JUNE 21, 2011

CONNECTIONS™ to examine roles of content and service providers as digital technologies create new consumer lifestyle experiences

Executive conference features keynotes from Verizon Telecom and Starz

Parks Associates today announced two keynote speakers, representing Verizon Telecom and Starz, for the CONNECTIONS™ Conference, being held next week at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The international research firm will host the Digital Living Conference and Showcase, featuring new consumer research on cloud media and connected CE and an agenda with over 100 executives on June 28-30.

"Consumer demand for new connected experiences is so strong many are taking a DIY approach, with 14% of U.S. broadband households using PC-to-TV connections to watch online video," said Kurt Scherf, vice president, principal analyst, Parks Associates. "Content and service providers have an inside track to this market as consumers demand premium content and ubiquitous access in and outside the home. Starz and Verizon are both significant players in area, offering valuable insight to CONNECTIONS™ attendees."

John B. Penney, Executive Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, Starz, LLC, will deliver the keynote "Opportunities and Challenges For The Dream Factory: Creating High-Quality TV Content For Digital Consumers" at 9 a.m., June 29. Mr. Penney will focus on the challenges for content providers as customer expectations increase as well as strategies to leverage demand for premium video to create new consumer experiences.

Eric J. Bruno, Vice President, Product Management, Verizon Telecom, will deliver the keynote "Consumer Ecosystem Innovation" at 9 a.m., June 30. Mr. Bruno will focus on the changing role of service providers within the connected home, including the innovative new digital consumer products Verizon is developing to connect with its customers.

Other CONNECTIONS™ Keynote Speakers are Glenn Lurie, President of Emerging Devices, Resale and Partnerships, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, presenting "New Connections for a Digital Life," and David Grubb III, VP, Architecture & Strategy, Converged Experiences, Motorola Mobility, presenting "Converged Experiences."

CONNECTIONS™ Sponsors are Association Sponsor CEA®; Platinum Sponsors IBM and Technicolor; Gold Sponsors Affinegy, Allegro, HCL, Radialpoint, and Rovi; Silver Sponsors AwoX; Hitachi; Independa; LEVEL Studios, a Rosetta Company; Motorola Mobility; PacketVideo; PlumChoice; Zonoff; and the Z-Wave Alliance; Bronze Sponsors AlertMe, EchoStar, HomePNA, iTOK.NET, Minerva Networks, and RoxioNow; and Break Sponsors Firstsource and Qresolve.

For information about CONNECTIONS™, visit www.connectionsus.com.

About CONNECTIONS™

Parks Associates' 27th annual CONNECTIONS™: The Premier Connected Home Conference features an in-person conference on May 23-25, 2023 and multiple virtual sessions hosted throughout 2023. The event focuses on the adoption of technology including smart home, security, connected health, energy, and home automation.

Bringing together more than 1,500 senior executives, CONNECTIONS™ provides networking opportunities combined with visionary keynotes and virtual sessions. The Parks Associates analyst team leads all conference sessions, which are focused on technology innovations, consumer adoption and trends, product and service forecasts, and the evaluation of new business strategies, partnerships, monetization opportunities, and value-added service design.

Throughout the event, sponsors offer demos during networking events, spotlighting new technology innovations and services for the entertainment, mobile, and smart home market segments.

CONNECTIONS™ 2023 features an in-person conference on May 23-25, 2023, with virtual sessions on March 2, July 20, and October 5. For more information, contact [email protected], call 972-490-1113, visit www.connectionsconference.com.

About Parks Associates: Parks Associates, a woman-founded and certified business, is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates provides business intelligence and research services through its proprietary methodologies developed over decades, including quarterly surveys of 10,000 internet households.

The company's expertise crosses many industries: home security and smart home, streaming video, broadband and pay-TV services, digital media and platforms, gaming, Wi-Fi and home networks, connected health, support, consumer electronics, home control systems, energy management, and tech solutions for the multi-dwelling (MDU), small-to-medium business (SMB), and commercial building markets.

Each year, Parks Associates brings thousands of leaders together for its webinars and annual events. The firm hosts the annual executive research and strategy conferences CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video. https://www.parksassociates.com