Organized by ITU, the UN’s lead agency for information and telecommunications technologies (ICTs), ITU Telecom World is a global platform for governments, corporates and tech SMEs working to accelerate ICT innovation for social and economic development. It aims to make ideas go further, faster to make the world better, sooner.
Focusing on the power of technology to change lives, the event brings together a together a unique audience of public and private sectors from emerging and developed markets including heads of state and government, ministers, regulators, industry CEOs and experts, investors, SME representatives, heads of UN and other international organizations, digital thinkers, media, academia and consultants.
ITU Telecom World 2019 features an exhibition of digital solutions, a forumfor sharing knowledge, an Awards progamme recognizing innovative ICT initiatives with social impact, and a networking hub for organizations, countries and individuals.
The Exhibition enables member states, ITU sector members, and other industry players to bring industry stands, thematic pavilions, national pavilions and SMEs to the event to showcase innovative services, applications and solutions, as well as investment and partnership opportunities from around the world.
The world-class Forum Summit and Forum programme offer debates at the highest level on the central issues affecting the ICT industry today, exploring in-depth developments in technology, policy and regulatory issues, strategy and business models in the digital economy. Topics will include 5G, IoT, new regulatory approaches, AI, digital ecosystems, satellite connectivity, spectrum allocation, smart cities, innovative business models, digital literacy and universal connectivity.
The high-profile ITU Telecom World Awards recognize innovative ICT-based solutions with social impact, providing international visibility, the opportunity to develop business on a global scale, partnership and networking opportunities to the best exhibiting SMEs and corporate initiatives working for social good.
Structured networking events, spaces and social occasions connect the private sector and government, individuals and ideas like no other tech event. Opportunities include the Opening Ceremony, LeaderSpace, Business Matchmaking Service, networking breaks, lunches and dinners, and the popular Event App.
Connectivity is key
Connectivity is the key to social and economic development throughout the world. Whether fixed, mobile or hybrid, broadband networks kick-start growth, producing a direct, positive and measurable impact on economies. Broadband improves efficiency, communications and the circulation of goods and services, creating new markets, innovations and access to the knowledge economy. And it has the power to benefit lives across almost every sector of industry or society, from education to health, agriculture, transport, logistics, government, entertainment and beyond.
The ITU is committed to connecting all the world’s people, wherever they live and whatever their means. The ICT sector is working towards an ambitious long-term goal of connecting the next 1.5 billion citizens by 2020. This will require enormous investment in networks and other infrastructure, of course, as well as – critically – significant political commitment. And this is where innovation has such an important role to play.
Making connectivity meaningful
Making connectivity meaningful is a whole new set of challenges – one that ITU Telecom World 2019 is happy to face head on. The leading tech event for governments, big industry players and SMEs, ITU Telecom World is organized each year by ITU, the UN’s principal agency for information and communication technologies. Taking place this year from 9 – 12 September in Budapest, Hungary, on the theme of “Innovating together: connectivity that matters”, the event will host a forum of expert-led critical debates addressing just how we can collaborate across sectors and international boundaries to ensure the digital economy is not just accessible, but relevant, equitable and safe for all.
What new partnerships, regulatory approaches, government initiatives or industry models can impact on increasing meaningful connectivity? Can we create a culture of responsible innovation aimed at improving lives everywhere, rather than just innovation for innovation’s sake? How can the public sector, international organizations and industry bodies work together to mitigate digital exclusion and the risks of living in a hyper-connected society?
These are questions which go to the very heart of the digital society in which many of us already live – and which is expanding exponentially, risking a further deepening of the divide between the connected and the unconnected, the digital haves and have nots.
Security through design – and collaboration
Those risks include privacy, cybersecurity, data management and consumer trust in a globalized digital environment. Government and regulators must work to ensure connectivity is safe and inclusive, balancing privacy, innovation, socio-economic benefits and security. Consumers need to be educated and informed on the importance of data management, from those in developed markets all too happy to trade their privacy for the convenience of connected devices in the home, to the new consumers coming on line in developing markets potentially unaware of the dangers of cyberspace.
And digital skills, from basic computer literacy to data scientists, must be a government imperative in the digital age. Connectivity without digital literacy is, after all, like a bicycle without wheels – a great idea in principle, but going nowhere. How can governments prepare their citizens for the challenges of the digital future, for lifelong learning, for the skills needed in an automatized, AI-driven world and a radically different jobs market?
Sharing ideas, experiences, case studies and good practice is essential – as are public private partnerships, cross sector partnerships, international partnerships. Making connectivity meaningful is too big a task for any single player. ITU Telecom World 2019 will bring answers to some of these questions, lay the groundwork for potential partnerships – and provide inspiration for shaping a digital future that is accessible, relevant and beneficial for us all.
International collaboration –international inspiration
Exploring the innovations in technology, policy and strategy driving meaningful connectivity – and the international and inter-sectoral collaboration needed to make it happen – is at the heart of ITU Telecom World 2019. Held at HungExpo in Budapest, Hungary, from 9 – 12 September, the event will feature an international exhibition of tech solutions and projects, a world-class forum of interactive, expert-led debates, a networking programme connecting organizations, nations, individuals and ideas, and an acclaimed Awards Programme recognizing innovative tech-based solutions with real social impact.
Hungary’s position as an important regional commercial hub in the centre of Europe and its long tradition of technological creativity make Budapest the ideal venue to host tech experts and leaders from public and private sectors around the world. And ITU’s key role in allocating spectrum, establishing an international consensus on industry standards, and supporting the critical role of ICTs in meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals provides an informed, valued and diverse platform for discussions, meetings and building partnerships.
ITU’s authority and expertise enable it to convene a unique and influential global audience. Heads of state and government will come together with ministers, regulators, leading industry CEOs from major players and SMEs, organizations, associations and consultants. As a UN event, it delivers a truly international perspective on innovation in technology, policy and regulation from emerging and developed markets from all around the world.
