“Electronic content from all to all” addressed at the NEM Networking session of IST2006
Helsinki - November 22, 2006

The Networked and Electronic Media (NEM) European Technology Platform has organised today, in the framework of the IST 2006 conference and exhibition, a Networking session, attended by over 100 delegates, on the theme "Tackling NEM challenges". Before a lively Q&A session develops, several speakers have been invited to introduce the challenges identified by NEM. Among these speakers, Roger Torrenti, CEO of Homega Research and member of the NEM Steering Board, presented to the audience the "Electronic content from all to all" challenge, addressing issues such as: a common digital asset management (DAM) system and interoperability rules, the development of secure solutions for electronic content distribution, the development of new business models with identity trust and micro payment provisions, fostering the exploration and promotion of synergies and interactions between different international approaches, enhancing the value of IP in Digital Media. His presentation can be downloaded here. For further information, please contact us.

Homega Research to chair the international session of the “Standards and Interoperability Workshop” of ETSI
Sophia Antipolis - October 24, 2006

Roger Torrenti, CEO of Homega Research and member of the NEM steering board (one of the European Technology Platforms), has been invited to chair a session on “International cooperation / global markets and EU competitiveness: how to ensure win-win partnership through standards” involving panellists from Huawei Technologies, Gemalto, Freescale, W3C, the German Federal Ministry of Economics & Technology, and the European Patent Office.
With the overall objective to support the development of a European research policy - in particular in orienting FP7 to better meet the needs of industry - the European Technology Platforms (ETPs) are a major policy instrument aiming at:
- Providing a framework for stakeholders, led by industry, to define R&D priorities, timeframes and action plans
- Focusing research funding on areas with a high degree of industrial relevance and with promising market and exploitation potential
- Addressing technological challenges which are essential for Europe's competitiveness on global markets
As shown in the Vienna conference (May 06), many in industry and policy making believe standards and interoperability are an essential part of the jigsaw when it comes to turning state-of-the-art R&D into market success. Standardisation is particularly relevant for platforms addressing networking and audio visual technologies and services, as the related industries have so far systematically addressed standardization as an integral part of their development process, notably under ETSI umbrella. In this framework ETSI organised a two-day workshop on Oct. 23-24 in Sophia Antipolis, France, to discuss a series of transversal issues relating to standards and interoperability in ICT ETPs.
Event dedicated website.

Homega Research elected at the NEM Steering Board
Sophia Antipolis - October 10, 2006

On the occasion of an election organized during the NEM General Assembly held today in Brussels, Homega Research has been elected to the NEM Steering Board. During the candidature process, Roger Torrenti, CEO of Homega Research underlined that his company would be proud to contribute to the development of a challenging and visionary project and happy to offer its expertise and experience in two key success factors identified by the NEM initiative: a focus on end users (including issues linked to home networks and platforms) and international cooperation (namely with Asia and Africa). Networked and Electronic Media (NEM) is one of the European Industrial Initiatives, also known as “European Technology Platforms”, established by relevant key European stakeholders, which address the convergence of media, communications, consumer electronics, and IT as a wide opportunity for future growth, by taking advantage of generalized broadband access, increased mobility, availability of richer media formats and contents, as well as new home networks and communications platforms. For further information, download the related press release or visit the NEM website. Alternatively, do not hesitate to contact us.

The ASK-IT Project to organise its 1st International Conference in Nice on October 26 & 27, 2006
Sophia Antipolis - September 28, 2006

Homega Research, as a member of the ASK-IT Project, is very pleased to invite you to attend the 1st ASK-IT International Conference, to be held in Nice on October 26 & 27, 2006 at the Boscolo Plaza Hotel. The ASK-IT project is a key European initiative aiming at Ambient Intelligence to support and promote the autonomy of mobility impaired people through the provision of seamless infomobility services. The ASK-IT International conference will mark the two year point of this EU research funded project and it will provide the opportunity to take stock of the progress made in ASK-IT so far. It will also provide a unique occasion for different stakeholders, whether they are telecom providers, industry, user representatives, research institutes or local authorities, to gather together to discuss the role of Information Communication Technology in aiding and improving the everyday lives of mobility impaired people. The conference will welcome high level speakers and experts from around the world that will look at various issues, such as making content accessible, accessible tools and Ambient Intelligence, and will provide state-of-the-art information on accessibility initiatives in Europe and beyond. ASK-IT - Ambient Intelligence System of Agents for Knowledge based and Integrated Services for Mobility Impaired Users. For more information about the conference and registration process, visit the ASK-IT website or contact icre@polis-online.org

Expected development of EU-Southeast Asian cooperation on Home networking
Sophia Antipolis - June 19, 2006

