and funding mechanisms such as BEAD in accelerating equitable broadband deployment nationwide.

Modern Marketing and the Human Element

Beyond infrastructure and policy, the Marketing Workshop Series delivered some of the show’s most actionable insights. The opening session, Marketing’s New Blueprint: Balancing AI, Automation, and Authenticity, featured Laura Johns, Founder and CEO of The Business Growers, and Joy Milkowski, Partner at Access Marketing Company. Together, they explored how communications and technology companies can leverage automation and AI tools without losing the authenticity and strategic clarity required to build trust and drive revenue.

The discussion reinforced that AI should function as a strategic enabler rather than a replacement for human insight. Follow-on workshops expanded on this theme, with sessions focused on revenue-driven AI strategy, practical prompt frameworks, and marketing automation systems designed to align sales and marketing teams while supporting scalable growth.

Networking, Partnerships, and Industry Momentum

As always, the INCOMPAS Show excelled as a venue for relationship-building and deal-making. The Buyers Forum and Deal Center facilitated high-value, pre-scheduled meetings, while exhibit hall programming and networking events fostered collaboration across fiber providers, technology vendors, and service partners.

Workforce development, sustainability, and inclusion also emerged as shared priorities. Speakers stressed the need to build talent pipelines capable of supporting AI-driven networks while ensuring that digital transformation delivers measurable benefits across communities.

The Road Ahead

The 2025 INCOMPAS Show made one thing clear: the future of communications will be defined by integration, collaboration, and adaptability. From AI-powered networks and evolving policy frameworks to authentic marketing and workforce readiness, the conversations in Tampa reflected an industry actively shaping its next chapter.

As the ecosystem looks toward 2026, the momentum from INCOMPAS reinforces a collective commitment to closing connectivity gaps, modernizing infrastructure, and aligning innovation with opportunity.

To learn more about INCOMPAS and upcoming events, visit www.incompas.org and www.show.incompas.org.