IEC Announces Winners of the Inaugural Convergence World Awards
U.S. Contact: Lisa Reyes
Phone: +1-312-559-3325
E-Mail: lreyes@iec.org
European Contact: Howard Jones
Phone: +44(0)115 948 6901
E-Mail: howard@gbcspr.com
Convergence World Contact: Lydia Oakes
Phone: +44 (0)1799 543909
E-Mail: lydia@convergenceworld.net
MILAN – March 28, 2007 – In association with Convergence World magazine, the International Engineering Consortium (IEC) announced the winners of the first Convergence World Awards last night at a reception on the exhibition floor of the C5 World Forum; the top drivers of convergence were recognized in front of hundreds of industry professionals at the C5 World Forum, which continues until tomorrow at the Fiera Milano Congressi, Milan.
The industry interest in the awards program was reflected with the large number of entries, making the judging process particularly difficult; the panel of judges determined a tie in three categories.
The 2007 Convergence World Award Winners are:
- Best FMC Product or Service
- TeliaSonera - The judges commented: "TeliaSonera has demonstrated a leadership position in deploying services to enable Wi-Fi mobile."
- Kineto - "Kineto has developed the most innovative UMA-based technology."
- Best Converged Voice/Data Product or Service
- BT Onevoice - "An early leader in the evolution to true convergence."
- Best IPTV Innovation or Service
- SeaChange - "SeaChange is an innovative company with a turnkey offering, and customer testimonials demonstrate the high level of market acceptance that it enjoys."
- Microsoft - "Microsoft has created a total offering of a high quality with an excellent user interface."
- Best VoIP Product or Service
- Comverse - "Comverse's IMS-ready SIP application server stood out amongst an excellent group of entries."
- Best Converged Billing Product
- Amdocs - "Amdocs demonstrated through its customer testimonials the high quality of its converged billing product."
- Best Ethernet Product or Service
- Tellabs - "The Tellabs solution makes a significant contribution to this rapidly expanding industry sector."
- Orange Business Services - "Orange Business Services offers a carrier grade Ethernet product which bridges the gap between standard broadband and fibre in the 8-20MB space. The Company is at the forefront of this developing market."
- Best IMS Innovation or Service
- Tekelec - "In the cutting edge arena of IMS, Tekelec showed outstanding innovation."
- Outstanding Contribution to the Convergence Industry by an Individual or Organisation
- BT Retail - "BT Retail's Fusion offering continues to evolve and to drive innovation."
- The C5 Awards (awarded by the IEC)
- Roberto Saracco - In his more than 30 years with Telecom Italia Lab, Dr. Saracco has held various positions and been involved in many areas of research, including switching, data networks, and network management. In the past 10 years, his interest and responsibility shifted to the economic aspects of innovation. He leads the area responsible for future trends and scientific communications in Telecom Italia. He set up and led a research team studying the economic implication of technological evolution at the Future Centre in Venice and has led a World Bank/Infodev project in Latin America, leading to more than 100 innovation project proposals.
- Giovanni Colombo - Mr. Colombo is a member of the IST Advisory Group, acting in support of the European Commission to orientate the R&D initiatives and funding. Before assuming his current role, he was the R&D CTO of Telecom Italia Lab, responsible for the R&D department and head of the R&D mobile direction. In these roles, Mr. Colombo managed a wide spectrum of activities in the ICT field.
"The inaugural Convergence World Awards has been a great success," said IEC President John Janowiak. "We are delighted that this ceremony was staged at the C5 World Forum, the premier event showcasing the convergence of fixed and mobile communications, broadcasting and entertainment.
"We are looking forward to next year's event in London, and to hosting the second Convergence World Awards."
The Convergence World Awards are presented by Convergence World magazine in association with the IEC. The awards are endorsed by leading industry bodies, including the Moriana Group, the Fixed Mobile Convergence Alliance, MobileIGNITE and the Wi-Fi Alliance.
The independent judging panel for the Convergence World Awards comprised Tom Costello, vice president of conference development at the IEC; Rodrigo Donazzolo, program director at the Fixed Mobile Convergence Alliance; Frank Hanzlik, chief executive at The Wi-Fi Alliance; Mac Taylor, managing director of The Moriana Group; John Williamson, editor at Convergence World; and Ian Channing, senior editor at GSM Publications.
About the Convergence World Awards
Convergence World magazine, a proud media sponsor of C5 World Forum and premier publication for the telecommunications industry, is widely recognized as the voice of the industry. Making its debut in association with the C5 World Forum 2007, the Convergence World Awards 2007 will recognize organizations that are making the greatest contribution to this exciting marketplace and those that are leading the way in reshaping the world of communications. The Convergence World Awards program is designed to not only reward those who have excelled, but also explain how and why they won to a worldwide audience.
In association with the International Engineering Consortium (IEC), the awards are also endorsed by the Moriana Group, the Fixed Mobile-Convergence Alliance (FMCA), the Wi-Fi Alliance and MobileIGNITE. Visit www.convergenceworldawards.com.
About the C5 World Forum
The C5 World Forum (Customer-Centric Converged Communication and Content), focused on networks and technologies, emerged from the need to move beyond the digital networked economy to focus more intently on the implications of network convergence of communications and its role in shaping personalized content and communications for customers.
Previously known as the 21st Century Communications World Forum, the forum premiered in 2005, drawing more than 2,000 registrants eager to discuss the latest advances in the move toward customer-centric information and communications technologies. The 2006 show in London, England, which saw a 75 percent increase in registration over the 2005 forum, analyzed the business and technology requirements for making convergent IP communications a reality in today's world on a carrier scale.
The premiere of the C5 World Forum will take place in the Fiera Milano Congressi in Milan, Italy, from 26–29 March 2007. Telecom Italia will be the forum's official host sponsor. For more information, visit www.iec.org/events/2007/c5.
About the IEC
A nonprofit organization, the IEC is dedicated to catalyzing technology and business progress worldwide in a range of high-technology industries and their university communities. Since 1944, the IEC has provided high-quality educational opportunities for industry professionals, academics, and students.
In conjunction with industry-leading companies, the IEC has developed an extensive, free, on-line educational program. The IEC conducts industry-university programs that have a substantial impact on curricula. It also conducts research and develops publications, conferences, and technological exhibits that address major opportunities and challenges of the information age.
More than 70 leading high-technology universities are IEC affiliates, and the IEC handles the affairs of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association and Eta Kappa Nu, the honor society for electrical and computer engineers. Visit www.iec.org.
