WBBA Broadband Development Congress Shanghai 2025 | Smarter Infrastructure: Converging AI and Broadband

SHANGHAI, June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Broadband Association (WBBA) successfully convened the 2025 Broadband Development Congress in Shanghai, spotlighting the theme: "Smarter Infrastructure: Converging AI and Broadband." This global congress brought together industry leaders, world-renowned experts, and leading scholars to explore how artificial intelligence, and broadband innovation can jointly power the next chapter of the digital economy.

Global Vision, Industry Leadership

The congress opened with keynote addresses from Dr Zhengmao Li, Chairman of the Board, WBBA; Vivek Badrinath, Director General, GSMA; Dr Houlin Zhao, Chairman of Advisory Committee, WBBA and former Secretary-General, ITU; and Ruiwen Ke, Executive Director, Chairman and CEO, China Telecom.

Distinguished speakers such as David Wang, Executive Director, Huawei; Ronan de Renesse, Vice President, Telecom Research, Omdia; Hongtao Lyu, Deputy GM of Construction and Development Department,  China Unicom; Bill Huang, Founder & CEO of Dataa Robotics; and Dr Jiawei Shao, Research Scientist, China Telecom AI Research Institute, delivered insightful presentations on the convergence of AI and broadband.

Highlights & Strategic Insights

Dr Zhengmao Li shared key milestones from WBBA's first half of 2025, including expanded board elections and the formal establishment of an Advisory Committee. He reaffirmed WBBA's commitment to openness, inclusivity, and global collaboration—strengthening its role as a bridge for international cooperation in building a robust, intelligent digital infrastructure.

Vivek Badrinath emphasized that smarter infrastructure requires not only innovation but also strong investment and supportive regulatory frameworks. He highlighted the aligned missions of GSMA and WBBA, underscoring their intent to collaborate broadly and deeply to ensure the AI revolution benefits the entire industry ecosystem.

Dr Houlin Zhao introduced the strategic role of the Advisory Committee, pledging it would serve as a think tank for WBBA's growth. He also officially appointed two new advisors: Boris Koprivnikar, former Deputy Prime Minister of Slovenia, and Brahima Sanou, former Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau.

Ruiwen Ke articulated China Telecom's vision for AI and broadband as core pillars of future societal progress. He called for global cooperation through WBBA to promote secure, fair, and innovation-driven AI development, while sharing China Telecom's own practices of cloud-network integration, industry empowerment, and AI governance.

Industry Innovation & Technological Frontiers

Dr Ronan de Renesse explored the evolving synergies between AI and broadband, presenting a strategic framework and real-world use cases to help operators turn AI-powered networks into profitable ventures.

David Wang outlined Huawei's "All Intelligence" strategy in the era of general-purpose AI, showcasing its Ultra-Broadband (UBB) solutions and expressing a desire to collaborate globally to seize new AI-driven growth opportunities.

Hongtao Lyu introduced China Unicom's dual-focus approach: "Network for AI" and "AI for Network." He reaffirmed Unicom's dedication to advancing AI-broadband integration through WBBA, while expanding cooperation with global standards bodies such as ITU, 3GPP, and GSMA.

Bill Huang described how large language models are catalysing a new AI revolution, enabling end-to-end embodied intelligence in humanoid robots—hailed as the third computing platform after PCs and smartphones. He showcased HARIX OS and a new "learn by demonstration" programming paradigm, aimed at accelerating the intelligent robotics ecosystem.

Dr Jiawei Shao unveiled AI Flow, an intelligent interconnection technology powered by family-based AI models. Designed to overcome device constraints and cloud latency, AI Flow supports collaborative edge-cloud intelligence, aiming to realize "AI Without Borders."

Deep-Dive Panel Discussion

In a high-impact panel session, Martin Creaner, Director General, WBBA, Ziping Liu, Deputy Secretary General, Asia Pacific Telecommuity, Darius Delgado, Chief Commercial Officer, Globe Telecom, Benton Gong, CIO, Head of Technology and Operations, DBS Bank China, and Peter Hu, Vice President, GM of Wireline Marketing, ZTE discussed how AI can drive value creation, promote cross-sector collaboration, and reshape the future of telecom and enterprise operations.

New Industry White Papers Released

Three white papers were unveiled at the event:

• Expanding Advanced Fixed Broadband Networks for All
• Circular Economies and the Evolution of Fixed Broadband
• Beyond Broadband: Revolutionizing CPN Connectivity

These publications explore how technologies such as Wi-Fi 7, FTTR, deterministic networking, and AI are reshaping the broadband landscape—offering actionable guidance for the future of fixed network development.

Building the Future of Global Cloud-Network Broadband

This landmark conference gathered the world's most influential voices from across the broadband and cloud-networking sectors to exchange ideas, ignite innovation, and foster strategic partnerships. Together, participants laid the groundwork for an intelligent, integrated, and inclusive digital future.

