By Craig M. Clausen, Joseph J. Kestel,
and Dean Perrine

As industry analysts, we look for signs regarding an industry’s health and vitality anywhere and everywhere possible. We’ve always found trade shows to be excellent opportunities to uncover key indicators and gauge a given sector’s vitality. Sifting through the mounds of information presented at these shows to get to the real heart of the matter takes some sweat and an objective eye, astute observers can usually find the industry’s pulse by the end of any trade show. In the case of the National Cable and Telecommunications’s (NCTA) Cable Show 2008, the cable industry’s health was more than obvious and one didn’t have to be a seasoned veteran to understand that cable companies are feeling their oats.

The Cable Show’s 14,000 attendees and 335 exhibitors showed an uncommon

cohesiveness held together by their positive business commonalities and not common enemies, such as regulators and competitors. All eyes seemed to be clearly on the market opportunities and there was a palpable confidence about the sector’s current condition and future outlook. And if we overlooked it for a moment, we were quickly

Such was the way it went at this Show – vendors, cable operators, and outside observers has tellingly and verifiably positive messages to tell us.[2]

While cable operators still wrestle with customer service issues, the exhibiting vendors clearly made the Cable Show’s

reminded of it. During one hallway conversation, Bill Bresnan, one of the industry’s founding fathers and current CEO of Bresnan Communications (see sidebar), quickly reminded us to update our coverage of his company since their VoIP customer count has nearly doubled since our last write-up was issued less than six months ago.

unstated theme to be “It’s About the Customer.” And perhaps what is most telling about the cable operators on the customer service issue is their willingness to openly, candidly, and publicly discuss the problem during the trade show and educational sessions.