CommunicAsia 2005: A sneak preview
SINGAPORE--Asia's most established and comprehensive communications and information technology event will see some 60,000 delegates converging in Singapore this week for networking and business opportunities.
Now in its 26th year, CommunicAsia 2005 will cover the entire spectrum of the infocomm industry including broadband communications, enterprise applications and mobile technology, among others.
The theme for this year's event is "Where the business of technology comes to life". Held over four days, starting today to Jun. 17 this year, the event provides a platform for IT professionals to network with a pool of technology companies from 51 countries, says event organizer Singapore Exhibition Services (SES).
An exhibit of products and technologies is up for showcase at the Singapore Expo, the country's largest convention center. A series of conferences will also run at Raffles City Convention Center, covering key technology issues such as wireless broadband, mobile entertainment, mobile operator strategies, and next-generation networks.
Specifically, visitors can expect the key luminaries from global mobile companies such as Thorsten Heins, president of mobile phones within Siemens' information and communication group, Lim Chuan Poh, chief executive officer of SingTel Mobile, and Adnan Rofiee, chief operating officer of Telekom Malaysia.
The who's who of the mobile industry will be engaged in several CEO plenary sessions to discuss a wide range of topics. Of great interest is a session that deals with the importance of mobile content, widely regarded as crucial in spearheading the adoption rate of third-generation (3G) mobile services.
As more telecommunications operators begin to set up their 3G networks, mobile applications, such as mobile TV and video, have been identified as key driving forces for greater adoption. The recently introduced DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld) standard--already adopted by countries such as Germany and Finland in technical trials--is likely to emerge as the key driving force behind the mobile TV market.
SES CEO Stephen Tan, said: "This year, the Korean exhibitors are particularly strong as they can demonstrate how you can watch TV on your mobile phone via digital multimedia broadcasting."
Another hotbed for discussion is wireless broadband, which is widely seen as a threat to next-generation mobile networks, specifically 3G. Delegates would do well to walk away with new perspectives on the commercial impact of wireless broadband in this space.
Global standards body Wi-Max Forum, has a pavilion at the exhibition to showcase the latest technologies. Companies including Alvarion, Aperto, Navini, Redline Communications, TeleCIS and WiLAN, are members of the forum.
Delegates interested to learn more about Wi-Max can also sit in on any of the live presentations scheduled daily at the pavilion. Topics slated for discussion include the pros and cons of Wi-Max for telecom vendors and governments, regulatory issues that affect deployment and performance of Wi-Max, the impact of 3G and Wi-Max technology decisions made by Asian governments, as well as Wi-Max product certification guidelines.
Over 1,480 exhibiting companies from 51 countries worldwide will be at CommunicAsia, Tan said. "To help visitors navigate, we have set up tech trails, each focusing on a new or emerging technology such as 3G, VoIP, Wi-Max and mobile entertainment."