4G is hot. Just check out the messaging from AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and just about any other Tier 1 carrier in the world. Anyone in the U.S. is only 30 seconds away from a 4G service or handset commercial, billboard, banner or tweet.

The mobile industry needs a fall event. Pickpockets and travel budget aside, Barcelona (site of Mobile World Congress) in February is a must and the CTIA Wireless Association Show in May is important, but vendors and carrier attendees at last year's 4G World say the industry needs a major industry event halfway between the two. This timing is key for operators and vendors announcing new products and services during the second half of the year.

4G World is getting some Big Love. Light Reading is the biggest service provider community; our partner in producing the event, the UBM TechWeb Events Network, is the biggest tech event organizer in the U.S.; and InformationWeek, our sister company, is the biggest business technology media company in the world.

4G needs a big tent: 4G World is the largest independent mobile industry event covering all the 4G technologies, as well as applications and services. A successful 4G World requires telecom equipment manufacturers, service providers, enterprise IT execs, application developers, ALL key associations and standards organizations, and yes, even research and media players whose names are not Heavy Reading and Light Reading.

Berge, Dan and Sarah needed something else to do. Berge Ayvazian, senior 4G consultant, has been dying to get back into the driver’s seat as conference chairman of 4G World. He created the show, and now gets his wish. Sarah Reedy, our senior reporter covering mobility who lives in Chicago, gets a show to cover in her backyard. And Dan Jones, our site editor for LR Mobile, well, he gets another trip out of the NYC office.