Tug-of-War Over Bandwidth Brings Telecom Chiefs to Honolulu

Business Wire, Oct 29, 2007

PTC'08 Creates International Forum

HONOLULU -- YouTube, IPTV offerings, online gaming, and other interactive video applications are the giants in the wings now taking center stage. As more capacity-hungry video is exchanged and the downloading of multi-media files becomes commonplace, bandwidth is being gobbled up at record pace. ISPs and their biggest users are battling for network accessibility as an estimated $80 billion to increase internet capacity will be spent over the next five years.

Pacific Telecommunications Council will convene international talks in Honolulu January 13 - 16, 2008, to address the growing tensions being caused by shrinking bandwidth. Dubbed PTC'08: Telecom with Vision, the event has already attracted industry-leading giants including Verizon, Time Warner, and AT&T - and their consortiums in the race to expand global bandwidth. Mega bandwidth users will also be represented as the two opposing interests grapple with the future of the internet and other applications driving bandwidth demand. Add in significant players from China, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam - as well as European interests in the Asia-Pacific including Great Britain, France, and Germany - and the stage is set for Asia-Pacific interests in broadband infrastructure to coalesce in Honolulu.

"PTC'08 will illuminate the different approaches regulators around the region and world have taken in balancing market forces to achieve public policy objectives for advanced and pervasive broadband services," said PTC President and Board of Governor's Chair David Lassner. Lassner also serves as the Chief Technology Officer for the University of Hawaii.

The need for additional capacity is being felt worldwide. John Hibbard, PTC Board of Governors Member and CEO of Australia-based Hibbard Consulting, noted that the internet has reached the crest of a giant wave. "Will it crash or will we all be able to surf (this wave) for another five years at least?" he questioned.

PTC'08 will convene at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu. Space is limited and early registration closes October 31, 2007. For more information, contact (808) 941-3789 or register online at www.ptc.org/ptc08. PTC'08 is organized by the Pacific Telecommunications Council and co-hosted by GCI, Paul Hastings, Verizon Business, AT&T Wholesale, Stealth Communications, Arbinet, Asia Netcom, CITIC Telecom 1616, France Telecom-Orange, iBasis, INTELSAT, Macquarie Telecom, Qwest, Sprint, Telx, VSNL International, CPCNet, Global Crossing, KT, Matrix Cable System, Orbital Communications International, REDCOM, Level 3 Communications and SubOptic.

Established in 1978, the Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC) is an international, non-profit, non-government membership organization based in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Its mission is to promote the development, understanding, and beneficial use of telecommunications and information technology throughout the Pacific region. PTC creates opportunities for networking and the sharing of ideas and information through its annual telecommunications conference, regional seminars, and various activities and task groups.