Over 100 companies from 14 countries participate

Over 100 companies from 14 countries participate

Rikza Abdullah, Contributor, Jakarta

The opening of an international exhibition and conference on
information and communications technology (ICT), called the
Techno Pre-Eminence (TPE) -- Connectivity Indonesia 2002, is very
timely as the ICT market in Asia and the Pacific has shown signs
of recovery in the second half of this year.

The ICT market in the region, excluding Japan, is projected to
expand by 13.5 percent to US$76 billion in 2002. Furthermore, the
widespread adoption of mobile telecommunications will also drive
telecom services in the region to grow by 20.6 percent to $161
billion this year, according to IDC Asia-Pacific.

"About 20,000 key players in telecommunications, banking,
financing, security services, information technology, Internet
education and the government are expected to visit the TPE --
Connectivity Indonesia 2002 -- which is being held from Sept. 30
through Oct. 3 at the Jakarta Convention Center," said Taufik
Hasan, the head of the research and development department
(RisTI) of PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk (Telkom).

Telkom is the host of TPE -- Connectivity Indonesia 2002,
which is organized by CMP Asia Ltd. in association with PT
Internusa Promosarana. RisTI acts as the field coordinator.

The TPE -- Connectivity Indonesia 2002, focusing on the theme
of "Mobilizing Toward a Networked Economy," starts in Hall A of
the Jakarta Convention Center on Monday with a four-day
exhibition on international communications and networking
solutions. More than 100 companies from 14 countries worldwide
have confirmed their participation in this showcase.
Complementary to the exhibition, a two-day conference will start
on Tuesday in the Cendrawasih Room, with the presentation of four
keynote speakers and 14 highly qualified speakers. About 1,000
delegates are expected to attend the conference.

The keynote speakers, including Minister of Communications
Agum Gumelar and IBM Indonesia's country general manager Betti
Alisjahbana, will discuss strategic alliances for the future
business world; services and applications in the networked
economy era; keys and strategies for strengthening international
e-commerce; and the next generation's network as a vehicle for
the future telecommunications business.

The other speakers will address topics related to services and
application, strategies and regulations, platforms and
technology, as well as business trends and country/district
experiences. The first day of the conference will be closed with
a panel discussion on opportunities and challenges for Indonesia
in a networked world and the second day on plans and strategies
for Indonesia in a networked economy.

"Thus, participants of the conference will be able to explore
the significant issues, challenges and opportunities of strategic
alliances for the future business world," Taufik said. "Besides
that, participants will have a sharper vision of what and how
services and applications are needed and implemented in the
networked economy era, and also what and how the future networked
economy will be like."

M. Gandhi, the executive director of CMP Asia, said that key
players in telecommunications, banking, finance, security
services, information technology, Internet education and the
government had definite reasons to attend the event.

They, for example, know that it is a reference event for the
ICT industry, a truly business-to-business opportunity, the only
conference with a clear focus and direction, and a global
networking forum for marketing support and campaign.

The fact that the event has had a proven track record for
success, that it was strongly supported by regional trade
publications and that it was officially hosted by Telkom were
also strong points for them to take part in it.

This year's Techno Pre-Eminence conference is the eighth of
its kind, while Connectivity Indonesia is the fourth
international communications and networking solution exhibition
to be organized in the country. Last year's event attracted more
than 10,000 trade visitors.

"Officially hosted by the state-owned incumbent
telecommunications service operator PT Telkom, TPE --
Connectivity Indonesia 2002 will surely capture the essence of
the technology driven notion, all on one avenue," Gandhi said.

Telkom, with its new vision "to become a leading InforCom
company in the region", has a mission of providing one-stop prime
quality communication services at competitive prices, and running
business with the best management by optimizing the performance
of its high quality human resources, employing competitive
technologies and working synergically with its strategic
partners.

The event's organization by CMP Asia Ltd., in association with
PT Internusa Promosarana, is another factor that will bring it
success.

CMP Asia, formerly known as Miller Freeman Asia, is the
largest non-governmental organizer of trade fairs in Asia and a
provider of high-quality business information through its
publications and websites. It is part of United Business Media
Plc, one of the world's leading business-to-business media and
market information companies. It operates in 12 market sectors
through its regional headquarters in Hong Kong with 400 staff
members in 11 major cities in Asia and the United States. In
Indonesia, it works in association with PT Internusa Promosarana.

CMP Asia has more than 80 media products comprising over 70
trade shows held in eight countries and regions and 13
publications with associated business-to-business websites. Every
year, 15,000 exhibitors and about 700,000 visitors come to CMP
Asia's trade fairs from around the world. Last year, the company
won the Hong Kong Trade Development Council Export Marketing
Award in the Hong Kong Awards for Services.

Gandhi said the participation of major national and
international communications players, such as Indosat Multi Media
Mobile (IM3) and Microsoft Indonesia, in TPE -- Connectivity
Indonesia 2002 would add weight to the event.

Sutji Lantyka, the corporate communications officer of IM3,
said her company would promote its technologically superior
products, such as M3-Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), M3-
Coolbox, M3-General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and M3-Zone, at
Connectivity Indonesia 2002.

She explained that with the M3-MMS, subscribers could send
messages not only in the form of letters, but also in the form of
voice, pictures, photos, animation, graphics and/or video clips.

M3-Coolbox was an m-commerce service, with which subscribers
could buy a soft drink by using their cellular phones with pulses
as payments, while M3-GPRS could be used to get access to the
Internet through cellular phones. M3-Zone was IM3's portal, with
www.indosat-m3.net as its address, which provided information and
interactive services for customers and the public, she said.

She said some of IM3's services could be accessed with a
prepaid telephone card IM3 Smart and some others with postpaid
telephone card IM3 Bright.

IM3 is jointly owned by the country's primary provider of
international telecommunications services, PT Indonesian
Satellite Corporation (Indosat), and its cooperative Kopindosat.
At the exhibition, Microsoft Indonesia will promote a wide range
of Microsoft Corporation's products and services designed to
empower people through great software -- any time, any place and
on any device.

Besides Indosat and Microsoft Indonesia, the exhibitors
include IBM Indonesia, the Indonesian Satellite Association
(ASSI), Hewlett-Packard, Alcatel, Fujitsu Ltd., SAP, Ericsson,
Minolta, Multipolar, NEC Corporation, NEC Nusantara
Communications, Telcoware Korea, Teleware Network Systems, Telkom
Group, Telkom Vision, Telkomsel, Siemens and Astra Graphia.