WiMAX Forum Global Congress Events Series Announces Keynote Speakers, Exhibitors

The WiMAX Forum and Informa Telecoms & Media, producers of the WiMAX Forum Global Congress Events Series of trade shows and conferences, recently announced they have already secured participation commitments from ten executive keynote speakers and more than 30 sponsors and exhibitors for their 2008 Events Series. With commercial availability of Mobile WiMAX Certified products expected in 2008, the WiMAX Forum Global Congress Events Series promises to be the year's premier industry event, bringing together WiMAX leaders from around the globe to address key market needs for adoption of certified WiMAX deployments and strengthening the network of operators, manufacturers and service providers within the WiMAX Forum.

Coming together to discuss the Events Series' theme of how WiMAX technology is "Defining the Future of the Mobile Internet," WiMAX industry visionaries have confirmed participation as keynote speakers throughout the Event Series, including:

• Shahid Miah, CTO, Wateen Telecom
• Matt Beale, Director, Strategy, BT Wholesale
• Dr. Hyan-Pyo Kim, Director, Technology Cooperation Division, WiBro Business Unit, KT Corp.
• Kuldeep Goyal, Chairman & MD, BSNL
• Mauricio Coutinho, CEO, Neovia Telecomunicacacoes S/A
• Peter Zielgelwanger, CTO, WiMAX Telecom
• Henrik Dam, CTO, Danske Telecom
• Shantanu Consul, IAS Administrator, USO Fund, Department of Communications, India
• Heiomar Lima, Director Digital Inclusion Services Ministry of Communications, Brazil
• Magnus Johansson, Director Wireless Broadband, Digicel

"Ever since the WiMAX Forum Board unanimously agreed to launch the WiMAX Forum Global Congress Events Series for 2008 onwards, we have had tremendous support from the WiMAX Forum community and beyond," said Ian Hemming, CEO of Informa Telecoms & Media. "They have responded to our vision of a high quality, 'built to do business' series of events that draws together the WiMAX ecosystem to do business and to define the future of the mobile Internet. As a result of this support we are well ahead of our initial plans to build and deliver the annual meeting place for the WiMAX industry in 2008 and annually henceforth."

Major industry players are fully backing this important industry initiative, and the following companies have confirmed their intention to exhibit: Airspan Networks, Alcatel-Lucent, Alvarion, Aperto Networks, ASUSTek Computers Inc., Fujitsu, IBM Corporation, Intel Corporation, Motorola, Navini, Nokia, Nokia-Siemens Networks, Nortel, Pico Chip, Quanta Computer Inc., Redline Communications, Runcom Technologies LTD., Samsung, Sequans Communications, Siemens, ZTE Corporation and ZyXEL Communications Corp.

The WiMAX Forum Congress Events Series fosters a hands-on business experience with networking opportunities, WiMAX Certified training courses, boot camps, seminars with industry thought leaders, exhibitions and member product and service announcements. The program will feature regulatory briefing days, emerging markets focus days and each conference and exhibition will be conveniently co-located with WiMAX Forum member activities such as technology demonstrations, PlugFests, testing symposiums and member working group conferences. The show floors will feature free seminar theatres with fully programmed conference agendas demonstrating the ecosystem at work, hospitality suites and meeting rooms to facilitate business, country pavilions and product showcases.

"Our partner Informa Telecoms & Media has developed an Events Series that offers more benefits and opportunities than today's current WiMAX event offerings as signified by the participation of the industry's top visionaries, our members and the entire ecosystem," said Ron Resnick, chairman and president of the WiMAX Forum. "With the commercial availability of WiMAX Forum Certified products approaching, the WiMAX Forum Global Congress Events Series will advance collaboration among our members to ensure that WiMAX achieves its promise of delivering true broadband Internet anytime, anywhere to consumers around the globe."

The WiMAX Forum Global Congress Events Series 2008 locations are:

• WiMAX Forum Congress Asia: April 9 -10, 2008 in Singapore at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre;
• WiMAX Forum Global Congress (the flagship event): June 17-18, 2008 in Amsterdam at the Amsterdam Rai Convention Centre; and
• WiMAX Forum Congress Americas: November 12-13, 2008 in Atlanta at The Gwinett Center.

For more information on how to exhibit or participate in the WiMAX Forum Global Congress Events Series go to www.wimax-vision.com.

About the WiMAX Forum
The WiMAX Forum is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization formed to certify and promote the compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products based upon the harmonized IEEE 802.16/ETSI HiperMAN standard. A WiMAX Forum goal is to accelerate the introduction of these systems into the marketplace. WiMAX Forum Certified™ products are interoperable and support broadband fixed, nomadic, portable and mobile services. Along these lines, the WiMAX Forum works closely with service providers and regulators to ensure that WiMAX Forum Certified systems meet customer and government requirements. Through the WiMAX Forum Congress Events Series of global trade shows and events, the WiMAX Forum is committed to furthering education, training and collaboration to expand the reach of the WiMAX ecosystem.

About Informa Telecoms & Media
Best known as creators of the 3GSM World Congress Event Series, Informa Telecoms & Media is the leading provider of market intelligence and strategic services to the global telecoms and media markets. From large exhibitions to focused conferences, Informa Telecoms & Media brings the industry together to enable progress within the dynamic telecoms and media markets. With more than 200 annual events attended by more than 100,000 executives, Informa Telecoms and Media is the world's leading conference and exhibition organizer in the telecoms and media sector.

Through its team of more than 100 analysts and researchers, Informa Telecoms & Media also produces and distributes business information products using innovative formats and powerful channels that meet the real business needs of their customers. Informa Telecoms & Media's research services, reports and databases guide the decisions of blue chip clients around the world.

SOURCE: The WiMAX Forum and Informa Telecoms & Media