Media & Telecoms convergence drives new proof of concept Catalyst programme

Digital Transformation World, Nice, France, 15 May 2018 – IBC, the world’s most influential media, entertainment & technology show and TM Forum, the global industry association driving digital business transformation, today jointly announced a new collaboration to drive open innovation between the telecoms and media industries. The collaboration will include a focus on developing multi-company, rapid proof-of-concept Catalyst projects to be showcased at each other’s flagship events and a range of joint marketing and content sharing activities.

Now in its 51^styear, IBC brings together over 57,000 attendees from 170 countries who come together in Amsterdam every September. The collaboration with TM Forum provides an opportunity for the co-creation of value for the senior members of each other’s communities, as the two industries grow closer together.

TM Forum, which has more than 850 member companies worldwide, has successfully pioneered a multi-company open innovation Catalyst programme for more than ten years, bringing together technology companies and communication service providers to solve pressing industry challenges. This year, more than 120 companies are taking part in 25 Catalyst projects, with the results showcased at TM Forum’s Digital Transformation World conference in Nice. The expansion of the Catalyst programme with IBC reflects the increasing convergence between the media and telecommunications industries, with broadcasters, operators, and software vendors working more closely together.

Michael Crimp, CEO, IBC said: “Viewers now have the ability to watch, share and even create content where and how they like, and telcos have played a key role in enabling this fundamental change. With the media and telecoms sectors more closely intertwined than ever before, it makes perfect sense for IBC and TM Forum to collaborate and in doing so, we will ensure that both of our communities continue to advance together. As the world’s most influential media, entertainment and technology show, IBC has always been a showcase for the latest innovation and this collaboration will help us remain at the cutting edge.”

Nik Willetts, CEO, TM Forum said: “Media is an increasingly important sector for our global membership as the boundaries between telecoms and media continue to blur. The digital age is changing the landscape for creation, distribution and consumption of media, and we believe that through industry collaboration we can drive a new wave of innovation and growth. We’re delighted to collaborate with IBC, and to extend the Catalyst model to explore the convergence of telecoms and broadcasting.”

Veenod Kurup, Group CIO at Liberty Global said: “Operating in 12 European countries, Liberty Global is the world’s leading international TV & broadband company. We are always on the look-out for innovative ways to improve our customers’ experience as the telecoms and media industries increasingly converge. Therefore, I warmly welcome the new collaboration between IBC and TM Forum and look forward to the fruits of the new Catalyst programme as it promises to address some of the most pressing industry issues we face today.”.

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About IBC
IBC is the world’s most influential media, entertainment and technology show, attracting 57,000+ attendees from more than 170 countries and combining a highly respected and peer-reviewed conference with an exhibition that showcases 1,700+ leading industry suppliers of state-of-the-art technology. In addition to the world-class exhibition and conference, IBC also encompasses the IBC Daily, IBCTV and IBC365.

IBC365 provides year-round insight and opinion into the hot topics and key trends from leading industry journalists, along with insightful whitepapers, peer reviewed technical papers, highly engaging webinars and an expansive video library.

About TM Forum

TM Forum is an association of over 850 member companies that generate US$2 trillion in revenue and serve five billion customers across 180 countries. We drive collaboration and collective problem-solving to maximize the business success of communication and digital service providers and their ecosystem of suppliers around the world. Today, our focus is on supporting members as they navigate their unique digital transformation journeys, providing practical and proven assets and tools to accelerate execution and platforms to facilitate collaborative problem solving and innovation. Learn more at www.tmforum.org.

TM Forum Press Contact

Aisling Roberts/Anais Merlin
E:[email protected]
T: +44 20 3824 9200

IBC Press Contact
Elena Davidson
[email protected]  
+44 (0) 207 751 4444