WiNOG discussions are "germane" if they're of interest to people running wide-area broadband wireless networks interconnected with other networks.  "Network Operations" in this context means issues related to entire networks, rather than end users.

WiNOG is for the network operator that is well beyond the startup phase in longevity of business, overall scale of business, network, and number of customers. This is a very real, but specialized market segment, and WiNOG is laser-focused to serve this segment very well. While WiNOG is an ideal conference to attend for WISPs that are intent on growing larger and have already started to endure the “pains” of growth, WiNOG’s main audience is to provide peer-to-peer experience exchanges between network operators, or “Big WISPs”.

The general characteristics of “Big WISPs” who attend WiNOG are as follows:

• Big WISPs are well capitalized with bank lines of credit, leasing programs, and favorable terms from vendors and resellers
   
• Big WISPs have often acquired other ISPs, including dialup and wireless
   
• Big WISPs use built-to-purpose Broadband Wireless Internet Access equipment from major vendors such as Alvarion, RedLine, Motorola Canopy and Trango Broadband.
   
• While Big WISPs use systems from major vendors, they retain the ability to build special systems for special requirements.
   
• Big WISPs consider managing their network extremely thoroughly to be a core competency, and their resulting reliability of their networks is very high.
   
• Many, but by no means all Big WISPs have active marketing programs to recruit new customers, and regularly engage in proactive Public Relations activity such as Press Releases
   
• Some Big WISPs have been able to build out their network sufficiently to bypass the need for using Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC) – “phone company” connectivity such as T-1 and T-3 circuits.
   
• Through favorable pricing and performance and good reputation with customers Big WISPs are maintaining and growing their customer base in spite of competition from DSL and cable modem offerings, including recent aggressive low-cost offerings.
   
• Big WISPs cannot be generalized about market size – they’re found in rural areas, urban areas, and every size of market in between.
   
• Big WISPs make extensive and often exclusive use of license-exempt spectrum, often all three ISM bands – 902-928 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.3/5.7/5.8 GHz. Some Big WISPs have begun using licensed spectrum, especially for high-value customers and backbones. Gigabit links have become sufficiently affordable for Big WISPs.

If this describes you (or what you're aspiring towards), then WiNOG is the event for you