Telecoms Leaders to Gather for Eastern Europe's First Major IPTV World Forum Event

6th of April, 2004 -Eastern Europe, a region where DSL revenues alone are expected to reach $4billion per annum by 2010, is to stage its first ever IPTV World Forum (www.iptv-easterneurope.com) in Budapest in June (22-23).

Representatives of leading Telcos, ISPs, Broadcasters, content providers, device manufacturers, technology providers, software providers, and system integrators will gather together to discuss the critical issues now facing the region's telecoms industry as demand for IPTV services starts to follow the region's dramatic investment in DSL and access market technology.

The event, at the Budapest Marriott Hotel is organised by Junction Limited, a leading specialist in digital technology shows and has already attracted a number of high level speakers including Andras Tüdos, Chief IT and Technology Officer, T-Online Hungary, Benjamin Schwarz, International IPTV Projects Manager - Content Division, France Telecom, Iosif Szavuj, Executive
Director, Ines Group, Romania, Michel Taborsky, IPTV Program Director, CeskyTelecom, Laura Vaitkuviene, Projects Manager, AB Lietuvos Telekomas.

Some of Eastern Europe's industry leaders will address key issues, from current key market trends and IPTV service benchmarking, to the challenges that lie in wait for nationalised and privatised Telcos and content culture.

"This show comes at a significant time for the region, when DSL growth rates are high and TV penetration low, marking the huge potential leading to the impending successful roll out of IPTV networks offering Eastern European consumers their first vision of life beyond analogue television," said Ian Johnson, Managing Director of Junction.

Pyramid Research suggests DSL revenues in Eastern and Central Europe will quadruple between 2005 and 2010 from $0.8 billion to almost $4 billion. This technology growth, compared with the public's enthusiasm to consume reflects the potential in the market for digital TV and video services over DSL or fibre.

The exhibition and conference sponsored by Harmonic, NDS, and Tandberg
Television is to include:

. IPTV showcase area featuring state-of-the-art demonstrations.
. Conference of over fifteen Eastern European Telcos and ISPs
discussing IPTV service deployment issues.
. Exhibition involving thirty key IPTV providers.
. Senior speakers from leading content broadcast companies.
. Networking drinks aboard the Princess Zsofia with cruise on the
Danube.