Wednesday, May 25, 2005, Stanford University, Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center

Innovation and demand for new digital media services - streaming video, music, ringtone downloads, offline/online gaming, etc. - have suddenly accelerated and taken unanticipated forms. The rapid expansion of packetized digital content delivery mechanisms for these new media types is also now driving seamless "convergence" of voice, video and data, pushing a new frontier of exciting media applications and services.

This powerful emergence of new media is forcing equally groundbreaking shifts in paradigms for service, infrastructure and content providers. Service providers are now scrambling to acquire, manage, and deliver these services over infrastructure optimized for this new purpose. Infrastructure vendors are vying to deploy "next generation media networks" -fixed or mobile- that can flexibly support these new media services while maintaining high levels of quality and robustness. Traditional content providers are now discovering new outlets for their content (music, games, video services), while nextgeneration content providers are rapidly emerging and fighting to differentiate themselves. Furthermore, pervasive media-independent broadband connectivity, coupled with ever more economical media devices, is extending the reach of media services to enterprises, homes and individual consumers alike.

The Stanford Networking Research Center (SNRC) and Accel Partners, a long-time member of the Silicon Valley venture community, have organized this 13th special Symposium to explore and highlight emerging trends and potential obstacles surrounding these next generation media networks. Broad issues to address include:

• How will IP delivery of content change business models?
• What are the protection, privacy and rights demands and technology hurdles required?
• What are the critical technical challenges for deploying home networks?
• Will power shift away from service providers toward content owners?
• What are the Quality of Service requirements and challenges for the various submarkets
• What new forms of content (e.g., ringtones) or content companies might emerge?
• How will today's networks transform to support converged media services?
• What security mechanisms are needed to appropriately protect content?
• How must business models change to support new demand, SNRC - Stanford Networking Research Center: Overview Page 1 of 2 http://snrc.stanford.edu/318.html 1/20/2006 converging services and delivery means?
• Which hyped services will be pragmatic for the foreseeable future and which will not?
• What standards gaps exist and where are the biggest standards battles being fought?

This Symposium brings together the Stanford research/education community and high-technology/business leaders from Silicon Valley and beyond who are at the epicenter in driving developments in this rapidly growing arena. Academic and industrial experts from diverse disciplines and top executives of leading corporations will present unique personal insights and exchange views about current and future challenges and opportunities. The Symposium is structured into four sessions, each focusing on a particular theme:

• innovative media content,
• multimedia converged networks,
• mobile media,
• and digital home networking.

These lively sessions will consist of targeted viewpoints, as well as open panel discussions and interactive participation from the audience.

As the previous Symposia have demonstrated, engaging leading industry and academic experts with informed and experienced participants results in thoughtful discussions and deep insights into future trends and opportunities. Plan to attend and leave better informed about the "Next Generation Media Networks" that will not only significantly shape the future technology landscape, but also directly touch our everyday lives going forward.

We look forward to seeing you at the Symposium.