I am pleased to provide the Light Reading community a preview of Ethernet Expo Americas 2012, which will be at the Hilton New York during Nov. 6-8.

The Expo once again is on track to be the largest event in the world focused on carrier Ethernet-based business/cloud, wholesale, mobile backhaul, and residential services and the converged Ethernet/MPLS/packet-optical network infrastructure used to deliver them. It is the annual gathering place of industry professionals seeking to stay up with the latest Ethernet services and technology trends -- including Carrier Ethernet 2.0 and the rise of software-defined networking (SDN).

A record number of more than 80 industry experts from 55+ companies and organizations are directly participating in this year's event. We also have a record number of almost 40 service provider speakers, as well as dozens of speakers from network solutions vendors, telecom research firms, and industry organizations.

Attendees. More than 1,200 people attended Ethernet Expo 2011, including almost 830 service provider, enterprise, financial, press, and other professionals from non-vendor sponsor companies. Of surveyed attendees, 99 percent said they planned to return again in 2012, so we expect another great audience turnout in November. If you have not registered yet, please do so here. Keep in mind that service provider, enterprise, public sector and defense professionals can attend for free.

Main Topics. We have an exciting and refreshed program that is focused on accelerating your business. Key service & technology topics include:

• Ethernet cloud carrier and Ethernet-enabled cloud services

• Advanced Ethernet business services

• Ethernet wholesale services and interconnection (special half day workshop)

• Mobile backhaul services and infrastructure -- including backhaul for the small-cell era

• CE 2.0 -- including end-to-end service management/performance assurance

• Carrier SDN and OpenFlow

• 100Gbit/s Ethernet

• 100Gbit/s Transport

• Advanced CE 2.0 and IP/MPLS infrastructure for converging the edge

• Security

Who's Who List of Expert Speakers. Once again, we have lined up a stellar group of professionals who are shaping the communications markets and driving service and technology innovation. This list includes many executives and other senior experts who participate in Heavy Reading's global Ethernet Executive Council program. For the first time, all of the top eight to 10 Ethernet service providers in the U.S. will be directly involved in the Expo.

• Keynotes. Keynote speakers include Mike Rouleau of tw telecom, Bennett Gamel of CenturyLink, Chris Janz of Ciena, Gustavo De Los Reyes of AT&T's Security Research Center, Margaret Chiosi of AT&T, Duncan Puller of Sidera Networks, Jeff Schwartz of Verizon, Jarrett Appleby of CoreSite, and Nan Chen of the MEF.

• Service Provider Speakers. We also have numerous executives, CTOs and other service and technology experts from Allied Fiber, AT&T, Comcast, Cox, Equinix, Global Capacity, Inteliquent, Integra, Level 3, Lightower, Megapath, NTT Americas, Sidera, TATA, Telx, Time Warner Cable, Transbeam, tw telecom, Verizon Wholesale, XO and Zayo.

• Carrier Ethernet network solutions suppliers. Many of the world's leading suppliers of next-generation carrier Ethernet, packet optical, service management, testing, component and emerging SDN solutions will be showcased in the Expo hall as well. These include Super Platinum Sponsor Ciena, Platinum Sponsors Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Fujitsu, MRV Communications, Overture and RAD, as well as many Gold sponsors highlighted on the Expo homepage.

• Industry Organizations. Senior representatives of the MEF and Open Networking Foundation (ONF) will be providing updates about industry initiatives related to CE 2.0, mobile backhaul, Ethernet access, SDN and OpenFlow.

• Top Industry and Financial Analysts. Leading industry analyst from Heavy Reading, Infonetics, and Vertical Systems as well as a top financial analyst from MKM Partners will be participating on an analyst roundtable at the event.

You can see the full agenda at http://www.lightreading.com/live/event_information.asp?event_id=29765.

I hope that you will be able to take advantage of this extraordinary networking and educational opportunity and look forward to seeing you in New York

— Stan "EtherMan" Hubbard, Senior Analyst, Heavy Reading; Chairman, Ethernet Expo Americas 2012