Etisalat Academy announces dates of first dedicated Quad Play conference

Etisalat and Alcatel Lucent are sponsoring the conference, the first of its kind to be organized by the Academy.

Quad Play or quadruple play is the term used when an operator bundles mobile, fixed-line, Internet and TV services into one package. It is gaining popularity as new mobile operators attempt to increase their market share by offering advanced broadband services in addition to their voice services. Existing fixed-line service operators are also entering into the Quad Play arena as they find the need to add or bundle TV services to their voice and broadband offerings.

Quadruple play offerings are seen as critical for fixed-line operators competing against mobile operators as it helps create a sustainable advantage that will protect revenues amongst high-ARPU (Average Revenue per User) customers.

David Brennan, Etisalat Academy's General Manager said: "Delegates to 'Quad Play and Beyond' will learn from the industry's foremost experts on topics such as the predicted evolution scenarios for advanced converged services, the ideal architecture for quadruple play and the converged home. This is critical information for operators who wish to integrate broadband with their existing services, and therefore defend this valuable market segment from competition."

The 'Quad Play and Beyond' conference will gather the region's telecommunication community to discuss technological and customer service challenges and opportunities related to quad play service delivery. It will also look at the latest developments in Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC) and the Internet Protocol Multimedia System (IMS) which is responsible for enabling IP-enabled devices to access the same content and interact seamlessly.

The conference will also tackle the most exciting new development in the quad play arena - the converged home (or digital home). Delegates will explore this new frontier technology and discover how ubiquitous access and connectivity will change forever how telecommunications services are accessed in the home.

They will also be introduced to the business opportunities for this new service, which promises to enable the consumer to use a variety of home electronic devices, including television sets, to access voice, video and data services through a 'smart residential gateway' device. This concept has been developed by Etisalat's new partner Soft At Home, a participant at the conference.

The Etisalat Academy is a centre of learning excellence, open to the wider business community and not just for Etisalat employees. Its sheer size and location, nestled amongst the palm trees in Al Muhaisnah, Dubai makes it unique within the region. Learning is divided into six areas, Government Development, Executive Development, Human Capital Consulting, Business, Telecommunications and e-learning.

On site facilities comprise an auditorium, sixty training rooms, a sports and leisure club, mosque, restaurant and accommodation.