IRT Plenary Meetings Macau 2007
From CDGWiki
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March 20-22, 2007
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On behalf of the CDMA Development Group – International Roaming Team, you are invited to attend our IRT Meeting taking place March 20-22, 2007 in Macau. This meeting is Free of Charge to members of the CDMA Development Group.
The IRT Meeting promises to bring together world wide leading CDMA operators from around the globe, technology providers and industry consultants to address commercial and technical roaming strategies. It is important that all types of members participate. Having contract negotiators, marketing managers and technical engineers available; help develop real world solutions for issues that will advance CDMA roaming. Meetings participants will learn about and discuss the following issues:
- Roaming Service Quality
- Plus Code dialing
- Implementing packet data services
- Location based services
- Interstandard Roaming
Last quarter's event attracted over 100 participants who benefited from one place to meet CDMA roaming experts, find new partners, and consider business relationships. Below are a few of the operators that will be at the meeting which will help in establishing business relationships;
- Canada – TELUS Mobility
- China – China Unicom
- Japan - KDDI
- Korea – SK Telecom
- New Zealand - Telecom New Zealand
- United States – Alltel, Sprint Nextel, Verizon Wireless
Please note that registration is mandatory for a guaranteed seat in the meeting. Please click HERE to confirm your attendance in the working group meetings, plenary and social activities.
Previous meeting information, presentations, notes and journals are available on the IRT Homepage...
[edit] Attire Alert
Typical working group meeting attire is business casual. However, formal business wear is respected and appreciated in Macau. Business attire is requested for Opening ceremonies and Plenary meetings.
[edit] Hotel Information
The Landmark Macau Hotel
555 Avenida de Amizade, Macau
http://www.landmarkhotel.com.mo
The hotel room block has been opened. Rooms are available at a negotiated rate of 930MOP (net).
- Please fill out the this form and send it to the Landmark hotel by email: sales@landmarkhotel.com.mo and copy xieyingsi@unicommacau.com, or fax it to (853)2878 1619. The hotel will reply to you in writing to confirm your room. Should you not receive a confirmation in 3 days, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Yen Lam, Sales Executive,Direct line(853) 795-6036, email: yen.lam@landmarkhotel.com.mo.
- Check in: Hotel rooms are generally available for guest check-in after 2:00pm. Guests arriving prior to this time will be allocated rooms as soon as they become available. Please specify your arrival schedule to allow the hotel to prepare for your arrival.
- Check out: Check out time is 12:00pm. Guests requiring special consideration for a late check out should make their request when placing the original reservation or upon check in. This request is subject to room availability.
- Please provide a credit card in order to guarantee your room reservation. You room reservation will be held until 6:00pm on the date of arrival.
- All guests are responsible for their room accomodation charges and incidental expenses and all charges incurred will be settled upon departure. In order to speed up the check out process, credit cards will be imprited upon check in.
- All MAJOR credit cards are accepted except for American Express
- The room block is open until Februray 28th, 2007. Room reservations made after this date will be filled on availability.
[edit] Passports & Visas
All visitors must hold a passport or a valid travel document. Please note that the validity of these documents must NOT be less than 30 days from the day you enter Macau.
Visas are required by all visitors except nationals of Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Common Wealth of Dominicana, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, People's Republic of China, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America and Uruguay for a stay of less than 30 days. Hong Kong residents with Hong Kong Identity Card can stay in Macau for a period of up to 90 days. Visas can be obtained from the Immigration Services through Embassies/Consulates of the PRC and should be used within the validity, the visa is expired after the valid date. Visas are also available on arrival in Macau at the Immigration Services for a period of 30 days. "
- NOTE: The information supplied here is meant as a guide only and is subject to change without warning. Therefore all travellers should check the visa and immigration details with their local Macau (Hong Kong) Embassy or Consulate BEFORE departure for Macau.
TO RECEIVE A VSIA INVITATION LETTER PLEASE EMAIL VINCY CHE WITH YOUR PASSPORT AND ARRIVAL INFORMATION AT: xieyingsi@unicommacau.com.
[edit] Getting to Macau
[edit] Macau Airport
Macau's International Airport is available from several destinations in the region on direct flights or connecting flights to different ports of Asia, Europe or America. The airport is located on Taipa Island and is 15 minutes away from the Macau Ferry Terminal, 20 minutes from the Barrier Gate and only 10 minutes away from the COTAI Frontier Post. It operates 24 hours a day. For detailed information on flight schedules, please dial (853) 28861111 or visit http://www.macau-airport.com.
Reservations on Air Macau flights can be made through telephone number (853) 3965555. Air Macau counters are located at the Airport (Departures - 2nd floor) and 398 Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpção, R/C, Macau.
[edit] From Hong Kong (Express Route)
The "Cross Boundary Passenger Ferry Terminal" project provides deluxe passenger ferry service linking Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and Pearl River Delta region. A new brand "TurboJET Sea Express" runs the new service routes between HK International Airport, Shenzhen and Macau SAR.
Passengers can transit into or out of the Pearl River Delta region via Hong Kong International Airport without the need to go through HK Customs and Immigration formalities and also without the hassle of carrying their luggage to the ferry terminal.
