It's convergence time at ITU Asia 2000

Asia's largest show on communications, ITU Telecom Asia 2000, was formally opened in Hong Kong today. The six day event between Dec 4 and 9 includes an exhibition by 500 companies from over 50 countries, and lectures by over 250 top ministers, CEOs, and other industry leaders. Over 50,000 visitors are expected to visit Telecom Asia 2000 from about 100 countries.

Yoshio Utsumi, Secretary General, ITU, was very apt when he said on the inaugural day that "ITU Asia 2000 brings to life the telecom environment of the future, where mobile communications services will link people not places, and switched broadband services will remove the barriers between broadcasting and traditional telecom."

The major theme of the event, though unannounced, clearly is about the development and strong trend of the Internet and wireless (even as the broadband guys were equally upbeat about fiber). However, the fact is that Telecom Asia 2000 was still a place where visitors will see lots of options in terms of technologies and products, and continue to ask which is the best bet.

The show is full of vendors announcing products and services around them. The show has a lot of very interesting cases of product vendors are jointly displaying their ware with solution providers, and solution providers joining hands with carriers to reach out to the user. While technologies and products will continue to battle it out at the show, the bigger and more important message that seems to be coming out is about the onslaught of convergence.

One of the most interesting observations was that while India is being seen as one of the hottest and a highly potential communications market in Asia Pacific region, there was only one company, Amoeba Telecom, representing the country, at Telecom Asia 2000, the most significant window to the communications world. At a time when India has already made a mark in computer and application software, and there is much happening here in the field of communications software, network layouts, content, network management services, it would surely be an opportunity lost.

Most of the foreign companies that are active in the communications marketplace in India were however there. Interestingly India is one of the countries that have bid for holding the next ITU Telecom Asia in 2001. 

In a very colorful opening ceremony at the Convention Hall of the ultra modern and hi-tech, sea side Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, leading musical performers displayed their best and enthralled the audience. As Chinese Vice Premier was the chief guest, the ceremonies were held under extremely tight security, and journalists were made to go through some very rigorous security checks and long waiting time. Clearly the security aspects, to which many US and European participants were not accustomed to, also send a message of regulations and control in a very dominant market like China and Hong Kong, in the era of liberalization and globalization.

Notwithstanding all this, the inaugural speech of Tung Chee Hwa, Chief Executive, Hong Kong, showed the awareness level of leadership of a country to a nationally strategic issue like communications. He expressed hope that, "At this event, policy makers, regulators, market players, and leaders in innovative applications from over 100 countries will explore the latest developments and examine emerging issues on the way we live and work."

In fact, Carrie Yau, the young and energetic Secretary (IT and Broadcasting), while sharing Hong Kong's Digital 21 Strategy with media, said, "We will ensure that the Hong Kong government leads by example. We are taking a leading role in building essential IT infrastructure in Hong Kong to enable e-business so that the face of the Government and its delivery mechanisms is radically changed for users of its services.

The world's largest and most influential telecom organization with 189 member states and over 500 sector members, ITU show is visited by decision makers in governments, communications industry and enterprises. Founded in 1865, (but a UN body now), it is the oldest inter-governmental organization. Telecom Asia 2000, is ITU's 23rd telecom event ever since the first global show was first held in Geneva in 1971. However, from 1985 regional events in Americas, Africas and Asia are also being held. (CNS)