Tables are set (we call them booth, but they are simply two tables put together in L-shape), the network and power cables being laid down. Equipment on the racks is humming away:
IMTC’s annual flagship interoperability testing event, called SuperOp!, is starting on Monday, May 16th.
It will be 15th SuperOp! – as IMTC had being working since 1993 on ensuring interoperability of standards-based communication technologies and devices. There had being numerous interoperability testing events done by individual activity groups – I would roughly estimate that total number of events might be closer to 150 – engineers, competitors, getting together to ensure that competition and marketing aside, our technology is cohesive and working together – in real life.
Everything runs in circles in this life. Okay, it is actually a spiral, but when you are in it, it looks like circle. We became a full circle with the location of the event – Three out of four biggest and most successful IMTC SuperOp! events took place in Hawaii – 1998, 1999, 2001 ( 2000 event was in Nice). All the way until 2006, IMTC SuperOp! events were conducted in September ( then shifted into April/May time frame). The event in year 2001 was taking place September 10-14… I still remember being awaken at 3:30 AM on Tuesday, September 11, with an unfathomable news of World Trade Center bombing. So when we decided that we are going to Hawaii for 2011 event, whole planning cycle had being a bit surreal, in anticipation of waking up and finding out that it was just a dream. But – we are here. It is a different island (we are on Big Island now), but still a Hilton hotel is hosting the event – Hilton Waikoloa Village. Things do run in circles.
Our view here at Kona
Until 2001, H.323 protocol was the main focus of IMTC. At the beginning 2001, a small group of companies approached IMTC and said “streaming video is important, and it will be big, and it should be interoperable”. SuperOp! 2001 was first ever event to test Packet Switch Streaming technologies – and yes, it became big and continues to be one of the main activities of IMTC.
Everything runs in circles. SuperOp! 2011 will be first ever event for Voice over LTE testing over live LTE network (courtesy of our sponsor, Huawei). SuperOp! 2011 will be first ever event for testing TIP – Telepresence Interoperability Protocol. SuperOp! 2011 will be first ever IMTC event for Huawei, Acme Packet, Teliris, Magor, BlueJeans. Overall, there will be more engineers attending this SuperOp! 2011 than SuperOp! 2010.
Video communications and all –IP communications are marching forward with ever-increasing speed. Video communication became regular part of our daily lives. IP pipe, ubiquitously available in 4G mobile networks, promises to further simplify our daily communication and allow delivering of the new services. For more than 15 years, IMTC had being pushing both Video and ubiquitous all-IP communication to become a simple reality, based on proven interoperability – and the work is going to continue. And if you are not participating yet, it is time to be the part of the circle of Interoperability – the first ever.