One of the first thematic sessions of the EU-Southeast Asia cooperation event, organised under the aegis of ASEAN and of the European Commission's DG Information Society and Media from June 19 to 23, 2006 in Singapore, was devoted today to Home networking. The session, attended by over 40 European and Southeast Asian delegates, was co-chaired by Roger Torrenti, CEO of Sigma Consultants and of Homega Research, and by Hee Sen Jong, founder of Universal Gateway International, leader of the Unihome Consortium involved in the “Connected Homes” Singaporean flagship programme. In an introductory presentation, Roger Torrenti gave an overview of the development of markets for connected homes in Europe and said he was fully convinced that time has come for a tighter win-win cooperation between the EU and Southeast Asia in this field (access the presentation here as a pdf file). The session also included contributions from the PULSERS II IST project addressing UWB developments, and from the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) of A*STAR, one of the leading Southeast Asian research institutes in the home networking area. For any further information, please contact us.

Net-atHome™2006 details announced!
Sophia Antipolis - March 10, 2006

As the organizers of the world's most international Connected Home event (with 200-300 delegates from 25 countries from around the globe), Homega Research would like to announce today that the Net-atHome2006 conference and exhibition will take place on September 26 & 27 at the prestigious Hilton Cannes Hotel, located on the famous Croisette boulevard.
Net-atHome, now in its 9th year, is the only event in Europe, and one of the few worldwide, that covers the entire Connected Home domain (it is not limited to a particular technology, standard, country or market segment), thus giving participants an excellent overall understanding of the domain (multi-sector by nature) and of its markets (global by nature). Net-atHome traditionally addresses the following topics: killer applications, home networks & platforms, smart & connected appliances, residential gateways, access networks & bundled services, and business models & success stories.
For more information on how you can get involved as a speaker, exhibitor/sponsor, supporting organization, or visitor, please visit the Net-atHome website or contact us.



The connected home market status and trends assessed in the new release of the TEAHA Market Background Document
Sophia Antipolis - February 15, 2006

Homega Research, partner in the TEAHA Project, is very pleased to announce today the release of the latest version of the TEAHA Market Background Document. As part of the TEAHA project, a key European initiative addressing the whole range of products and services for the networked home, Homega Research has been given several responsibilities, including the undertaking of watch activities in the field of the connected home so that TEAHA project partners can periodically check if the project remains well positioned and, when appropriate, agree upon any necessary changes. A major output of these watch activities is to produce a Market Background Document every six months. In order to contribute to identifying the key developments and the opportunities linked to the ongoing promising developments in the industry, this document highlights the latest trends of the connected home markets worldwide, the overall status and perspectives of which had been introduced in the 1st release of the document, dated September 2004. This document, derived from Homega Research's watch activities, is available for download to all market stakeholders. Should you have any remarks or suggestions about this document, please contact us; we would be pleased to take them into consideration when preparing the next version. To download the document, as an acrobat file, click here. For more information please visit the TEAHA dedicated website or contact us.



Homega Research involved as a full partner in the PULSERS Phase II Project!
Sophia Antipolis - February 9, 2006

Homega Research is very pleased today to announce its involvement in the PULSERS Phase II IST Project, a key European initiative aiming at promoting the promising Ultra Wide Band (UWB) markets. As a follow-up of the PULSERS IST Project, PULSERS Phase II aims at continuing the exploration of the enormous potential of the innovative and disruptive radio technology embodied in UWB, in order to support and enable the introduction of new services, applications and devices based on this cutting-edge technology. Within the Project, officially launched today at the kick-off meeting in Dresden, Homega Research will essentially be in charge of conducting a market study on the UWB technology. This market study document will thus reinforce the foundation on which the Project developments are planned and also maximise the Project’s impact (in particular on international standardisation efforts) and the exploitation potential (for the Consortium as a whole and for each partner). The research will be based on the information that Homega Research is collecting through the watch activities (which the company has been performing in the connected home area for many years), and complemented by the information that the Project partners will provide, as well as information that will be specifically collected by Homega Research through contacts with the main UWB market stakeholders. Being a public output of the PULSERS Phase II Project, the market study on UWB technology will be widely disseminated to all the market stakeholders.
For more information please visit the PULSERS dedicated website or contact us.



2005: A Successful Edition of the Net-atHome™ Event!
Sophia Antipolis - December 1, 2005

Homega Research is very pleased to announce today that a successful 8th edition of the Net-atHome™ conference and exhibition was held in Nice, France (Meridien Hotel), on November 29 & 30, bringing together over 180 delegates from 22 countries to participate in discussions and exchange ideas on the latest trends affecting the Connected Home worldwide markets.
The large number of delegates present at Net-atHome™2005 included major industry players, and the main topics this year included killer applications, home gateways and networks, industry roadmaps, business models, etc. The highlight of the event was a session focusing on consumer needs, where a panel of 8 consumers was invited to openly discuss and share comments concerning personal experiences with new technologies in their homes.
The feedback received for the 2005 edition of the Net-atHome™ conference and exhibition was very positive and the event held the support of 45 organizations, 15 exhibitors, and over 50 highly respected speakers in their domain of expertise
For more details, see the Net-atHome™2005 event report.



