IT opportunities, challenges abound in Asia Pacific

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IT opportunities, challenges abound in Asia Pacific

BUSAN ― Leading names in the information and communications technology sectors of the Asia-Pacific region are gathering here to participate in ITU Telecom Asia 2004. The one-week event, which opens today, consists of an exhibition and forum, attended by industry leaders such as Intel, Samsung, Lucent and China Mobile. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the International Telecommunication Union, or ITU, is an international organization that is part of the United Nations system. Composed of 189 member states, its main purpose is to have governments and the private sector coordinate global telecommunications networks and services. “In today’s increasingly wired world, it is hard to imagine life without telecommunications. Telecommunications networks now underpin almost every aspect of day-to-day life and are becoming increasingly important to the economic prosperity of all nations,” Secretary-General Yoshio Utsumi said. Established in 1865 to manage the first international telegraph networks, the organization is the oldest international organization in the world. During the past 139 years it has witnessed the invention of voice telephony, development of radio communications, launch of communications satellites, and most recently, technological convergence for a new information age. Through the work of its study groups and its extensive program of international and regional conferences and meetings, the ITU provides an array of multilateral forums. This year’s ITU Telecom Asia, at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center, is one of those global gatherings. Distinguished speakers from around the world will address the theme “Asia Leading the Future” as participants will explore the full reach of this region’s information and communications technology, or ICT, industry. From the latest mobile and wireless technologies to content solutions, fixed wireless, broadband, satellite, next generation networks and components and accessories, the exhibition will encompass the full spectrum of the ICT industry. The exhibition will reflect the Asia-Pacific region’s dynamic and varied set of opportunities, ranging from fast-growing markets such as China and India to the development of cutting-edge technologies in countries such as Japan and South Korea. The associated ITU Forum will provide a unique platform for the sharing of ideas from all sectors of the telecommunications and ICT industries ― including policy, regulatory, economic and development issues ― to meet the challenge of strengthening and expanding the information society in the Asia-Pacific region. Forum sessions will span areas ranging from policy and regulation to business strategy, technology and markets. There will be ample opportunity also to discuss related technology and applications aspects. Despite the global economic slowdown and the telecommunications industry’s recent difficulties, Asia’s telecommunications sector continues to capture the imagination with its potential for 1 billion new subscribers in the coming decade. “Broadband Internet penetration rates continue to rise while the impending introduction of next generation mobile services promises to revitalize a mobile market that is already reaching saturation levels in a number of Asian countries, notably Korea,” an ITU official said. “Unfortunately, however, telecommunications development in Asia has not been uniform. A significant number of Asian countries are still struggling to bring affordable telecommunications services to their citizens, particularly those located in rural and remote areas,” he said. Some of the key areas to be explored in the main forum include turning market demand into profit, building on broadband, and making 3G global. In “Turning Market Demand Into Profit,” keynote speakers such as Irwin Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of Qualcomm; Keiji Tachikawa, senior vice president of NTTDoCoMo; and Sean Maloney, executive vice president of Intel, will share their own experiences and vision of turning market opportunity into reality. This key plenary session will look at implementing plans to deliver maximum value and benefit since creating customer-focused organizations has become one of the critical success factors in the ICT marketplace of today. “Building on Broadband” discusses how operators and service providers can harness the demand for broadband technologies and maximize their potential. In broadband penetration terms, Asia Pacific is the world leader, led mainly by Korea, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong. The session will examine how incumbent and alternative operators alike can rethink their current strategies and business models and adapt them to the future demands of the market. On the other hand, for areas that have the lowest level of telecommunications technology, “Implications of WSIS for Asia” will explore how the benefits of the knowledge economy can be extended into untapped areas. Alongside the main forum will be a number of other events. The Youth Forum will bring together 110 university students from across the region to take part in a series of debates. One female and one male student from each country in the Asia-Pacific region will be selected as Youth Fellows by an ITU steering committee, following competitions at the national level. Youth Fellows will have the opportunity to further their knowledge of the ICT sector by taking part in Youth Forum sessions, the main forum and exhibition, and by networking with the region’s key ICT figures. The Youth Forum will target three key areas: technology and applications, policy and regulation and finance and business opportunities. The forum will also be followed by a two-day symposium on “Digital Bridges,” which will examine ways of measuring and bridging the digital divide. Through discussion, the symposium will undertake to build a foundation of tools that can be used to promote ICT access throughout the world. “The Asia-Pacific region leads the world in key areas such as broadband and next generation mobile, as well as the development of new, innovative technologies,” Mr. Utsumi said. “However, the region also includes countries with the world’s lowest levels of access to information and communications technologies. This event will provide a prime vantage point for players from all walks of the industry to explore the opportunities the region offers for both developed and less developed nations, as well as the types of technologies that will be playing a major role in the region’s ICT future.” by Wohn Dong-hee
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