Parks Associates announces the topics and preliminary list of speakers for CONNECTIONS Europe Summit, March 31, 2009, in Nice, France. This executive event addresses the new strategies for service and technology providers, media companies, and manufacturers in creating new entertainment and communications solutions.

"Twenty-eight percent of broadband households in Western Europe watch TV shows online at least monthly," said Kurt Scherf, vice president, principal analyst, Parks Associates. "HDTV ownership among broadband households is at or above 50% in several countries. Combining online activities with advanced CE is one point of convergence where companies with the right solution can offer real value to their customers. CONNECTIONS Europe focuses on these emerging opportunities."

Summit sessions include broadband and value-added services, the evolution of video services, digital media, connected CE, digital home services and customer support, and the future of consumer technologies.

CONNECTIONS Europe features Roger Pitton, Program Director, TV Business, Microsoft Corporation, delivering the keynote "IPTV and the keys to keeping customers." The event also features:

• Michimasa Aramaki, HD-PLC Alliance
• Thierry Boudard, Thomson
• Richard Bullwinkle, Macrovision
• Mark Cavicchia, WhereverTV
• Brian Donnelly, Icron
• Margot Dor, ETSI
• Paul Entwistle, Pace
• Milan Erbes, HGI
• Gil Eyal, Enure Networks
• Ed Forman, ActiveVideo Networks
• Peter Galyas, Tilgin
• Trevor Izsak, Cloakware
• Stefan Jenzowsky, moreTV Broadcasting GmbH
• Art Lancaster, Affinegy
• Dr. Ulrich Leiner, Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, HHI
• Dr. Anton Monk, MoCA; Entropic Communications
• Trond Neergard, Radialpoint
• Dr. Randolph Nikutta, Deutsche Telekom AG, Laboratories
• Frederic Onado, HomePlug Powerline Alliance; SPiDCOM Technologies
• Eric Plesner, IO-Homecontrol
• Micha Risling, Valens Semiconductor
• Eran Rom, Jungo
• Bill Stanley, Telcordia