The 2nd TEAHA Open Forum successfully held today in Nice
Sophia Antipolis - November 28, 2005

The TEAHA Project, a key European initiative addressing the whole range of products and services for the networked home and involving major European players in the field, today held its second annual Open Forum, in co-location with the Net-atHome™2005 Conference and Exhibition, yearly organised by Homega Research . The first part of the forum provided updated information on the Project , regarding both its overall status and perspective and also specific Project's developments (seamless interworking in home networks , vision of multicluster approach, etc.). Then, in order to make this Forum even more valuable to attendees and to provide the TEAHA Consortium with relevant inputs, the Forum included a panel session with participation of representatives from industry groups and leading standardization bodies involved in the specification and standardization of home platforms (and gateways). This session, moderated by Roger Torrenti, CEO of Homega Research, provided the opportunity to evaluate and assess the contribution the TEAHA project can make to their efforts and to share with the audience their vision on the status & perspectives in the field. The Forum, conducted in a very lively way, gathered about 50 delegates involved in the connected home field.
For more information (agenda, attendee list, paper presentations, etc.) visit the TEAHA dedicated website or contact us.



The Euro-China workshop of May 29 promoted at Net-atHome™2005
Sophia Antipolis - November 29, 2005

The “2nd Euro-China Workshop on Home Networks and Platforms” has been intensively promoted at the Net-atHome™2005 conference and exhibition, organised by Homega Research in Nice on November 29 and 30, that gathered over 170 delegates from 22 countries to discuss the status and perspectives of the connected home developments worldwide. A joint presentation prepared by Homega Research and CECO and entitled “The Chinese Markets for Home Networks and Platforms” (download it here as a zipped pdf file) was presented by Mr LI Jie, Project manager at CECO, in the plenary session of the conference dedicated to business models and success stories. Moreover a stand dedicated to the planned workshop, part of the Net-atHome™2005 exhibition, allowed to answer specific questions from event delegates. The announcement of the “2nd Euro-China Workshop on Home Networks and Platforms” received a very positive feedback from European organisations involved in the connected home area and participating in Net-atHome™2005, many of them declaring themselves ready to take advantage of the speaking and exhibiting opportunities offered to organisations registering for the Workshop. For further information, please contact us.



Homega Research announces distribution agreement with CABA
Sophia Antipolis - June 23, 2005

Homega Research, a Division of Sigma Consultants specialised in technologies and services for the home,announced today that the company has signed a distribution agreement with CABA, a leading industry association that promotes advanced technologies for the automation of homes and buildings. Under the terms of the agreement, CABA will promote and distribute Homega Research's multiclient studies through its online eStore.
The first report to be available through the CABA eStore is the latest Homega Research's study “The Connected Home Markets in Asia”.
Aiming at providing reliable, detailed and up-to-date information on the current state and development prospects of the Connected Home markets in the main countries of Asia, the study, released at the end of 2004, has been developed under the supervision of Roger Torrenti, CEO of Homega Research. Its content has been assembled from the information that the company collects as part of its watch activities, supplemented by targeted research and data collected directly from the key players in this field.
The report (available both in French and in English) first distinguishes the different "Asias", underlines Asia's increasing weight in the world economy and selects the Asian countries on which it was considered preferable to focus the study. It then addresses the place of information technology in the Asian economy and society, discusses market deregulation in the countries studied and gives precise information on trends in the key indicators that condition the development of the Connected Home markets (broadband access, Internet users, home PCs, mobile phone owners, etc.). Finally, the report concentrates on the current state and future prospects for the Connected Home markets in each of the countries under study and for each country gives a general  overview of these markets, followed by detailed information on the main country-wide programmes, projects or initiatives as well as the main players in the domain.
Visit the CABA's eStore.
For more information about the study, “The connected home markets in Asia”, download the brochure or contact us.



Homega Research involved in the ETSI NGN@Home Workshop's Industry Panel Session
Sophia Antipolis - April 8, 2005

Homega Research is very pleased to have contributed to the Industry Panel Session organised within the framework of the NGN@Home Workshop held at the ETSI headquarters on April 7, 2005, in Sophia Antipolis, France. Chaired by Edward Fitzgerald, ETSI NGN@Home VP, the session addressed current major issues faced by the connected home markets: interoperability solutions, market inhibitors and hurdles to overcome. In his contribution Roger Torrenti, CEO of Homega Research, assessed that the connected home markets were expected to develop quite rapidly in the short term, requiring that common specification, in particular concerning interoperability issues in home platforms, can be quickly made available. Therefore, he warmly welcomed the NGN@Home initiative to organise such a workshop which allowed a fruitful exchange of visions and solutions, and the announcement by ETSI that the NGN@Home initiative was likely to develop many cooperation / liaison links with other existing initiatives to promote a quick “convergence” of them.
For more information about the NGN@Home initiative, please click here.