About WBBA

The World Broadband Association (WBBA) is a global, industry-led, multilateral, and non-profit organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. With over 170 members—including China Telecom, China Unicom, Swisscom, and Huawei—WBBA is committed to guiding the future of cloud-network broadband through collaboration and innovation.

In 2024, WBBA launched the Cloud-Network Broadband Excellence Awards, recognizing trailblazers driving innovation and transformation across network infrastructure, AI, and beyond. This year's awards are now open for submissions, with the prestigious ceremony to be held in October in Paris during WBBA's Annual Flagship Conference. Industry leaders are warmly invited to join the celebration and help shape the next era of broadband excellence.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

WBBA Broadband Development Congress Shanghai 2025 | Smarter Infrastructure: Converging AI and Broadband

HANOI, Vietnam, Jan. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Travellive Media Group is pleased to announce the HOTLIST Travellive Editor's Pick 2025 (HOTLIST 2025), a curated project honouring outstanding brands, destinations, and individuals that have made significant contributions to the development of Vietnam's tourism industry over the past year.

HOTLIST is a expert-curated list reflecting the evolving values of the market at each stage of development. The selection process combines the expertise of a prestigious advisory council comprising both domestic and international experts, based on key criteria including quality, innovation, social impact, and sustainable growth potential.

Last year, HOTLIST 2024 made a strong impression on the tourism, hospitality, and service community by recognising more than 40 brands and 12 inspiring individuals across 28 categories spanning hospitality and resorts, destinations, technology, and experiential initiatives. The year also marked the first time HOTLIST expanded into a professional event series, featuring The Insiders Forum and the Honor Ceremony, attracting over 700 guests including senior business leaders and experts from various fields.

HOTLIST 2025: From Seed to Harvest

Entering 2025, HOTLIST is developed under the theme "From Seed to Harvest" inspired by rice, a symbol deeply rooted in Vietnam's wet-rice civilisation and cultural identity. From planting ideas and nurturing resources to harvesting sustainable achievements, this metaphor reflects the authentic development journey of projects, brands, and destinations within the tourism and hospitality industry.

At a time when the tourism sector faces multiple challenges such as climate change, shifting traveller behaviour, and global competition, the spirit of "From Seed to Harvest" underscores the importance of long-term vision, perseverance, and adaptability.

This year, HOTLIST 2025 introduces a public voting component in the final evaluation stage, enabling the community and industry professionals to participate directly in the selection process. Beyond fostering engagement, this initiative also provides an opportunity for audiences to share their firsthand experiences with the shortlisted brands and projects.

HOTLIST 2025 Honourees

HOTLIST 2025 expands its scope across key tourism sectors, featuring 07 main categories: Hospitality; Aviation; Travel Design & Experiences; Destination; Technology & Innovations; Sustainability and Community Projects & Voices. Each category aims to identify exemplary individuals and brands that play a guiding role in shaping the future of Vietnam's tourism and hospitality industry.

This year's list continues to acknowledge well-established brands such as Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An; Topas Ecolodge; Six Senses Ninh Van Bay; P'apiu Resort; Wink Hotels, among others. It also introduces international brands that have made a positive impact on the Vietnamese market, including voco Quang Binh Resort by IHG, Park Hyatt Phu Quoc, and Hyatt Place Halong Bay, Bai Chay. In the Aviation category, STARLUX AIRLINES was selected for its premium flight experience.

The expansion and diversification of award categories reflect HOTLIST's commitment to comprehensively capturing industry dynamics, while encouraging responsible development models that respect local identity and generate positive social impact.

As part of its mission to deliver practical value to the tourism industry, HOTLIST 2025 will host The Insiders Forum in Hanoi (7 January 2026, Sheraton Hanoi West) and Ho Chi Minh City (19 January 2026, JW Marriott Hotel & Suites Saigon). The forums will gather business leaders, experts, and researchers to share insights and discuss key topics shaping tourism landscape.

On 19 January 2026, The Honor Ceremony will take place in Ho Chi Minh City to officially recognise and present certificates to the brands, projects, and individuals featured in HOTLIST 2025. The event will also serve as a B2B networking platform for industry stakeholders.

Through each edition, HOTLIST Travellive Editor's Pick has gradually become a highly anticipated annual reference point for the tourism community, built on credibility, sustainability-driven orientation, and a series of professional programmes. Through recognition activities, dialogue forums, and community connections, Travellive not only highlights market excellence but also actively contributes to promoting sustainable thinking and elevating standards within tourism industry.

This year, HOTLIST 2025 is supported by The Brand Promise (Co-organiser of The Insiders Forum), PR Newswire (Media Partner), and sponsoring brands including BMWines, Lady Triệu (drink experiences), and Cocoon, Jourdeness (gifts). HOTLIST 2025 continues to amplify meaningful stories, connect outstanding individuals and organisations, and share positive values with the wider public.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

HOTLIST 2025 "From Seed to Harvest": A Story of Resilience and Transformation