Big names drop out of Asia's largest IT show
Monday, June 18, 2001
BIEN PEREZ
Southeast Asia's largest information technology and communications trade event starts today in Singapore, without some of last year's biggest participants.
Heavyweights Alcatel, Cisco Systems, Lucent Technologies, Nokia and Nortel Networks will miss the 13th Asian International Communications and Information Technology Exhibition and Conference (CommunicAsia 2001).
Alcatel was the biggest corporate sponsor at CommunicAsia last year, while Lucent had the largest indoor exhibition built in Singapore - a 520 square foot structure.
The marked absence of this handful of large and influential communications gear makers has been attributed to their cost-cutting measures.
Shares of these companies, particularly Cisco and Lucent, have been battered by the weak United States economy.
There has been a dive in spending for communications networking equipment, resulting in inventory problems for this sector and its component makers.
Despite the drop-outs, organiser of CommunicAsia 2001, which runs to Friday, said more than 2,000 companies would be represented at the Singapore Expo near Changi airport.
Participating for the first time in the show are Lucent spin-off Avaya, computer and printers giant Hewlett-Packard, Mitsubishi and Shenzhen-based networking-gear maker ZTE.
"On the technology front, companies still seem to be going full steam ahead with research and development, and many new launches are expected at the show," said Shaun Goh, executive director of event organiser Singapore Exhibition Services.
Germany's Siemens, for example, will launch the mEvent portal - a personal WAP (wireless application protocol) companion for conferences and trade shows.
The service enables phones to retrieve information such as an exhibitor's floor plan and schedule of events.
Ericsson, of Sweden, led by president and chief executive Kurt Hellstrom, will feature the company's next-generation wireless communications initiatives - including Bluetooth, a short-range wireless specification that helps interconnect various computing, communications and peripheral gear.
Hong Kong participants include Ariel Communications, Biodata Information Technology, Einstein Technology, Schmidt Group and Wellplus Technology.
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