ANGA CABLE – Cologne. Anga Cable will open tomorrow with a record number of 367 exhibitors from 31 countries; an increase of almost 20% compared to last year. Due to improved space allocation, net exhibition space has been expanded by 12% to 9,887 sqm. The event has also significantly strengthened its international character: a record high of 60% of the companies come from outside of Germany.
“The mega trend of triple play is pushing European broadband markets as well as our trade fair,” said Thomas Braun, President of ANGA Verband Deutscher Kabelnetzbetreiber (Association of German CATV Operators) in a prepared statement. “Not least due to cable networks upgrading with optical fibre, the terms cable and broadband will remain inseparable from each other. As of 2008 we want to emphasize this convergence of network technologies with the new subtitle “Trade Fair for Cable, Broadband and Satellite”.”
The Triple Play of data, voice and video will be the main focus of the exhibition. The event provides an overview of all major transmission technologies for DVB-, HDTV-, and IP-based communications services. This includes Next Generation Networks, DOCSIS 3.0, IPTV as well as hybrid systems solutions dealing with “DVB meets IP”.
Tomorrow’s “Strategy Summit”, starting 10.00, will centre around the current discussion on digital programme platforms, and will feature a number of prominent speakers. The heads of network operators UnityMedia, Orion Cable, SES Astra and of ANGA will discuss current issues with representatives of Premiere, VPRT, ZDF and the state media authority of Berlin-Brandenburg; among the topics will be simulcasts, encryption and analogue switch-off as well as taking stock and looking into the future of transmission of the German Bundesliga football league.