IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC) will take place in HK for the first time

A globally renowned IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC) will take place in Hong Kong from 11-15 March 2007. WCNC is the world’s leading international event for engineers and researchers at the forefront of development and deployment of wireless technologies, and wireless communications industry professionals interested in the latest research. The HKUST Wireless Research Team and its cutting-edge work in the field have been instrumental in attracting the prestigious event to the city, which marks the first time the WCNC conference has been held outside North America.

Interest in the WCNC conference in Hong Kong has already proved extensive. According to Prof. Ross Murch, Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering at HKUST and Technical Program Chair for WCNC 2007, more than 1,700 submissions have been received, nearly double the previous record.

Prof. Khaled Ben Letaief, Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering at HKUST, who is serving as the General Chair of WCNC 2007, said: “HKUST is proud to be one of the patrons of WCNC. As a premier university dedicated to the development of science and technology, we are already a world leader in the core enabling technologies, such as microelectronics, software, and wireless communications. HKUST researchers’ publications in IEEE electronic devices and wireless communications journals have been ranked among the Top 5 in the world and the University’s research will position Hong Kong to play a major role in the emerging wireless communication market.”

In a significant advance for Hong Kong research, two algorithms developed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Wireless Research Team and Huawei Technologies have been conditionally accepted for inclusion in international standards for the revolutionary 802.22 Wireless Regional Area Network (WRAN) system.

Specification for the 802.22 WRAN system is being standardized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world’s leading professional association for the advancement of technology. It is extremely difficult for research results to be accepted as part of IEEE standards due to the focus on implementation considerations. The acceptance of HKUST’s algorithms (through collaboration with Huawei Technologies) illustrates the University’s strength in practically oriented research and the importance of industrial collaborations. The majority of contributions usually come from companies rather than universities.

WRAN is one of the major commercial applications of Cognitive Radio, chosen by MIT’s Technology Review in May 2005 as one of the 10 emerging technologies that will transform the world. Unlike 802.11, commonly known as WiFi, which is designed for stand-alone, short-range wireless networking (~100m), the 802.22 WRAN system is targeted at long-range (~50km) wireless access and designed to operate in the underused VHF/UHF television frequency range, enabling dynamic sharing with spectrum license users. Among the new opportunities this presents is the provision of cost-effective wireless internet access to rural areas where fixed-line access is expensive.

Cognitive Radio and other leading wireless research areas will be further explored at the IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC). The leading global conference will bring many influential figures in the wireless communications world to Hong Kong. Plenary speakers include:

Prof. Leonard Kleinrock, UCLA: the inventor of packet switching, the technology underpinning the internet. Prof Kleinrock’s host computer at UCLA became the first node of the internet in September 1969. He has been listed among the “50 People Who Most Influenced Business This Century” by the Los Angeles Times.

Prof. Wu Hequan, Vice-President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: Prof. Wu has played various leadership roles in technology as well as the development of policies and strategies for the communications industry in China.

Dr. Young Ky Kim, Executive Vice-President of Samsung Telecommunication Network Business: Dr. Kim is also Executive Vice-President for Samsung Electronics Ltd, and General Manager of the Next Generation System R&D Division, responsible for Samsung R&D and commercialization of Samsung’s mobile broadband network and services.

Showing the HKSAR Government’s support for the conference, Mr. Joseph W. P. Wong, Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology, will welcome participants from all over the world at the opening ceremony.

For more information on WCNC 2007, visit http://www.ieee-wcnc.org/