Inter BEE 2018: Admission pre-registration and forum attendance reservations open; show to feature a wealth of new products and content, with the focus on topics including 4K/8K, 5G, IP, eSports, and AI

Advance admission registration and forum attendance reservations are now open for Inter BEE 2018, the 54th edition of the trade show also known as the International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition. (Admission is free.) Inter BEE 2018 is set to be held from Wednesday, November 14th to Friday, November 16th at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, Japan. The three-day event is organized by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA).
　
•Expected to be the biggest Inter BEE ever
Preparations are well underway for Inter BEE 2018, with the goal of making this year's edition a comprehensive, content-centric event that will bring together the worlds of media, communications, and entertainment, encompassing the realms of "Making (Production)," "Sending (Transmission)," and "Getting (Experience)."
2017 saw a record number of requests from prospective exhibitors. Now, Inter BEE 2018 is set to surpass last year's count of 1,139 exhibitor companies. As of the day of writing, compared to the same date last year, the number of exhibitor applications for this year's show has exceeded even last year's record-setting pace. The organizers anticipate that, in the end, 2018 will see the largest Inter BEE ever.

•Happening just ahead of the launch of 4K/8K satellite broadcasting! Get the full story here!
This year's Inter BEE is set to take place at a special moment in broadcasting, namely the December 1st, 2018 launch of 4K/8K satellite broadcasts in Japan. Preparations are underway, with the goal of giving attendees the chance to experience, first-hand and in detail, everything surrounding production technology, broadcast services, and receiver systems in the new field of 4K/8K satellite broadcasting at this year's Inter BEE.
In specific terms, planned for inclusion are:
(1) An introduction to the latest 4K/8K production technology, which will unlock new expressive potential in the medium of video,
(2) information on programming and content from the channels of nine companies that will begin broadcasting this year,
and (3) information on receiving methods, to be provided in the form of demonstrations of production models of commercially-available receivers (including TVs) and displays of equipment for receiver systems.

•Nine companies beginning 4K/8K satellite broadcasting service to take the stage for keynote speeches
At the INTER BEE FORUM, to be held at Makuhari Messe's International Conference Hall, the Opening Session and keynote speeches will be combined for the first time in the exhibition's history, with the Inter BEE 2018 Opening and Keynote event. This event will take place on the first day of the exhibition.
This year, keynote speeches will be given by representatives from Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, the country's public broadcaster NHK, and the Association for Promotion of Advanced Broadcasting Services (A-PAB). Additional speeches will be given by representatives of nine companies that will be launching new broadcasting services this year: NHK; Asahi Satellite Broadcasting Limited; BS-TBS, Inc.; BS TV Tokyo Corporation; BS Fuji Inc.; Tohokushinsha Media Service Inc.; SC Satellite Broadcasting Co., Ltd.; QVC Japan Satellite, Inc.; and SKY Perfect Entertainment Corporation. The speakers will share their companies' messages with the public as they head toward the launch of their new services.

•Special exhibition on 5G, which is set to be used in the media and entertainment worlds
The standard specifications for 5G, the fifth generation of mobile communications infrastructure, have been finalized by the 3GPP standardization project, which itself is made up of a group of telecommunications standards organizations. With the finalization of the 5G NR standards at the group's 3GPP Plenary meeting in June of this year, 2018 is expected to be the year in which the much-anticipated worldwide commercialization of 5G begins. Planned for this year's Inter BEE is a special exhibition entitled INTER BEE 5G, which will cover 5G and its ability to provide ultra-high speed, ultra-low latency, and simultaneous connections.
INTER BEE 5G will provide attendees with information on the potential applications of 5G in the media and entertainment fields, which are sure to be studied closely by other industries. This special exhibition will also serve as a place for video producers, broadcasters, distributors, content owners, and others who work with or are interested in 5G to network.
Additionally, the keynote speeches on Friday, November 16th will include a section entitled 5G Session 2018, in which leaders from NTT DOCOMO, Inc., KDDI Corporation, and SoftBank Corporation will share insights into their companies' efforts.

•Digital Content Expo 2018 to be held alongside Inter BEE
This year, Digital Content Expo, organized by the Digital Content Association of Japan, will once again be held during Inter BEE. The Expo's theme will be the cutting-edge digital technology that has brought about forms of expression that reach beyond the audio-visual realm to appeal to the senses of touch and smell, as well as the products of cognitive science, and more. The synergies between this international event's ability to provide a first-hand experience of the future that will be unlocked by content technology, and the trailblazing technologies, services, and innovations that have resulted from the growth of the content business—which Inter BEE seeks to promote—will create new business opportunities, as well as the chance to make new discoveries.

•Over 100 sessions, covering a wide range of subjects
The keynote speech program for this year's INTER BEE FORUM features a range of significant topics, including eSports, AI, 5G, live signal transmission over IP, and what awaits Japan after Tokyo 2020.
Special displays and stages within the exhibition halls will also host sessions including INTER BEE CREATIVE, which will bring attendees the latest from the front lines of video production; INTER BEE CONNECTED, which will focus on the fusion of broadcasting and communications; and INTER BEE IGNITION, which will present new ideas for creative approaches to media spaces in fields including entertainment. In total, more than 100 sessions will take place over the three days of Inter BEE.

Beginning this year, as is the case with INTER BEE FORUM, advance booking via the web will be required in order to attend sessions held at special displays and on stages at the exhibition halls. (Does not apply to some mini-stages.)

•The world's largest high-end speaker demonstration!
This year will see the continuation of an Inter BEE tradition: a demonstration of speakers that are used at concerts and other live events. At the Makuhari Messe Event Hall's large arena, attendees will have the chance to experience the quality that 15 different products can deliver at high volume, all in one place, making this the largest event of its kind in the world.
The exhibition halls will also feature a section where attendees can test the microphones and headphones that the professionals use. This will be a rare, precious opportunity to listen to and compare a range of high-end products.

•Experience the near-future worlds of media, communications, and entertainment
At Inter BEE, attendees will be able to experience the near-future worlds of media, communications, and entertainment, through displays and presentations of the latest products from exhibitor companies from around the world, hands-on events, and conference sessions on a variety of topics.
In addition to broadcasters, telecommunications carriers, and companies and professionals in the video and audio production fields, Inter BEE will welcome public relations and marketing professionals, designers and web producers, facilities and event professionals from a wide range of enterprises and municipalities, and more, creating an entirely new kind of business and networking space that will give rise to valuable opportunities.

The latest information and details are always available on the official Inter BEE website.
www.inter-bee.com


Exhibition Overview
•Title: Inter BEE 2018 / International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition 2018 (54th edition)
•Date/Time: Wednesday, November 14th–Thursday, November 15th, 2018, 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Friday, November 16th, 2018, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (3 days)
•Venue: Makuhari Messe (International Exhibition Halls 1–8, Event Hall, International Conference Hall), 2-1 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba Prefecture
•Admission: Free (registration required)
•Organizer: Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA)
•With support from: (In official order as determined by the Government of Japan) Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications; Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry; (in no particular order) NHK; the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association; the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses
Digital Content Association of Japan; the Association for Promotion of Advanced Broadcasting Services

For all inquiries from the press regarding this subject:
Public Relations Office, Planning and Management Department, Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (Contact: Yoshida)
Tel: 03-5218-1053 / 080-7749-2249 Email: press@inter-bee.com