Supercomm, the world's largest communications conference, is taking its final bow in 2005 at McCormick Place, Chicago, June 6 to 9. That's because the two organizations that put it on — United States Telecom Association and the Telecommunications Industry Association — are parting ways. After two years of negotiations, the parties could not agree to terms, thus ending the 18-year run of the show.

At its height in 2001, more than 52,000 people attended the show. In 2004, the event attracted nearly 26,000 attendees and 700 exhibitors.

While Supercomm fades away, the associations are concentrating on their own separate events. USTA will focus on Telecom, an event that saw attendance double in 2004. TIA will launch a new show, Globalcomm. The inaugural Globalcomm exhibition and conference will take place June 5 to 8, 2006, at McCormick Place.