The 10th Annual Forum was held in Mauritius from 22nd to 24th October 2012. Mauritius was a fitting conference location owing to the relevance of the theme of Mobile Broadband for Development given the recent launch of 4G networks on the island.

In addition to the traditional conference format which featured debates on issues such as spectrum, widespread access to mobile broadband and regulatory enablers for appropriate infrastructure, content and applications, this event also featured a number of innovative activities. These included an applications shout-out from the local mobile developer ecosystem and a 30-hour challenge for young developers to create a mobile application for public transportation which could be replicable across the Commonwealth. Of particular interest was a half-day high-level workshop on the implications of IPv6 followed by a field visit to Emtel Mauritius’ state-of-the-art data centre.

The Forum brought together an impressive array of industry players, which included local ICT leaders as well as international firms such as Mauritius Telecom/Orange, EMTEL, NetClean, AFRINIC, DCL, O3B Networks, Jilanda Security Smart and Avanti. It provided a platform for ICT policy makers and a range of representatives from the telecoms sector to share knowledge and best practice from their respective countries as well as engaging in stimulating discussions about issues on Mobile Broadband which affect the Commonwealth as well as the rest of the world.