TELECOMS & MOBILE
New forum for mobile entertainment firms
05-10-2000
by Elaine Larkin
Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) has signed a three-year agreement with the world's leading organiser of wireless conferences, Informa Group.
Under the agreement, Informa's annual Mobile Entertainment Event in Paris will become MEF's main annual event for at least the next three years. The first forum takes place in Paris in April, 2001, and is open to all members. The first congress of MEF founders takes place in Seville next month.
MEF is a consortium of companies and organisations working towards a medium of exchange for mobile entertainment creators and enablers.
The forum will also host the first global annual entertainment awards ceremony. Awards will be handed out for the world's best wireless entertainment in various categories.
MEF is backed by leading forces in the entertainment and value-added fields, such as Booz-Allen Hamilton, Cash-U, Icon Medialab and Openmobile Corporation. Two to three additional companies will be announced as founding members over the next few weeks.
Membership will be opened up after that to anyone in the mobile entertainment industry. Membership costs USD10,000 per annum. MEF is chaired by Thomas Zilliacus of Mobile Entertainment Forum.
Entertainment will be the backbone of wireless value-added services (VAS) for at least the next few years, says Zilliacus. MEF therefore feels "it is important to create a large annual global event to highlight new VAS in entertainment and give awards to the best in the field."
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