 

Homega Research unveils the new concept of its next Net-atHome™ event!
Sophia Antipolis - March 14, 2005

Homega Research is particularly proud to announce the launch of the 8th edition of its Net-atHome™ events, "Connected Home Developments Worldwide: Net-atHome™ the yearly event not to be missed!". This year, the event will be hosted on November 29 & 30, 2005 at the Meridien Hotel in Nice, French Riviera, France. Ways to improve the event concept and maximize sponsor, exhibitor and delegate benefits have been identified so that the 8th edition of Net-atHome™ can even better serve the industry at a key period of market evolution worldwide. New features are thus being (or will be) highlighted:
- New featured conference sessions & new fine-tune thematic focuses
- New interactive format with experts as facilitators
- New event logo & baseline
- New promotional tools (new website: eg. more content oriented / frequent & effective eNewsletters / high quality media exposure / eBrochure)
- New first-class services (eg. Business Appointment Service)
- New discounts for early bookings (attendees & sponsors)
- New registration process (on-line)
- New call for communications submission process (on-line)
- New incentive (register now and receive weekly highlights on the connected home markets)
For any further information, please visit the Net-atHome™2005 dedicated website.



The 2nd TEAHA Open Forum to be co-located with Net-atHome™2005
Sophia Antipolis - March 9, 2005

The 2nd TEAHA Open Forum will be held on November 28, 2005 (2:00-6:00pm - Meridien Hotel, Nice) in co-location with the Net-atHome™2005 Conference & Exhibition (Nov. 29 & 30, 2005), yearly organized by Homega Research. All market players in the field of the connected home markets (energy utilities, telecom operators, watercos, cablecos, companies specializing in multimedia content, silicon and component manufacturers, software companies, integrators, state research laboratories, etc.) are cordially invited to join in order to access the TEAHA Project results and provide the consortium with inputs (visions, solutions, etc.). Addressing the whole range of products and services of the networked home (from home control to advanced AV applications) the second TEAHA Open Forum will allow attendees to hear about the latest TEAHA developments. No fees are requested but pre-registrations are highly recommended due to room capacity constraints.
Related url: www.net-athome.com/colocated_teaha.php
Dedicated website: www.teaha.org
Contact: info@teaha.org



An updated version of the TEAHA Market Background Document has been released
Sophia Antipolis - January 7, 2005

The second version of the TEAHA Market Background Document has been released and can be downloaded here. Prepared by Homega Research, member of the TEAHA Project, this document aims at enabling the Project Management Committee to check, periodically, that the project remains well positioned and, if appropriate, to agree upon changes of direction. The present version takes into account the remarks and suggestions received from many market stakeholders following the dissemination of the first version in the second half of 2004. Such inputs are still welcomed! Please contact the TEAHA helpdesk. if you have any remarks or suggestions: we will be happy to take them into account when preparing the next release of the TEAHA Market Background Document (planned for June 2005) so that the document can be even more complete, accurate and useful to the Connected home industry.
For more information, please visit the TEAHA website.



A high number of events to be organized by Homega Research in 2005
Sophia Antipolis - January 4, 2005

Homega Research is very proud to announce today an impressive set of events to be organized in 2005 in the field of the connected home:
- 3 General Assemblies of the PLCforum Association (March, June, & September - Europe)
- 2 Power Line Communications Roundtables (March in Brussels: roundtable European markets for in-home and access PLC and June in Nice: roundtable on in-home PLC technologies and markets )
- The PLC World Summit 2005 (September, Brussels)
- A European Commission (DG InfSo, IST Program, D2 Unit "Networked Audiovisual Systems & Home Platforms") Concertation Meeting (May 24 & 25, Brussels, Belgium)
- The 2nd TEAHA Open Forum 2005 (November 28 - Nice, France)
- Net-atHome™2005: Connected Home Developments Worldwide (November 29 & 30 - Nice, France)



Net-atHome™2004: A Milestone in the Evolution of the Connected Home Area
Sophia Antipolis - December 6, 2004

