9 Crucially, the telecommunication and ICT industry now has the ability to let users tailor their usage and relationships to the existing services according to their needs and their cultural and socio-economic context. Users can also develop their own services and offer them to the broader community. The user-centric model is a reality! The current economic turmoil has underlined the resilience of the telecommunication and ICT industry. Its performance in today’s troubled economic climate is a sign of maturity. Convergence is now well under way, meaning the sector now spans all aspects of the ICT value chain, from handsets to content, through wired and wireless networks. Geneva, is happy and proud to welcome ITU Telecom, with this new format event, on its 40th anniversary. Together-ITU and Geneva form a winning team. While ITU provides the high level content and networking opportunities that are the hallmarks of ITU Telecom events, Geneva offers a world-class venue and top-level services. From 24-27 October 2011, Geneva will be the centre of the ICT and telecommunications world, a well-deserved position for a city that sits in the heart of Europe. May you go home after the event with renewed impetus and creativity for the advancement of connected technologies, as well as with deals concluded and new contacts made! Welcome to Geneva