“Despite the slowdown in investment in recent years, initiatives from local operators are emerging in Catalonia that offer hope for improving the current broadband telecommunications infrastructure,” says Joan Francesc Fondevila, director of the Center for Cable Studies (CECABLE). The Catalan broadband event will focus on the evolution of the broadband network's reach and quality (cable in its various forms, ADSL, satellite, power line, and microwave) and on the content and services offered by broadband telecommunications networks.
Participating and collaborating in the event are institutions such as the Government of Catalonia, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona Marketing Club, College of Industrial Technical Engineers of Barcelona (CETIB), College of Telecommunications Engineers of Catalonia (CETC), Official College of Telecommunications Technical Engineers of Catalonia (COETTC), Official College of Computer Engineering of Catalonia (COEIC), Telecommunications Market Commission (CMT), Faculty of Communication Sciences of the UAB, Catalan Federation of Telecommunications Installation Companies (FECEMINTE), Federation of Telecommunications Installers (FENITEL), Barcelona Digital Technology Centre, Talència, TIC.CAT, Red.es, Localret, AOTEC (National Association of Telecommunications and Internet Service Operators), AEDOC (Spanish Association of Digital Documentation), AETIC (Association of Information and Communication Technology Companies of Spain), ANEI (National Association of Internet Companies), APD (Association for the Progress of Management), Asimelec (Multisectoral Association of Spanish Electronics and Communications Companies), Catalan Technology Association (ACTec), Association of Computer Technicians (ATI), Astel (Association of Telecommunications Operators and Services Companies), Redtel (Spanish Association of Telecommunications Operators), CTecno, Vallès Technology Park (PTV), CENATIC (National Reference Center for the Application of Information and Communication Technologies ICT), Ilimit, International Association of Technology, Education and Development (IATED), Foundation for the Infotechnological Development of Companies and Society (Fundetec), FOTÓNICA21 Platform and Catalan Society of Technology, among other institutions.
The first session, chaired by Joan Francesc Fondevila, director of the Center for Cable Studies (CECABLE), will analyze "Broadband in Catalonia and Spain" on May 8th. Presentations will be given by, among others, Quantis, Astra, Wifidom, Ericsson, ONO, Telefónica, Altran, Pioneer Electronics Ibérica, Orange, Abertis, and Allied Telesis. In the afternoon, the "Services and Content in Broadband Networks" session will feature the roundtable discussion "FTTH and Historical Cable: State of the Art and Future Prospects," with presentations by Alpha Enginyeria de Telecomunicacions, Aire Networks, Xtra Telecom, Acotec, the Mequinenza City Council, the Riba-roja d'Ebre City Council, and Anvimur. "Beyond the major operators, there is a very solid base of micro-operators in hundreds of municipalities in Spain who, thanks to the major operators, can access the Broadband Society," says Fondevila. Following the round table discussion, D-Link, Endovao and UNIT4 will speak.
The second session, on May 9, will analyze the “Typological and Installation Evolution of Broadband Cable” with contributions from Amper, Laser Technology, Anxanet, Genexis, KDPOF, Excel Networking, Infinera, Gossan Software, Alcatel-Lucent, and Promax. In the afternoon, the session “New Horizons for the IT Sector” will feature presentations from Proceedit, eyeOS, Panda Software, and Safenet.
The third session, on May 10, entitled “Diverse Impacts of Broadband Networks,” chaired by Fondevila, will begin with the traditional institutional round table, this time on “Catalan Public Policies for Broadband Expansion in the Spanish and International Context.” Representatives from the Government of Catalonia, Localret, Feceminte, COETC, Viladecans City Council, and the Telecommunications Market Commission (CMT) will participate. Following this, Loc'k'ind Technologies, Telvent Global Services, Sony, BT Global Services, Analysys Mason, VozTelecom, and Banc Sabadell will present their views.