The 7th edition of the Net-atHome™ conference & exhibition has been successfully held in Nice, France, on December 1 & 2, in the framework of a whole week dedicated to the worldwide markets for the “Connected home”, attended by over 250 delegates from 25 countries. The level of attendance reached at Net-atHome™2004 and the feedback received from delegates upon their leaving are clear indicators of a new development phase of the connected home markets worldwide: big volumes are in sight, most major players are involved, time is no longer devoted to concepts but to business models. Net-atHome™ is the annual industry forum organised by Homega Research; all along the years, Net-atHome™ has succeeded to become “the best event in the connected home area, this year in 2004, as usual” (Daniel Schellhoss, EVP Marketing & Sales, Prosyst). In order to allow industry reps to maximise their stay in Nice, a number of events had been co-located with Net-atHome™2004, organised the days before or after the Net-atHome™ conference and exhibition, in the same venue: the prestigious Palais de la Méditerranée Hotel in Nice. The 2004 edition of the Net-atHome™ conference and exhibition had received a very positive response from the industry since 54 organisations had accepted to support or sponsor the event, 30 companies had decided to exhibit their leading-edge products and services, and 36 high-level speakers had positively answered an invitation to share their experience and visions with the audience. From a survey of delegates performed upon their leaving, it appears that both aspects of the event have been very positively assessed:
- The exhibition area, arranged in the same room than the conference following an “Agora” approach, proved to be very well suited to exhibitor expectations: “it is not so common to attend a show where all those visiting your booth are valuable contacts” (Stefan Gonnet, Support Engineer, eDevice),
- The conference, organised in plenary thematic sessions addressing key market issues (Asian markets, home platforms, standards, trials & deployments, etc.), succeeded to be “an excellent conference with many opportunities for in-depth discussion” (Nancy Goguen, Executive Director, Strategic Marketing, Broadband Communications Group, Texas Instruments).
Net-atHome™2004 thus appears as having been a very successful event, “highly recommended to anyone interested in providing home networking products and services” (William Dodd, President & CEO, Biltmore Communications). However, ways to improve the event concept and maximise sponsor, exhibitor and delegate benefits have already been identified so that the 8th edition of Net-atHome™, in 2005, can even better serve the industry at a key period of market evolution worldwide.
For any further information, please contact us.
Event Photo Album / Sponsors / Supporting Organisations / Supporting Publications / Exhibiting Companies / Speakers / Co-located Events



Successful launch of the European industrial initiative on Networked & Electronic Media (NEM)
Sophia Antipolis - December 3, 2004

The launch event of the Networked & Electronic Media (NEM) initiative has been successfully held today in Nice, France, and attracted over 140 attendees from Europe and other parts of the world. Supported by the European Commission, the NEM initiative focuses on the development of new multimedia services and applications, through the research and development of new content technologies, new delivery technologies, integration of existing technologies, seamless use of delivery networks, assuming an evolutionary framework from current home and office towards broadband extended environments. Moderated by Robert Havas (Thomson) and David Wood (EBU), and introduced by Luis Rodriguez-Roselló, head of the DG Infso's D2 Unit (European Commission), the event provided attendees with the opportunity to receive detailed information on the status and perspectives of the initiative, through a series of presentations prepared by leading European manufacturers, telcos, broadcasters, and SMEs. The last part of the event was dedicated to a very lively Q&A session during which many attendees expressed their interest to join the initiative.
To download the event attendee list, please click here.
To access the agenda and download the powerpoint presentations as acrobat zipped files, please click here.
To download post-event press releases, please click here.
For more information about the NEM Initiative, please visit the NEM dedicated website or contact info@nem-initiative.org.



European Commission D2 IST Projects highly involved in the Net-atHome™2004 Event
Sophia Antipolis - December 3, 2004

Projects of the D2 Unit (unit of the European Commission's DG Information Society) have been cordially invited to actively participate in the Net-atHome™2004 event, the premier international conference and exhibition in Europe covering the connected home markets (home networks and gateways, connected appliances, value added services, etc.), yearly organized by Homega Research. 65 D2 Project representatives have benefited from free passes to the conference and 9 exhibition spaces have been allocated to IST Projects of the D2 Unit’s portfolio (MHP-KDB, MediaNet, ePerSpace, DANAE, TEAHA, VisionAIR, HomeTalk, ELIN, BIP). TEAHA, MEDIANET, SemanticHiFi, PULSERS, and INSTINCT Projects have also been invited to contribute to the conference program by presenting papers on their respective initiatives, and a representative from inAccess Networks has introduced the HomeTalk Project during the pre-conference Workshop, chaired by Roger Torrenti (CEO of Homega Research). Mr Joao Da Silva (Director, Directorate D) has also kindly accepted to give a keynote address in the opening session of the conference (Dec. 1). In addition, ENTHRONE, TEAHA, ePerSpace, and VisionAIR Projects have taken the opportunity of the Net-atHome™2004 event to organise co-located events on November 30: ENTHRONE Expert Panel Meeting / TEAHA Open Forum / ePerSpace Open Forum / VisionAIR Workshop. The ELIN Project also had its final review meeting during the Net-atHome™2004 Event and several Projects have decided to take the opportunity of the Net-atHome™2004 Event to organise consortium meetings.
For more information about the Net-atHome™ event, click here.
For any additional information please contact info@ist-bip.org.



