Roger Torrenti provides a preview of the cross-industry Forum 99, From Networks to Services, to be held in Paris, 25-26 November 1999. Topics to be covered include: service integration, teleservices, e-services, communication infrastructures, building gateways, external networks, connected products, internal networks, home and building automation.
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A Key EventSigma Forum'99 will take place in the Pavillon Royal in Paris, a few minutes from CNIT, and is aimed at players from all fields involved in the integration of products and services in homes & buildings. It is designed specifically for those working in service integration, teleservices and e-services, communication infrastructures and building gateways, connected products, home and building automation. |
Run by Sigma Consultants since 1995, this cross-industry Forum meets a need expressed by many players to hold a regular high quality conference in Europe at which participants can get a true picture of the market and its trends, and significantly develop their network of contacts.
From project managers to marketing or R&D managers, more than 200 participants are expected at this conference, which will be run in plenary sessions addressing the key questions raised by the topic "From Networks to Services" and featuring contributions from leading speakers.
The markets for products and services for homes and buildings are likely to undergo rapid changes in the coming years.
Pioneers in home and building automation had already forecast in the mid-80s that communication architectures (external networks - building gateways - internal networks) were to play a major role in market development.
This progress has been very gradual up until now, when it is accelerating rapidly, thanks to market deregulation, the appearance of more powerful communication solutions, the possibilities offered by digital and multimedia technology, the growth in the PC market, expansion of the Internet, etc ...
Large markets strategic to many players will open up during the next few years, bringing businesses the opportunity to develop rapidly in building communication networks, cabling systems, connected products, building gateways, integrated teleservices, etc.
Speakers on the programme include:
What is the comparative international situation in the field of product and service integration in homes and buildings? What real advance does North America enjoy? What position can Europe have on the international stage?
How can one see clearly when so many solutions are being released? Will multimedia solutions cannibalize low speed solutions? Should one wait for the sector to stabilize? A bus war or a future of convergence and coexistence? What will be the suited global communication architecture?
Are there more open prospects for the cabling markets? Will short-term markets emerge in Europe for residential cabling? Is the success of wireless solutions a significant brake on the markets? What distribution channels are the most appropriate, for which applications and at what cost?
Should the vision of the single gateway "controlling access" to the building be abandoned? Should the definition of a building gateway be broadened? In the case of coexistence of multiple gateways, should we ensure interoperability? What is the state of standardization in the domain?
What can associations do in the current complex period? Should specialized associations rapidly open up to intersectorial cooperation? Should national associations promote international initiatives?
Is the profusion of communication solutions a real obstacle in the development of connected products? Plug & Play or installed products? What is the short-term outlook for connectivity of brown goods, white goods, energy systems, telecom and computer equipment? Are communication nodes available at an acceptable cost?
What is the real market for communicating systems in homes and buildings? Will the home automation market develop in the short term? In the commercial sector, how should the product offering evolve, from which key applications? What is the role of services in the sale of systems?
What are the short and medium term prospects for service integration based on global communication architectures? What experience can be drawn from the most advanced pilot operations? What place have network based services in the development of attractive service packages?
Summing up of ideas exchanged during the two days, based on a Delphi survey carried out amongst attendees by Sigma Consultants.
Contact Karine Valin for further details about Forum 99:
Karine Valin
Project Manager
Sigma Consultants
Tel: + 33 (0) 493 958 530
Email: karine.valin@sigma-consultants.fr
Roger Torrenti
Sigma Consultants
BP 287 Valbonne
06905 Sophia Antipolis Cedex
France
Tel: +33 (0) 493 958 530
Fax: +33 (0) 493 958 477
Email: roger.torrenti@sigma-consultants.fr
URL: <http://www.sigma-consultants.fr/forum/indexgb.htm>
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In 1984 Roger founded Sigma Consultants, a private and independent consulting company established as a French limited liability company (SA). Above and beyond the methodological experience that it can bring in varied fields of analysis, for nearly 15 years, Sigma Consultants has also been developing a recognized sector-based expertise, namely in the fields of information technologies, energy, buildings and the environment. A « Sigma's network » of correspondents (Europe, North America, Japan), enables the company to work efficiently at an international level. Roger is often invited by national or international institutions to act as an expert in the technological fields he has developed his expertise in. He has been namely acting (from 1990 on) as an evaluator or reviewer within the framework of many EC Programmes (DG III, DG XII, DG XIII, DGXVII). |
For citation purposes:
Roger Torrenti, "Forum 99: From Networks to Services",
Exploit Interactive, issue 3, 25 October 1999
URL: <http://www.exploit-lib.org/issue3/forum99/>
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