(17 March 2007 3:00 pm)

NEW DELHI: With the Government stressing on increasing broadband connectivity and facilitating convergence of technologies, one more meet on the subject - the 15th Convergence India International exhibition and conference - is opening in the capital on 20 March, thus becoming the third such gathering in recent weeks.

After the international Convergence Exhibition and Conference organized by the Broadcast Engineering Society (India) in Delhi from February One to three, the Fourth International Converging World 2007 Exhibition and Seminar was held at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata from March 9 to 11, organized by the Delhi-based Zeal Broadband Solutions.

Participants from 22 countries will take part in the 15th Convergence India International exhibition and conference to be held at Pragati Maidan in Delhi from March 20 to 22, put together by the Delhi-based Exhibitions India in collaboration with the Cellular Operators Association of India.

The first Convergence India had been organized fifteen years earlier jointly by Exhibitions India and BES (I) but the two had parted ways after two shows and have been organizing separate events.

Meanwhile, the 14th Convergence India last year had attracted 386 participants from 25 countries and Exhibitions India founder Prem Behl told indiantelevision.com that the meet this year was expected to surpass that figure. The meet will see the participation of the telecom, mobility, broadcast, cable, satellite, information and technology, and information security sectors. A special feature is the theme pavilion to be set up by the International Security Industry Organisation being set up for the first time as part of this fete.

The panel discussion on the opening day will be on 'Convergence: The Future - Fuelling the Indian Economy'. Panelists include former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman Pradip Baijal, Software Technology Parks of India Director-General S N Zindal, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Director (finance) S D Saxena, Qualcomm Chief Techno logy Advisor Nikhil Jain, UTStarcom Vice-President Brian Caskey, Alcatel-Lucent Worldwide CMO John Giere and a panelist from Ericsson.

There will be a workshop on e-governance, and the conference will bring together industry leaders, investors, government officials and users on a single platform to discuss all aspects of the ICT industry. Subjects include 'Next Gen Telecom', 'Wireless Delivery: Broadband for all', 'Services on Demand: Business and Infotainment', 'Towards Mobile Information Society', 'Security Challenges for the Enterprise', "Enabling SMB's and SME's for tomorrow's growth", and a round-table on 'Broadband Revolution and Rural
Connectivity'.

The meet will see participation from Korea, Taiwan, China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Russia, Latvia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, the United States, and India.

Exhibitions India also publishes the monthly 'Convergence Plus' journal to publicise the advantages of convergence of information communication, telecom and broadcasting.