A successful 1st TEAHA Open Forum held on November 30, 2004 in Nice, France
Sophia Antipolis - December 2, 2004

TEAHA (an acronym standing for The European Application Home Alliance) is a Project funded by the European Commission in the framework of the IST Programme. The TEAHA Consortium, consisting in major European key players of the connected home field (telecom operators, brown and white goods manufacturers, technology companies, research organizations, industry associations, etc.) addresses the whole range of products and services of the networked home (from home control to advanced AV applications). The 1st TEAHA Open Forum was organized by Homega Research, a full partner of the Project. The Forum was held on November 30, 2004 (9:00 am - 1:00 pm), at the prestigious Palais de la Méditerranée of Nice, France, and was logically co-located with the Net-atHome™2004 Event, the largest international conference and exhibition in the field of the connected home, yearly organized in Europe by Homega. This Open Forum was a unique opportunity to:
- learn about the TEAHA market background document prepared by Homega Research in the framework of the TEAHA initiative
- hear about the latest TEAHA developments
- understand TEAHA's relationship with other initiatives
- network with key players in the connected home field.
For any additional information, please visit the TEAHA dedicated website or contact us.



A fruitful D2 Concertation Meeting held in Nice on Nov. 30 & Dec. 2, 2004
Sophia Antipolis - December 2, 2004

Organised by Homega Research within the framework of the BIP IST Project with the support of the AVISTA Project, the 4th Concertation Meeting of the D2 Unit of the European Commission's DG Information Society, has been held in Nice (France), at the Palais de la Méditerranée Hotel, on Nov. 30 & Dec. 2, 2004. A high level of attendance (75 delegates) and very fruitful discussions can characterise this meeting, co-located with the Net-atHome™2004 conference and exhibition (taking place on Dec. 1 & 2 in the same venue), in which many IST Projects of the D2 Unit portfolio had chosen to be involved. Four Coordination Group meetings have been run in parallel streams prior to a plenary session chaired by Christoph Dosch (IRT), during which Joao Da Silva (Director of DG Infso's Directorate D) and Luis Rodriguez-Roselló (Head of the D2 Unit) gave introductory speeches, before an invited presentation of the COPRAS Project and a summary of the work developed in the framework of the Coordination Group meetings. The next Concertation meeting will take place in Brussels on March 24 & 25.
To download the meeting attendee list, click here.
To access the agenda and download the powerpoint presentations as acrobat zipped files, please click here.
For further information about the D2 Unit's Concertation Meetings, please contact info@IST-BIP.org.



Homega Research's Multiclient Study Focusing on "The Asian Connected Home Markets" is now available!
Sophia Antipolis - November 25, 2004

Homega Research is very pleased today to officially release its awaited multiclient study aimed at providing reliable, detailed and up-to-date information on the current state and development prospects of the Connected Home markets in the main countries of Asia. The study has been realised over the period September 2004 - March 2005 by a project team managed by Karine Valin, General Manager of Homega Research. Its content, developed under the supervision of Roger Torrenti, CEO of Homega Research, has been assembled from the information that the company collects as part of its watch activities, supplemented by targeted research and data collected directly from the key players in this field. The report (available both in French and in English) first distinguishes the different "Asias", underlines Asia's increasing weight in the world economy and selects the Asian countries on which it was considered preferable to focus the study. It then addresses the place of information technology in the Asian economy and society, discusses market deregulation in the countries studied and gives precise information on trends in the key indicators that condition the development of the Connected Home markets (broadband access, Internet users, home PCs, mobile phone owners, etc.). Finally, the report concentrates on the current state and future prospects for the Connected Home markets in each of the countries under study and for each country gives a general overview of these markets, followed by detailed information on the main country-wide programmes, projects or initiatives as well as the main players in the domain.
Download the brochure in English here, in French here.
For more information, please call Florent Genoux at 33 (0) 493 001 550 or send him an email.



Homega Research selected as a full partner of the ASK-IT IST Project
Sophia Antipolis - November 15, 2004

The ASK-IT Project (Ambient Intelligence System of Agents for Knowledge-based and Integrated Services for Mobility Impaired Users) aims at developing an ambient intelligence space for the integration of functions and services for elderly and disabled people across various environments, enabling the provision of personalized, self-configurable, intuitive and context-related applications and services and, facilitate knowledge and content organization and processing. This Project is gathering numerous key players of the IT industry (Siemens, Lucent Technologies Network Systems, NOKIA, Vodafone Spain, Alcatel, etc.), universities (Technical University of Lisbon, University of Stuttgart, etc.), and research centers (Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Technical Research Centre of Finland, etc. ). Homega Research, as a full partner of the ASK-IT Consortium, will provide its expertise and experience in the home automation field. Homega will more specifically provide specifications of domotic applications interfaces for mobility-impaired people.
For more information, please visit the dedicated website or contact us.



