5 Questions with Kerry Merritt

SubTel Forum
May 15, 2023

1. WHO IS TOTAL TELECOM AND WHAT IS THE COMPANY’S MISSION?

For over 20 years, Total Telecom (part of Terrapinn Group) has built its reputation as a trusted news source for the global telecommunications industry. Coupled with a constantly evolving events portfolio that offers unique networking opportunities for senior executives from across the communications sector, we pride ourselves on being a content and people-focused business.

Our events and online platform are all about bringing people together. It’s simply what we do and with a breadth of experience in the events, publishing, and telco markets, it’s something that we’ve gotten very good at!

2. HOW DOES TOTAL TELECOM PARTICIPATE IN THE SUBMARINE CABLE MARKET?

In 2018 we launched Submarine Networks EMEA as a sister event to the Submarine Networks World conference, which has been held in Singapore for over 25 years. The decision to launch a more regionally focused conference came at a time of increasing activity in the EMEA submarine cable industry. Five years later, the event continues to go from strength to strength and in 2023 we expect over 800 executives from the global subsea market to join us in London.

In addition to producing Submarine Networks EMEA we actively cover the subsea telecommunications sector as a media brand, reporting on new projects, developments, and news.

3. HOW IS TOTAL TELECOM HELPING TO PROMOTE A MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE TELECOM SECTOR?

As an events’ organizer, we are very conscious of the role that we play in creating and supporting a more diverse and inclusive industry. Across all our events we make a conscious effort to improve the gender-balance on our agendas, providing a platform for many of the incredible women that are already playing an important role in the telecoms sector.

But of course, true diversity is about so much more than the avoidance of all-male panels at industry events.

At Total Telecom, we focus on a number of initiatives that can hopefully play a small part in supporting this approach.

Firstly, students, recent graduates, and apprentices, can attend any Total Telecom event completely free of charge. We want to make our events as accessible as possible, so, by removing some of the costs involved with attending the event, we hope that more organizations will consider sending their new recruits as well as their more senior executives.

Secondly, we seek to amplify these new industry voices by having young people and industry newcomers join panel discussions and other sessions, giving them a platform to have their say on the future of the sector.

There are so many fantastic initiatives already taking place – the SubOptic Foundation’s mentoring scheme is just one that jumps to mind – and we’re always engaging with the industry itself for ways in which we can be more involved and really work together to make a positive change. It’s a team effort after all.

4. AS SUSTAINABILITY HAS BECOME A HOT BUTTON ISSUE IN OUR INDUSTRY, WHAT ARE TOTAL TELECOM’S PLANS FOR SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS GOING FORWARD?

Sustainability is another important topic to Total Telecom and to the wider Terrapinn Group. Last year, Terrapinn became a member of isla – an independent organization founded by events professionals and aimed at supporting the industry to transition towards a more sustainable and green future. Across the organization we are taking active steps to reduce our carbon footprint; reducing waste at events, offsetting staff travel, working with suppliers and venues to ensure our operations are in line with our sustainability targets (full details of which can be found in our Sustainability Policy).

5. WHAT'S HAPPENING AT TOTAL TELECOM IN 2023?

The Total Telecom team has had a busy year with two events already completed. In March, we launched our inaugural event in the US, Connected America. This event attracted over 1,000 attendees from across the connectivity sector, making it our biggest launch to date. It also marks the expansion of our “Connected” events portfolio.

These events are particularly important to us as they focus not only on the development of communications infrastructure, including fixed, mobile, subsea, data centres, and more, but also on the potential of this connectivity to enable benefits for people, businesses, and communities.

The scope of these events is potentially huge, and the team is already looking forward to our flagship Connected Britain event in September. This event is expected to bring together over 5,000 attendees from the private and public sector.

Finally, we are eagerly anticipating Submarine Networks EMEA 2023, which is set to take place later this month!

You can read this article and other fantastic features in Issue 130 of the SubTel Forum Magazine