Its a question I’m asked often, “why are you holding TADS (Telecom Application Developer Summit) in Bangkok? Why not London or the Bay Area?”

There are operational and strategic reasons, let me explain.

Operationally

At the same time as TADS in Bangkok is ITU Telecom World with 7000 of the telecoms industry attending at the same location of the IMPACT Forum. Some the TADS presenters such as Dean Bubley, Martin Geddes, Andy Abramson, and Colin Miles are also presenters at ITU Telecom World. I’ve tried a number of times to engage the ITU Telecom World organizers on cross-marketing ideas such as offering ITU attendees a discount to TADS, but to no reply. So if you’re attending ITU Telecom World you should give serious consideration to attending TADS as service innovation is the key to telecoms’ future and it comes from developers, telecom application developers.

Immediately after TADS is the Mobicents’ global developer summit, which includes TADS presenters such as Normandes José Moreira Junior from Algar Telecom, and many more.

Strategically

Europe remains a little depressed and its thinking is dominated by the GSMA which continues to tout OneAPI, this demonstrates its out of touch with telecom application developers.  I’ve asked the GSMA to be involved in TADS, but they’re too busy.  North America is over-served by developer events so we’d be lost in the noise. But most importantly, Asia is the center of telecom application innovation, Japan (NFC has been a part of daily life for years), Korea (the phones have broadcast TV for years), Philippines (mobile money), India (strong content portals), Sri Lanka (innovative app stores), China, Singapore, Hong Kong, the list goes on of Asian countries that are leading telecoms innovation. Across Asia, Thailand is an easy to get to location and far cheaper than many other destinations.  Locating TADS in Bangkok is saving you money!