GVF-EMP Conference Series to Feature in Major Trade Shows – 5G World, IoT World and the Farnborough International Air Show

London, UK, March 1, 2018–The events partnership of Global VSAT Forum (GVF) and UK Event Management Partners (EMP) has announced details of its series of programmes taking place in March, May, June and July 2018, beginning with Connectivity 2018: Evolving the "New" New Verticals – Air – Sea – Surface - Rail, to be held in London’s Canary Wharf district on 21st March 2018.

Sponsored by Hughes, Integrasys, iDirect, Comtech EF Data, ND Satcom and Newtec, the latest iteration of the annual Connectivity programme to address the growth of satellite communications verticals encompassing the mobile aeronautical, maritime, land, and rail environments will feature four principal panel-based discussion themes focusing on [1] Space & Ground Segment, [2] The Varied Connectivity Ecosystem, [3] Mobile Connectivity, the Cloud & IoT, and [4] Building User-Vertical Applications – Development & Deployment Environments.

On 10th May the City of Aberdeen, a global centre of excellence for Oilfield Technology, will once again be the host location for Oilfield Connectivity 2018: The Next Generation Digital Oilfield. The conference, sponsored by Hughes, Comtech EF Data, ND Satcom and Newtec, will be the 11th programme in the series dedicated to communications in the Global oil & gas ecosystem, bringing to the market an ICT-oriented dialogue at the crucial interface of demand for ICT solutions by the energy vertical and the supply of those solutions from the satellite connectivity industry.

The dynamics of oil market supply and demand are set against the backdrop of the always dangerous, harsh, and remote environments where exploration and production (E&P) take place, and against the constant demands of the industry’s commercial and operational centres for cost and efficiency innovation enabling communication with E&P rigs and platforms. Robust communication is a Digital Oilfield imperative, and in this context the conference will discuss issues surrounding mobility, M2M/IoT & Big Data, the Cloud, HTS satellite capacity and capability, cyber security and hybrid technology connectivity solutions. This event will focus on the evolving challenges.

The second and third quarters of 2018 will also bring innovation to two further, and already established, GVF-EMP programmes – Cellular Backhaul and AeroConnect.

Cellular Backhaul: Smartphones & Tablets - to the Satellite Network & the World, a regular feature of the GVF-EMP calendar for the last three years, changes venue, context, and format this year and will be held on 14th June during, and in association with, KNect365’s 5G World | IoT World Europe | Digital CX World | Smart Transportation & Mobility, which runs over 12th to 14th June.

London’s Docklands and which has the 3GPP as a Strategic Partner – attracts the participation of 2000+ telecoms professionals representing around 100 Telcos and MNOs and the GVF-EMP programme, sponsored by Hughes, Comtech EF Data, SES, iDirect, ND Satcom and Newtec, will feature alongside such other elements as Executive Keynotes, a 5G Standards & Spectrum Workshop, a Demo Zone & Content Theatre, a Network Security Focus Day, and an Antenna Evolution Focus Day.

“In 2018, the format, as well as the venue will be different, in that the programme will take place embedded within the exhibition space” said Martin Jarrold, GVF’s Chief of International Programme Development and Chairman of many of the GVF-EMP series events. Mr Jarrold continued, “The format will bring added value for exhibition attendees but moreover will give key focus to the imperatives of the role of satellite in a 5G networking future.” David Hartshorn, Secretary General of GVF added, “The future is a global communications ecosystem, integrating satellite and 5G in unified networks as recognised by the 3GPP and 5GPPP, and as represented by the European Space Agency Satellite for 5G Initiative (S45G) to which GVF is signatory.”

Yavar Rezavandi, Senior Conference Producer, KNect365, added, “KNect365 is excited about this new evolution of the 5G World programme for the 2018 event. New content drives the industry dialogue forward and in a time of rapid change innovation is key. With satellite’s role in 5G, in IoT, and in emerging Smart Transportation, etc., the GVF-EMP programme offers a great and necessary value-add.” Farnborough International Air Show (FIA), which takes place 16th to 22nd July, this year opens its new multifunctional Exhibition & Conference Centre and during Farnborough week the centre will be the venue for AeroConnect2018@Farnborough (19th July). The Air Show, one of the most important events in the global aerospace calendar, occurs every two years and in 2016 it brought the participation of 82 of the top 100 aerospace companies in the world with 71 per cent of the 1500 exhibitors from outside the UK and representing 52 countries. The show also attracted 1451 accredited broadcast, print and online media from across the globe.

Hughes, Comtech EF Data, Newtec, and iDirect will sponsor the 2018 iteration of this established event series with more sponsors expected in due course, this year specially branded as AeroConnect@Farnborough in recognition of this significant pairing. Paul Stahl, Executive Director of EMP, noted “This is a major innovation. Today the aerospace market, the scale and scope of which is nowhere better illustrated than at this most prestigious of industry shows, is as much about communications connectivity as it is about airframe design, engine efficiencies, aircraft performance, etc. And, of course, so many of these (and many other parameters), as the objects of inflight measurement, generate mega-data that is gathered in real-time over satellite connectivity.”

Connectivity 2018: Evolving the "New" New Verticals - Air - Sea - Surface - Rail, the first of 2018’s events, takes place at De Vere, No. 1 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, E14 4HD. The programme will examine some of the key themes, technological developments, and market trends that feature on the path to a universal via-satellite connectivity ecosystem. The programme will analyse continuing developments in the satellite communications marketplace, with high throughput satellite (HTS) payloads – in geostationary orbit, in medium and in planned low earth orbit constellations – serving multiple new and emerging vertical markets. The programme will reference such varied topics as: Future of Mobile Backhaul; Satellite & MNOs; Communications-on-the-Move; Mining & Remote Resources; Hospitality & Mobile Connectivity; Networks & Cyber Security; M2M & IoT; Vehicle Telematics & Smart Cities; Intelligent Highways; Connected Rail Services; The Cloud Interface; Satellite + Terrestrial Wireless Synergies.

As at the date of this release the programme has attracted registrations from over 50 companies and other organisations with more companies registering daily. Details of the panellist/speaker line-up as well as the list of registered organisations to date, can be accessed via the following link; https://www.uk-emp.co.uk/current-events/connectivity-2018/

Delegate registration for Connectivity 2018, which is free-of-charge, remains open. Please contact Paul Stahl at EMP for details or register online. For further information on all GVF-EMP programmes please regularly visit www.uk-emp.co.uk/current-events, or alternatively contact Martin Jarrold at GVF or Paul Stahl at EMP.