ASIA 2004 — was very much in evidence
on the exhibition floor, in the forum sessions and in the data released by ITU
during the week.
"This very successful event has reflected the leading position that the
Asia-Pacific region holds in telecommunications," said Yoshio Utsumi,
Secretary-General of ITU, the organizers of the event. "In many ways Asia is one
step ahead of the world. Ongoing product development, cutting-edge technology,
and the widespread take up of new products and services has combined to ensure
that Asia has the competitive edge." Mr Utsumi also noted, "that a well-educated
population together with the traditional Asian values of team spirit and a
strong work ethic combined with cooperation at all levels between government and
industry have ensured the success of Asia’s information and communication
technology sector."
ASIA 2004 was opened on 7 September
2004 by H.E. President Roh Moo-Hyun of the Republic of Korea and throughout the
week the event attracted an impressive range of participants, including the
leading players in the regional and global telecommunication industry as well as
top-level representatives of the region’s governments and regulatory bodies.
ITU TELECOM ASIA
2004 combined policy initiatives and discussions with a trade showcase for
information and communication technologies, which attracted a large number of
visitors from Asia and around the world. Its success will serve to reinforce the
reputation of ITU TELECOM as a unique
non-profit showcase for telecommunications technologies and as a forum for
strategic policy discussions relevant to the regional and global industry.
ITU, as the United Nations specialized agency for telecommunications, is
uniquely equipped to spark change in the telecommunication sector through
regulatory reform, human resource and technology development all of which
underlies the ITU mandate to ‘help the world communicate’.
Asian Success from an Asian Strategy
Broadband penetration in Asia is the highest in the world. IMT-2000 services
have also taken off rapidly, particularly in Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Countries such as China and India have emerged as information and communication
technology (ICT) forces to be reckoned with, as well as important players in the
field of research and development.
Asia’s policy makers have played a vital role in the evolution of
telecommunication markets in the region. Instead of launching a deluge of
competition onto markets, which arguably were not geared up for it, policy
makers have taken a more measured stance toward competition. It has been seen
that, where gradual but functioning market competition is in place, it has been
visibly successful. The Asian model was being examined this week by visiting
Ministerial delegations to ITU TELECOM
A
2004 from Africa, Europe and South America.
Mobile operators launching IMT-2000 services in Asia have also been spared
the huge license fees, which have beset their Western counterparts. And they
have not been limited to just one type of IMT-2000 technology; they have been
able to choose their own next-generation path.
Throughout the week, on the exhibition floor as well in the Forum meeting
rooms, the technologies that are shaping the region’s and the world’s future
were very much in evidence.
More information about the content of ITU TELECOM
ASIA 2004 can be found
here.
Focus on New Technologies is Reflected in ITU Research
Results
The ITU’s new "Portable Internet" report, produced especially for the event,
focused on the new wireless technologies that are currently in development in
the region. The report examined the set of technologies, such as Bluetooth,
Zigbee or longer-range wireless technologies such as the much-discussed WiMax,
which could be used to make the Internet truly portable. It also examined the
market opportunities that these technologies could create, as well as the
challenges they could bring. Technologies such as these have the power not only
to allow for the rollout of ever-more sophisticated wireless broadband services
onto developed markets, but also to extend ICT services within developing
countries, to areas where current infrastructure is limited or non-existent.
More information on the Portable Internet Report can be found
here.
Asia is Global Leader for Mobile and Broadband Penetration
ITU also unveiled its latest Asia-Pacific telecommunication indicators report
during ITU TELECOM ASIA
2004. It reports that all ICT sectors have seen soaring levels of growth in
recent years, making Asia-Pacific a global leader in mobile and broadband.
Next-generation mobile services have been launched across the region, with Japan
and the Republic of Korea emerging as world-leaders in this field. Broadband
penetration has also grown rapidly with four of the top broadband connected
economies in the world are from the Asia-Pacific region.
Growth rates for fixed lines, mobile subscribers and Internet users over the
last few years have soared in a number of countries across the region. Mobile
subscriber numbers rocketed by 31% per year between 2000-2003 to reach 560
million — overtaking North America as the world’s largest market. Numbers of
fixed lines in the region also grew by 14% in the same period, surpassing the
single digit growth rates seen in most other regions.
Next generation IMT-2000 services have been launched across the region and
Japan and the Republic of Korea are emerging as global leaders in this field.
Indeed, Japan has the world's highest penetration of mobile Internet users.
The number of Internet users in the Asia-Pacific region also experienced
rapid growth — 38% year on year from 2000-2003. At the end of that period, the
number of Internet users in the region amounted to 255 million, surpassing North
America, which grew by 18% to reach 227 million users by yearend 2003.
Forum Examines Avenues for ICT Growth
Asia-Pacific’s fast-growing broadband and mobile markets were just some of
the areas explored at ITU TELECOM ASIA
2004 Forum. A total of 727 Forum delegates from 43 countries came together to
discuss and debate the kinds of strategies, technologies and policies that are
driving growth on Asia-Pacific’s dynamic ICT markets. Sessions such as "Turning
market demand into profit," or " Building on broadband" looked at how to
capitalize and build upon existing revenue schemes and harness the opportunities
offered by new services. Sessions such as "Making 3G global," or "Internet
governance" brought together representatives from a number of different bodies,
representing governments as well as industry, to tackle core issues such as the
future scenarios for next-generation mobile technologies or how the Internet
should be governed.
ICT Leaders of the Future Convene for Youth Forum
60 young people from 34 countries across the Asia-Pacific region,
who are widely acknowledged as the region’s ICT leaders of the future, came
together at ITU TELECOM ASIA
2004 for the Youth Forum. The Youth Fellows took part in a programme of talks,
debates and interactive panel discussions with those in attendance at ITU TELECOM
ASIA 2004 Exhibition and Forum. They
were able to meet with 224 exhibitors from across Asia and around the globe and
to take part in the main Forum sessions of their choice. Debates focused on 3
distinct areas; technology and applications, policy and regulation and finance
and business opportunities.
The Youth Fellows worked together during ASIA
2004 to produce a declaration and action plan, which they released to industry
leaders at the event. The declaration outlined their vision of a society where
everyone has equal opportunities and is able to "realise their full potential
through the use of ICTs."
To this end, the declaration calls for action on three levels; broader
education and awareness of ICTs, further government accountability and increased
cooperation at all levels-governments, companies, industries and civil society-
to help bridge the digital divide. The declaration is available
here.
Countdown to ITU T
ELECOM
WORLD
2006 Begins
ITU TELECOM ASIA
2004 also saw the launch of ITU TELECOM
WORLD 2006, the ITU’s flagship event
for the global telecommunications industry. The next WORLD
event will be taking place in Hong Kong, China from 4-8 December 2006. It will
be the first ITU TELECOM W