The Net-atHome™2004 Pre-conference Workshop program is now available!
Sophia Antipolis - August 27, 2004

Homega Research is pleased to announce the release of the Net-atHome™2004 pre-conference workshop program. During this half-day workshop, taking place in Nice (Palais de la Méditerranée), France on November 30, 2004, Roger Torrenti, CEO of Homega Research, will make a 4-hour review of the milestones of 2004 and in particular those of the last few months: technological and regulatory developments, market feedback, pilot projects, moves of key players, quantitative data relating to the various market segments, consumer demand, etc. As usual, key players of the Connected Home market will interact with Roger Torrenti and the audience (50-70 persons) to illustrate and reinforce Homega's analyses with personal accounts based on their market experience. The workshop is the place to be for:
- new entrants who wish to make a fast assessment of the potential markets for the Connected Home,
- companies already positioned on these markets that wish to compare their own analyses with those of a specialist, independent company,
- all the participants to the Net-atHome™ Conference who will obtain from this workshop many useful pointers for getting the best out of the Conference.
For more information about the workshop agenda, please click here.
For registrations, please please click here.
For any additional information please contact us.

"How will the Connected Home markets develop? Are these markets now in Asia?", the latest press article released by Homega Research
Sophia Antipolis - June 20, 2004

Homega Research, a global technology and market research company specializing in technologies and services for the home, is very pleased today to release the latest "Homega Research's viewpoint" sent to the international press. In a paper entitled "How will the Connected Home markets develop? Are these markets now in Asia?", Roger Torrenti, CEO of Homega Research, reviews the past twenty-year developments in the field of the connected home, analyses past predictions and points out the way the connected home market is likely to evolve in the short term. A specific attention is paid to Asian markets, Roger Torrenti considering their growing attractiveness but recommending not to see them as the only El Dorado in the field.
To download the full report, please click here.



Conclusions of the NAVSHP Concertation Meeting (Coordination Group on Home Networks & Platforms)
Sophia Antipolis - June 9, 2004

The Coordination Group meeting on Home networks and platforms, moderated by Roger Torrenti, BIP Project advisor, was attended by over 30 representatives of IST Projects of the D2 portfolio and allowed very fruitful exchanges of information and visions on the different agenda items. The meeting started by a detailed report on the 1st "EU-China cooperation workshop on Home networks and platforms", organised by the European Commission and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) - with the support of the BIP Project - on last April 27 in Beijing. Then a detailed presentation of the Net-atHome™2004 event organised in Nice on December 1 & 2 has been given. A number of D2 Projects have already been accepted for presentations in plenary sessions while others have already confirmed they will exhibit there. All Projects are invited to apply for free conference passes and exhibition areas as soon as possible (first come, first served basis!). A large part of the meeting was devoted to the presentation by BIP of the preliminary results of the portfolio analysis the Project is developing. An intense interaction with the audience allowed to discuss many of these results and to give worthwhile recommendations to improve the analysis and make it more consensual (its draft final version will be presented at the next Concertation meeting).
To download the meeting agenda, click here.
To download the attendee list, click here.
To download the meeting presentation (as a zipped pdf file), click here.
For further information about the Home Networks & Platforms coordination group, contact us.
For further information about the NAVSHP Concertation Meetings, contact AVISTA IST Project.



The 2nd World Summit of PLC Associations successfully held in Brussels
Sophia Antipolis - May 26, 2004

The 2nd World Summit of PLC Associations, organised by the PLCforum through Homega Research, has been attended by around 100 participants from 16 countries (attendee list here), among whom 50% were not members of the PLCforum (a satisfactory figure when considering the PLCforum decision to hold an open event). Thanks to a dense and exhaustive agenda (World Summit agenda here), to the quality of the selected speakers, to several lively Q&A sessions and to the planned networking moments, attendees have been able to fully share their experience and vision and to better understand how PLC can quickly develop, in Europe and worldwide, as a key solution for broadband access (and in-home connectivity), at a key period when the regulatory environment is more favourable, when reliable technologies are available, and when a growing number of energy utilities are committing to trials and deployments.
Presentations are available by clicking here as zipped pdf files.
For more information about the PLCforum, please click here.
For any additional information please contact us.



The 1st EU-China cooperation workshop on Home networks and platforms successfully held in Beijing on April 27, 2004
Sophia Antipolis - May 10, 2004

Within the frame of the BIP project, the 1st EU-China cooperation workshop on Home networks and platforms has been organized in Beijing on April 27, 2004, on behalf of the European Commission (DG InfSo) and with the support of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). Over 70 European and Chinese delegates attended this event, which included presentations from partners of IST projects of the D2 Unit portfolio and presentations from leading Chinese companies and research laboratories. During the wrap-up session, many attendees shared the feeling that a number of cooperation projects can be developed between EU and China in this field, which, even if being in a very early emerging period in China, is expected to quickly develop in the next years. On April 26, European delegates had been invited to visit laboratories of the Tsinghua University (probably the most prestigious Chinese University) and Lenovo (ex-Legend) headquarters, two organizations actively involved in home networking standardization. A 2nd EU-China cooperation workshop on Home networks and platforms might be organized in 2005 to build upon the interesting outputs of the 2004 event.
For more information, please visit the BIP dedicated website or contact us.

