'India Telecom 2010' kicks off today

New Delhi, Dec 9 (ANI): Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology Kapil Sibal will inaugurate the fifth edition of 'India Telecom 2010', which begins here today.

Ministers of State for Communications and Information Technology Gurudas Kamat and Sachin Pilot will also be present during the inaugural ceremony.

Finland Communications Minister Suvi Linden, who has come with a delegation to attend India Telecom 2010, will be the Guest of Honour on the occasion.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is organizing the event this year with the theme "Broadband for All" from December 9-11, 2010 at Pragati Maidan in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)

The Indian Telecom Sector, one of the key drivers of the economy, has emerged as the fastest growing sector in the world and India has the second largest wireless network with over 723 million subscribers.

The growth in this sector is contributing significantly to the economic growth of the country. It has attracted over 10 billion dollars of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country. Telecom sector has become an important tool for socio-economic development transforming India. This growth is the finest example of synergy of progressive Government policies and the competitive zeal of Indian Telecom industry.

India Telecom 2010 aims at promoting the opportunities in the Telecom sector for boosting country's economic growth and attracting further FDI. The event will focus on the latest technologies, bringing together professionals from leading organizations looking for solutions for their current business activities.

It will also provide an opportunity to deliberate upon the next wave of innovative ideas, especially Green Telecom, WiMAX technology, 3G and BWA proliferation in India, broadband expansion, number portability, Mobile Financial Services in India, Value Added Services, Telecom Infrastructure, etc.

Over 275 companies from over 37 countries are participating at this edition of India Telecom series. The event in particular has evoked a lot of interest from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries, as it is an opportunity for them to interact with a vast range of telecom companies offering services of global standards at a single platform.

The India Telecom series was started in 2006 by DoT in association with various stakeholders with an aim to showcase the strength of Indian telecom sector and also to provide an effective platform for networking opportunities. (ANI)