iWeek Conference Pace is Hotting Up

20 August 2007

With only a few weeks to go to the long-awaited iWeek conference, organisers have pulled out all the stops to ensure that the event exceeds last year’s expectations. iWeek kicks off from 5-7 September 2007 at The Forum in Bryanston, Johannesburg.

Neotel, South Africa’s new national operator and Internet Solutions have both recently come on board as sponsors of iWeek. Neotel will also be providing a speaker at the event.

Neotel aims to reduce the cost of doing business in South Africa and to extend communications to the second economy. In order to address the growing demand for international bandwidth in the country, Neotel has signed a Cable Development Agreement with SEACOM for landing a new, private-equity funded international cable in South Africa.

Internet Solutions hopes to capitalise on growing deregulation in the telecommunications market, offering consumers a full range of converged communications products and services. The new regulations should enable IS to offer fixed-line and mobile services at lower prices.

Internet Solutions is this year’s Platinum sponsor followed by Vox Telecom and Verizon Business who secured Gold sponsorship. MTN Network Solutions and Storm Telecom acquired Silver sponsorship while Crovanto, Neotel and Sentech secured Bronze.

“Plans for the exhibition are running extremely well. Exhibitors in particular have responded favourably and more than half of the available stands have already been taken up,” said Ant Brooks, ISPA General Manager.

“Neotel and Internet Solution’s association with this specialist conference highlights the caliber and confidence iWeek has grown to receive with each passing year,” added Mr Brooks.

Leading technologists, product leaders and decision makers will take to the floor at iWeek to highlight local and global issues affecting the Internet society. Among the many key industry issues to be addressed at the conference, topics include triple play in the townships, the Nominet DRS and ZA Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process and online phishing and e-Evidence.

Some of the exhibitors on board include, Duxbury Networking, Even Flow Distribution, Frogfoot Networks, Global Technology Associates, Miro Distribution, The South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL), WAPA and X-DSL.

Duxbury Networking will be holding a lucky prize draw at their stand where one lucky winner will have a chance of winning a NETGEAR Digital Media Entertainer valued at approximately R4000. Entry forms will be available at the stand.

The popular “Super Teacher of the Year” awards will also take place at iWeek. The awards recognise teachers that have participated in ISPA’s “Train the Teachers” project and successfully imparted their newly-acquired knowledge to their local communities.

To ensure that you do not miss out on a piece of the action, delegates and interested parties are encouraged to register at their earliest convenience using www.ispa.org.za/iweek/2007/ prior to the conference. A programme is also available on the site. Should you be interested in exhibiting please visit https://2026.ispa.org.za/iweek/2007/exhibit.shtml.

Attendance at iWeek is absolutely free. iWeek will also play host to the members-only ISPA Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the last day.