LONDON, April 2 /PRNewswire/ --

- Service provider, vendor, and individual awards to be presented at Ethernet Expo Europe 2009

Details were announced today of Light Reading's prestigious Carrier Ethernet annual awards to be judged by a panel of Carrier Ethernet industry experts and presented at Ethernet Expo: Europe 2009, May 13-14 at ExCel Conference Centre in London. Entries are invited for this outstanding opportunity to be recognized as a leader in the development and promotion of Carrier Ethernet across Europe. In addition to awarding the greatest individual contribution, the awards will honor service providers - both for overall portfolio and for individual service excellence - and vendors contributing the best access product and the best infrastructure product.

These awards, recognizing leadership and outstanding achievement in the European Ethernet products and services market, are entirely free to enter and are open to all service providers and vendors sponsoring Ethernet Expo Europe. Six categories will be represented this year:

- Ethernet Service Provider of the Year, Europe - Best Ethernet Service For the service provider that has launched the most promising new retail or wholesale Ethernet service in Europe since last year's European Ethernet Expo. - Ethernet Service Provider of the Year - Best Product Portfolio For the service provider offering the strongest Ethernet services connectivity and applications portfolio. - Carrier Ethernet Vendor of the Year, Europe - Best Access Product For the network equipment supplier that has begun shipping the best new Carrier Ethernet access platform (CEAP) in Europe since last year's European Ethernet Expo. CEAP solutions include Ethernet-over-TDM access circuit, Ethernet-over-bonded copper pair, Ethernet-over-fiber demarcation/access switching, and wireless platforms. Note that platforms should be MEF 9, MEF 14, and/or MEF 18 certified to qualify for consideration, and that this award is restricted to vendors included among the sponsors of Ethernet Expo Europe. - Carrier Ethernet Vendor of the Year, Europe - Best Infrastructure Product For the network equipment supplier that has begun shipping the best new Carrier Ethernet infrastructure platform in Europe since last year's European Ethernet Expo. Carrier Ethernet infrastructure solutions include Carrier Ethernet Switch/Routers (CESR), Ethernet Service Edge (ESE) Routers, and Packet Optical Transport Platforms (POTS). Note that platforms should be MEF 9, MEF 14, and/or MEF 18 certified to qualify for consideration, and that this award is restricted to vendors included among the sponsors of Ethernet Expo Europe. - Carrier Ethernet Person of the Year, Europe For the industry professional who has made the greatest contribution to advance the adoption of Carrier Ethernet services and/or technologies in Europe since last year's European Ethernet Expo. Qualifying candidates must be nominated by an industry peer and may work for a service provider, equipment or component supplier, and/or an industry organization.

The Ethernet Expo Europe Awards entry form can be found here: http://www.lightreading.com/europeawards

Chaired by Stan Hubbard, Senior Analyst at Heavy Reading, Ethernet Expo: Europe 2009 is the premier event covering the hot topic of Carrier Ethernet network technologies and services in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). In addition to providing a superb networking opportunity for service providers, equipment manufacturers, and enterprise MIS/IT decision makers, this year's Ethernet Expo is the first to be open to all interested European network/telecom press and media.

Additional information on Ethernet Expo Europe can be found here: www.ethernetexpoeurope.com. Registration for press and analysts is free.

Contact: Amy Averbook Director of Corporate Marketing Light Reading averbook@lightreading.com +1-212-925-0020 x112

About Light Reading

Founded in 2000, Light Reading (www.lightreading.com) is the leading online media, research, and focused event company serving the US$3 trillion worldwide communications market. Lightreading.com is the ultimate source for technology and financial analysis of the communications industry, leading the media sector in terms of traffic, content, and reputation. Light Reading's research arms, Heavy Reading and Pyramid Research, provide the most comprehensive communications research, market data, and technology analysis in close to 100 markets around the world. Light Reading produces nearly 20 targeted communications events including TelcoTV, Ethernet Expo New York and Ethernet Expo London, The Tower Summit @ CTIA, and Optical Expo, as well as focused one-day events tailored for cable, mobile, and wireline executives. Light Reading was acquired by United Business Media in August 2005 and operates as a unit of TechWeb.

About TechWeb

TechWeb (http://techweb.com/aboutus), the global leader in business technology media, is an innovative business focused on serving the needs of technology decision-makers and marketers worldwide. TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed media brands in the business technology market. Today, more than 13.3 million* business technology professionals actively engage in our communities created around our global face-to-face events, Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat, and VoiceCon; online resources such as the TechWeb Network, Light Reading, Intelligent Enterprise, InformationWeek.com, bMighty.com, and The Financial Technology Network; and the market leading, award-winning InformationWeek, TechNet Magazine, MSDN Magazine, and Wall Street Technology magazines. TechWeb also provides end-to-end services including next-generation performance marketing, integrated media, research, and analyst services. TechWeb is a division of United Business Media, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than US$2.5 billion.

*13.3 million business decision-makers: based on number of monthly connections

About United Business Media Limited

UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information distribution, targeting, and monitoring; and, the development and monetization of B2B communities and markets. UBM's businesses inform markets and serve professional commercial communities - from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists - with integrated events, online, print and business information products. Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organized into specialist teams that serve these communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For more information, go to http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com

Amy Averbook, Director of Corporate Marketing, Light Reading, +1-212-925-0020 x112, averbook@lightreading.com