20th Convergence India 2012, 21-23 March, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

For over 20 years, the series of Convergence India expos have played a dominant role in setting principal strategies for enabling growth of Information & Communications Technology (ICT) industry. The annual 20^th Convergence India 2012 expo held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi during 21-23 March 2012, emerged as an effective global event bringing the industry, policy makers, business analysts and multi-stakeholders on a comprehensive exhibition and conference networking platform.
Organised by the Exhibitions India Group, the 20^th Convergence India 2012 expo was supported by the Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Department of Information Technology (DiT), Government of India, and Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India.
Several worldwide endorsements and supports, such as Associations including Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council (APSCC); Association of Competitive Telecom Operators (ACTO); All India Avishkar Dish Antena Sangh; CASBAA; Cyber Café Association of India (CCAOI); Consumer Electronics & Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA); Cellular Manufacturing Association of India (CMAI); Cable Operators Federation of India ( COFI); DECT Forum; Fibre-to-the Home Council (FTTH); Global VSAT Forum; Great Wall Club; Indian Cellular Association; IPTV India Forum; Internet Service Provider Association of India (ISPAI); Manufacturers Association for IT ( MAIT); MPEG Industry Forum; Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association of India (TAIPA); Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association (TEMA); WiMax Forum; Mobile Payment Forum of India; National US India Chamber of Commerce (NUICC), etc,  were extended to the expo.
The 3-day event was spread over more than 15,000 sqm of gross area in Halls 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. The exhibition, with strong  international presence, had 400  exhibitors from 24 countries .The expo had a focused format and a comprehensive presence of all ICT verticals including Telecom, IT, Broadcast, Media & Entertainment, Green ICT, Cable, Satellite and Information Security. Hailed as South Asia’s largest event on information and communications technology, the milestone edition of Convergence India expo showcased unique technologies and promoted new applications which would enable inclusion and transform lives of people. 12,725 trade visitors attended the event.
Developed around the theme of “India Goes Digital”, the exhibition was inaugurated by Mr. Zhang Yan, China’s Ambassador to India. Addressing the industry gathering, Mr. Yan emphasized on the need for greater cooperation and support between the countries especially in the field of telecommunications & IT. He was pleased to note that Chinese companies are setting their research centres in India to bring tangible benefits to both the countries. He hoped that the mutual trade between the two countries would touch over $100 billions by 2015.
Technical presentations addressing the changing trends of the dynamic ICT sector were covered in parallel tracks of the concurrent conference sessions.  103 eminent Indian and international speakers from the ICT fraternity shared their expertise and participated during interactive panel discussions. The expo was a hub for business-to-business activities and fruitful collaborations.
The inaugural conference of the 20^th Convergence India 2012 was also a launching pad for the release of the industry white paper- “Data Services and Customer Experience” by PricewaterhouseCoopers – the Industry Partner of the event.
Announcing the year-end 2011 global broadband, IPTV subscribers data at a Press Conference, Mr. Robin Mersh, CEO, Broadband Forum acknowledged the growing potential of broadband within the country. He declared that India is set to move to the top ten broadband countries in 2012. According to the Broadband Forum, India achieved a growth rate of 24.5{e1f18614b95d3cd6e4b3128e1cd15d99b042a60a5a19c19b7a8e07e7495efa10} in 2011 and had about 13.3 millions subscribers.
With a continuous flow of high profile trade visitors including government officials, diplomats, industry, trade associations, academia, media, and others, the 20th Convergence India 2012 was an exciting event for the ICT and broadcast industry, brimming with entrepreneurship and innovation.