Suzuki Speaks at ITU Telecom Asia 2002

Suzuki delivers keynote address
 NTT Com booth promotes NTT/VERIO brand


NTT Communications (NTT Com) CEO Masanobu Suzuki delivered a keynote speech during ITU Telecom Asia 2002, one of Asia's largest telecommunications exhibitions, which took place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre December 2–7.

Suzuki spoke during the session entitled "Critical IP-Based Network Issues" on December 4. William Norton, co-founder and chief technical liaison of Equinix, Inc., chaired a panel of four executives, including Suzuki, from leading IT companies.

The show, which featured over 300 global IT and telecommunications organizations and companies, attracted some 19,000 visitors from 122 countries.

The NTT Com stand promoted the NTT/VERIO brand and other services available in the Asian-Pacific market. Visitors showed great interest in the NTT/VERIO Global IP Network, a Tier 1 global IP backbone, as well as the company's data center, clearinghouse and various Arcstar-brand services.

Workshops organized daily by the company attracted large audiences with practical, business-oriented topics, such as a case study of global financial companies using NTT Com's secure data centers and networks on a 24/7 basis.

In his presentation, Suzuki analyzed the current IT industry, defined the role of Asian telecom carriers and finished by calling for greater cooperation among the carriers and their customers and regulatory bodies.

Although the overall telecom environment remains difficult, Suzuki noted that the market is enjoying solid demand, with IP traffic remaining strong and broadband users continuing to increase.

As the market continues to evolve, operators must provide wider ranges of services for specific layers of users, including broadband access, ubiquitous wireless services and guaranteed security. Telecom operators will also have to deliver one-stop integrated services, he advised.

Suzuki sees ample opportunity for the development of highly integrated services in the Asian-Pacific market. To realize this potential, however, he called for greater collective partnership among telecom operators, including the sharing of respective experiences with customers and regulatory bodies.

The results of such cooperation, he said, could include higher standards for quality and services, as well as greater customer satisfaction. Moreover, collaboration would encourage technology sharing and greater competitiveness among Asian telecom operators. The development of new business models within the region would also be facilitated by increased cooperation, he predicted.