An excellent year 2003 for Homega Research
Sophia Antipolis - March 31, 2004

To develop its business more rapidly in two of its key areas of expertise, Sigma Consultants created in October 2002 two divisions. One of them is Homega Research, specializing in technologies and services for the home. and developing its activities from the expertise and experience Sigma Consultants has acquired in this domain since the company's creation in 1984. The new division is very proud to continue building, in this feild, a reputation for quality, efficiency and professionalism for all its services: technology assessment, market research, and business events. Homega Research accounts for 2003 have been officially closed today. They cover the period January 1 - December 31, 2003 and show satisfactory business growth (+20%) and profit earning (around 10% after tax), in line with the objectives set in the 3-year development plan of the division.
For further details, please contact us.



Conclusions of the NAVSHP Concertation Meeting (Coordination Group on Home Networks & Platforms)
Sophia Antipolis - March 12, 2004

Homega Research, within the framework of the BIP IST Project, has jointly organized, with the AVISTA IST Project, the NAVSHP (Networked Audiovisual Systems and Home Platforms) Concertation Meeting (Coordination Group on Home Networks & Platforms) at the Centre Borschette, European Commission, Brussels - March 11, 2004. The conclusions of the Concertation Meeting are very positive. Almost 40 representatives of European organisations have attended the meeting and heard contributions from 8 IST projects (FP5 + FP6) and 3 invited organisations (The Application Home Initiative, The SmartHouse Initiative, The Digital Home Working Group). A number of possible Concertation issues have been identified (such as home reference architectures, technology and business roadmaps, etc.) and a contribution has been requested from all projects regarding the way they have considered the coordination group meeting (content, networking cooperation with other projects or invited organisations, etc.). It has also been decided that the next meeting (June 7, 2004 - Barcelona) will mainly allow to discuss the D2 unit portfolio analysis, the prioritary Concertation issues, and to agree on actions to be undertaken.
To download the meeting agenda, click here.
To download the attendee list, click here.
To download presentations of contributors (as pdf and zip), click here.
For further information about the Home Networks & Platforms coordination group, contact us.
For further information about the NAVSHP Concertation Meetings, contact Avista IST Project.



European Commission’s Powerline Project (OPERA) started
Sophia Antipolis - February 1, 2004

The EU-sponsored Powerline project "OPERA - Open PLC European Research Alliance“, which is part of the larger broadband project "Broadband for All“, started work on January 1, 2004. With OPERA, the European Commission is emphasising the importance of Powerline for the European broadband market. OPERA is being sponsored within the framework of the initiative "eEurope“ and its appendant project "Information Society Technologies (IST)“. The project stretches over two project phases, each lasting two years. Total budget for the project’s first phase is 20 million euros. An international consortium of utilities, technology companies, research institutions and consultants will develop a uniform European Powerline standard. The European Commission’s long-term goal is to further develop the broadband market in Europe and to establish Powerline as an additional pillar beside DSL and cable access.
Homega Research, through its activities with the PLCforum association, is in charge of  the implementation and the maintenance of the OPERA Project dedicated website.
For more information about the OPERA IST Project, please click here.
For more information about the PLCforum, please click here.
For any additional information please contact us.



An Impressive Set of Events Organized by Homega Research in the Coming Year
Sophia Antipolis - January 6, 2004

Homega Research is very proud to announce today an impressive and comprehensive set of events organized in 2004 in the field of the connected home - both in Europe and Asia...
- The 1st "Euro-China Co-operation Workshop on Home Networks & Platforms" (April, Beijing, PR China)
- Beijing Sites Tour on "Home Networks & Platforms" (April, Beijing, PR China)
- 4 General Assemblies of the PLCforum Association (February, May, September & December, Europe)
- The PLC World Summit 2004 (May, Europe)
- 3 European Commission (DG InfSo, IST Program, D2 Unit "Networked Audiovisual Systems & Home Platforms") Concertation Meetings (March, June, December, Europe)
- The TEAHA Open Forum (December, Europe) Net-atHome™2004, the premier international conference and exhibition on the connected home (December, Europe)
For further details, please visit:

www.Net-atHome.com or contact us

www.ist-bip.org or contact us

www.plcforum.org or contact us

www.eurochina-IT.org or contact us

www.teaha.org (coming soon) or contact us

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