www.fitce.org Newsletter of the Federation of Telecommunications Engineers of the European Union December 2005 Is it magic? - No, it's All About the Consumer FITCE Congress 2005 in Vienna: Approximately 350 international experts took part. The industry met under the motto "The Magic Potion to Meet Customers' Desires!" and concerned itself for the first time with the blessings of the modern "information society" from the point of view of the user. FITCE Europe communications to the general population had to become more President Carlos grow even closer aware of the topics security and data Gonzalez Mateos together. protection - on national and EU level - than and FITCE Austria According to they had previously. In this regard, Ducatel President Alois Mateos, the goal of pointed out the next EU presidency with Miedl welcomed the the congress was to Austria, in which "Internet security" would be guests to Vienna. At design a world an important topic. A further concern of the the opening Mateos without digital EU Commission regarded digital signature. announced: "During barriers and to Ducatel: "At the moment we have too many the next few days we reconsider the impact ways of paying by Internet in the EU." He will have the of this development called for uniformity in this area and the FITCE President Carlos opportunity to review FITCE Austria President on society and our introduction of certain standards and control Gonzalez Mateos at the the state of the art in Alois Miedl at the lives. mechanisms. Opening. telecommunications." Opening. He praised the advantages of convergence which was rapidly progressing. With the help Poland Slowly Catches Up of high-speed Internet it has become possible "Internet Security" Concerns the EU to use various media simultaneously. Halka described the great efforts that are Increasingly better digital networks allow the Kenneth Ducatel, being undertaken in his country to increase world of telecommunications and television member of the Internet penetration, including digital or or the fixed line network and mobile European interactive television (currently Internet Commission, and penetration in FITCE Forum Wojciech Halka, Poland is only about E-mail: [email protected] Polish Under- 20%). Here Austria © 2005:The Federation of Telecommunications Secretary of is a step ahead: The Engineers of the European Community, an Telecommunications Austrian State Association of Belgium and Postal Services, Secretary in the Editor: were guest speakers Federal Ministry of INFOTE Information for All S.A. at the opening Technology, Eduard Tel: +30 210 9204223 Kenneth Ducatel is in ceremony. Both Mainoni, announced E-mail: [email protected] favor of more internet emphasized the the government's security in the EU. necessity of enabling official goal: to The opinions expressed in this publication are as many citizens as possible – as quickly as provide broadband those of the authors and are not the responsibility possible - to take part in the advantages of Wojciech Halka Internet countrywide of FITCE. describes the Polish the new information and telecommunications Telecommunications in Austria by the ISSN 1106-2975 technologies. The politicians pointed out that Agenda. year 2007. 2 FITCE Forum Congress 2005 technologies, by means of user-friendly interfaces, etc. In the future, this will also consist of integrating handicapped or people with special needs into the e-society, e.g. by means of special access solutions such as iDTV for the blind, etc. Ultimately, it must also be the providers' concern to keep the so-called "digital divide" within society as small as possible or to minimize it. "Multimedia Day": The Providers Grow Together Friday, September 2, 2005, focused on multimedia and was therefore called "Multimedia Day". In their speeches, three experts from the international telecommunications industry provided All Participants at the Opening Ceremony. interesting food for thought. Dennis Gonier, of numerous ingredients: infrastructure, Senior Vice President at America "Go West" for Internet Providers? services, end-devices, customer demands, customer needs and security. In the future, all Online, spoke on "It’s not Magic – It’s Georg Serentschy, Managing Director of of these components will play a role in mobile Advocacy" about the Telecom Regulatory Authority RTR- phone and fixed line services, as well as in customer retention, GmbH, revealed details from the new wireless broadband services (WLAN, employee motivation telecommunications master plan, which will WiMAX, etc.). The classic "Triple Play" and new incentive be drawn up by his organization on behalf of comprised of telephone, Internet and models, e.g. in the federal government by November 2005. television will initially be conducted via a combination with This focuses on the possibility of reaching the provider that will bundle content but provide sports sponsoring end-customer by means of various channels. separate services Dennis Gonier, AOL, according to each end- (football, in the case sees himself as Bernhard Kerres, Kapsch AG, on the other device. In the next of AOL). According “advocate” for his clients. hand, complained about too much regulation. phase various services to Gonier, successful business strategy in the He compared it with building a railroad in the will be integrated by area of Internet comprises three components: Wild West: no one there would have thought several providers brand image, price and service. He said: "In a of making the railroad operators responsible simultaneously. This complex and converging world consumers are for each piece of coal that was transported will open the doors looking for help." Today, leading brands such from A to B. Why isn't that the same for widely to the e- as AOL see themselves as advocates for their telcos? society: music, games customers. They listen to their needs and and special interest accompany them through an increasingly offers such as sports, complex digital world. "Taking care of the "Internet Driver's License" for Peter Haas at the Presentation of the travel or shopping will consumer" is a primary focus at AOL. Gonier Consumers? Conclusions. be able to be stressed this at the press conference in consumed anytime within one's own four Vienna prior to the congress. Hannes Ametsreiter, mobilkom austria, walls or on the go via mobile phone, appealed for the "power of ideas" versus television or computer screen. Alberto Sigismondi, exaggerated belief in technology: in the Head of Content future, providers should focus more on Management/ Research creative products than on technical feasibility. High Priority for Broadband Expansion & Development in the Harald Himmer, Alcatel Austria AG, and digital-terrestrial area, Kurt Neugebauer, Siemens AG Austria, For the providers this means that they Mediaset, Italy, gave showed concern for the growing digital divide must further expand the current broadband examples for interactive in society and sought solutions for how penetration in Europe of 32.7 %. There is advertising in digital surfing the Internet and other applications great demand for broadband services. The antenna television with could be learned as easily as driving a car. question that providers of mobile phone and Alberto Sigismondi, "Innovation in fixed line have to ask themselves in terms of Mediaset, underlines the Commercial TV further expansion is simply: when and with importance Broadcasting". High Potential for the E-Society what technologies? The customer is not of interactive TV. Mediaset was Italy's interested in what kind of network is first commercial television broadcaster and in On Saturday, September 3, 2005, the deployed, but what kinds of services can be the meantime has become one of Europe's chairs of all eight meeting sessions arrived at received. For this reason, even more than most successful media companies. The three a joint conclusion: the "magic potion" consists previously, users must be able to use the new television channels "Canale 5", "Italia 1" and Congress 2005 FITCE Forum 3 "Retequattro" are almost completely financed He forecasted that multimedia offerings atmosphere and ambiance of the era of through advertising. At the press conference, combined with countrywide broadband Empress Maria Theresia, with dinner and Sigismondi underlined the importance of infrastructure will point the way to the dancing at a venue which had set the scene interactive TV: "Interactivity enriches information society. Sumesgutner: "The New for royal and political events during the era of classical, 'linear' television if the interactivity Generation Media enable totally new the Austrian monarchy. Our American guest, level is adapted to the respective audience." communication platforms and television Dennis Gonier, truly enjoyed the royal formats; provided that the framework atmosphere at Schönbrunn Palace, which he Armin conditions are right for the consumers and found very "exotic". Sumesgutner, Head of the complexity of the system will be adapted Strategic and to the needs of modern life." Innovation Management at Box: Evaluation of the Congress - Telekom Austria, "Questionnaire" concentrated on Vienna from its Best Side multimedia strategies, 67% of the participants rated the Armin Sumesgutner, convergence and new The numerous events within the social congress "very interesting" or "interesting". Telekom Austria, and partner programs also proved to be a introduces an interesting forms of cooperation The social program, the well-chosen date and pilot project.