Back in 2008 - somewhat impromptu -
300 of us gathered in Silicon Valley, at the Computer History Museum. We gathered because we all held a passion for the future of telecom, mobile and Internet communications; we wanted a stake in it and we all wanted to see acceleration in communications innovation. Things had been stagnant for far too long. The Emerging Communications (eComm), conference was born.
It was the first event to include coverage of both the iPhone and Android. The program guide began:
"We're honored that you joined us at for the first eComm conference. In doing so you've joined history in the making.
This
community finds itself --quite suddenly-- in a new world of more open
opportunity. Open handsets, open networks and open telecom platforms
lend themselves to innovation in the worlds garages and bedrooms. And
the signs are promising..." (read the rest here)Due to its great success another event
was held a year later in Burlingame, California. Bucking the economic climate, attendance was up by 25%.
The program guide began:
"Welcome to eComm 2009.
Our world finds itself at a critical juncture. Both trillions of
dollars and the future of human communications including fundamental
access to it are at stake.
For telecom operators and media outlets there is not a migratory way
from where we are to the future. There is a clear consumer shift
underway that runs in the opposite direction to that of telecom and
media incumbents; emergent social practice is increasingly clashing
with the very structure and desires of incumbent players..." (read the rest here)
The feedback could not have been better and is probably best conveyed by an email received from a Platinum Sponsor:
"Years ago, in 1982, I attended the Stanford Design Conference (it only
lasted about 3-4 years) down in Palo Alto. This symposium was trying to
blend design w/technology and provide a stage to show how both were
inter-related. Back then I had only heard of Steve Jobs in passing and
didn't realize that he was the Apple 'guy'. Needless to say, Jobs gave
an incredible presentation that still resonates w/me today since his
talk was about how important design was and was going to be in
technology (this was 18 months prior to the introduction of the Mac).
Your conference was the first since the SDC that was equally as informative and inspiring. Keep it up, the business and the industry needs forums like eComm."
It had become clear last March that the community wished to keep growing and expanding. With this in mind
eComm Europe was born. The site just went
live.
Registration just opened. The first 50 tickets are being offered at a "friends" rate of just 995.00 EUR (exc. VAT). The event will take place this October 28-30 in Amsterdam.
I look forward to seeing many familiar faces as well as the inevitable new faces. Together we're shaping the future of communications. (
add the event to your calendar).
Although the site just went
live, it's quite empty in terms of speakers and talk titles (as did the first two event websites). We are now starting out on the first phase which is the first round of topic confirmation. The current list of topics on the
homepage are those from the
last March event. I'd like your help in defining the event by proposing topics. Please do this by sending them to
2009_suggestions@eCommEurope.comThe cut off point is this Friday (5th June). The list of suggestions will then be processed and turned the very same-day into part of the
call for speakers (which will be issued on this blog).
I'd like to say thankyou to ALL for the help received; you know who you are. Lets make
eComm Europe a success and let's also see what beneficial duplex cross-continental conversations we can create to help promote innovation and expose opportunities across the telecom, mobile and Internet communications space.
I'm looking forward to it and your possible involvement.
Regards
Lee S Dryburgh (Founder)
