A New FCC Proposal Could Impact What Technology Exhibitors Can Bring To the Show Floor
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed new national securityrules that could make it harder for exhibitors to bring certain new and emerging communications technologies to events and trade shows for display and demonstrations before those products have received final FCC authorization.
For decades, FCC rules have recognized the important role that events and trade shows play in the innovation ecosystem by allowing certain not-yet-authorized technologies to be temporarily imported, displayed, and demonstrated at trade shows under carefully controlled conditions.
Those products cannot be sold or otherwise commercially deployed, and important safeguards are already in place.
Now, those longstanding protections for trade show exhibitors could be at risk.
The Exhibitor Advocate is joining the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance in urging the FCC to preserve the ability of exhibitors to bring, display, and demonstrate emerging technologies at events and trade shows while maintaining appropriate national security safeguards.
The attached industry coalition letter that will be submitted to the FCC on September 8. More than 50 industry companies and associations have already signed on, and we encourage the exhibitor community to add their organizations’ names, too.
Why add your voice? Because this is ultimately about keeping U.S. trade shows places where exhibitors can:
showcase their latest innovations;
demonstrate products to customers and prospective buyers;
receive valuable market feedback;
compete effectively with companies around the world; and
maximize the business value of face-to-face exhibiting.