- Journey time: 45 minutes.
- Fare: HK$180-300, Adults (US$23-38)
- Frequency: not listed
- Hours: not listed
- Website: http://www.turbojetseaexpress.com.hk
[edit] From Hong Kong (Longer Route)
After arriving into Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok International Airport take the Airport Express train to the Hong Kong station in Central (downtown Hong Kong). Then take a taxi to the Hong Kong- Macau Ferry Terminal at Sheung Wan. This will take one hour from Hong Kong to Macau and vice versa operating almost 24 hours. Drinks and snacks are available on board. Trips are made between the Hong Kong Ferry Terminal (located in the Shun Tak Centre at Sheung Wan) and the Macau Ferry Terminal (located in the Outer Harbour). Seats are allocated after check in and immigration, so hold tight! Once you arrive at the Macau Ferry Terminal, depart the terminal and awaiting is a free shuttle that will take you to your hotel. Please locate the shuttle bus with the Landmark Hotel logo on the side of the shuttle bus.
Airport Express Train:
- Fare: Single Trip HK$100 ($12-15)
- Frequency: Every 10 minutes
- Journey Time: 23 minutes
- Operating Hours: 5:50 AM - 00:48 AM
Taxi's in Hong Kong:
- Fare: HK$15-20 (US$2-5)
- Frequency: Available outside the terminal
- Journey Time: 10-15 minutes
- Operating Hours: 24 hours
Jet boat:
- Fare: HK$142-176 (US$18-23)economy, HK $244-275 (US$31 -35) super, VIP cabin 4-6 people HK$976-1650 (US$125-211)
- Frequency: Every 15 minutes
- Journey Time: 1 hour
- Operating Hours: 24 hours
Landmark Hotel Shuttle Bus
- Fare: Free for all hotel guests
- Frequency:Every 30 minutes
- Operating Hours: 9:00am - 8:30pm (from Hotel to Macau ferry terminal)
- Operating Hours: 9:15am - 8:45pm (from Macau ferry terminal to Hotel)
[edit] From Shenzen
The Yuet Tung Shipping Co. offers a ferry service departing from She Kou (Shenzhen) can travel at 8:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. Passangers departing from Macau (at the end of Av. Almeida Ribeiro, Rua das Lorchas, near the Master Hotel, Pier 14) at 10:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost MOP$120 (US$14-16)for adults and MOP$70 (US$8-10) for children. The trip takes about an hour and twenty minutes. Please call (853) 28574478 for more details.
TurboJET's service is also extended to carrying passengers to and from Shenzhen. The company offers trips between Macau and Shenzhen Fu Yong Ferry Terminal (09:45a.m., 10:45 a.m.*, 12:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. departing from Macau; 10:30 a.m.*, 1:30 p.m.and 5:15 p.m. departing from Shenzhen). The journey is just over an hour. Regular fares vary from HK$171 to HK$271 (US$21-35). For more information, please visit http://www.turbojet.com.hk/turbojet_sailing_rev.htm. Note: * Available on Saturday and Sunday.
Once you arrive at the Macau Ferry Terminal, depart the terminal and awaiting is a free shuttle that will take you to your hotel. Please locate the shuttle bus with the Landmark Hotel logo on the side of the shuttle bus.
[edit] Visitor Information
[edit] About Macau
Information provided by: http://www.hoteltravel.com/macau/guides/overview.htm
Macau is the oldest European enclave in Asia, predating Hong Kong by 300 years. It has an interesting mix of cultures, a fusion of Latin and Asian temperaments with a strong Portuguese flavor. It's a city of cobbled side streets, baroque churches, fortresses and exotic street names. There are Chinese temples and colonial villas, as well as excellent restaurants and fascinating places to discover around every corner.
Located on the south-eastern coast of China, Macau is situated at latitude 22° 14' north and longitude 113° 35' east. The territory comprises a peninsula and two islands in the Pearl River delta of Guangdong Province.
The city of Macau is built on the peninsula; two bridges link it to its nearest island of Taipa, which in turn is joined to Coloane by a causeway. At the extreme northern end of the peninsula, is the imposing gateway (Portas do Cerco, or Border Gate), which leads to the Zhuhai and Zhongshan areas of China.
The economy is based largely on tourism (including gambling) and textile and fireworks manufacturing. Efforts to diversify have spawned other small industries—toys, artificial flowers, and electronics. The tourist sector has accounted for roughly 25% of GDP, and the clothing industry has provided about two-thirds of export earnings; the gambling industry probably represents over 40% of GDP. Macau depends on China for most of its food, fresh water and energy imports and Japan and Hong Kong are the main suppliers of its raw materials and capital goods.
[edit] Travel Tips
CURRENCY The pataca (composed of 100 avos) is the official unit of currency. It is pegged to the Hong Kong Dollar at almost the same value. Nonetheless, HK Dollars are widely accepted. Patacas are available in coins and banknotes in denominations of 10, 20, and 50 avos, as well as 1 and 5 patacas (coins) and 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 patacas (notes).
Macau offers visitors the convenience of modern banking. Licensed banks, finance companies, and Automated Teller Machines (ATM) are available throughout the country. Any ATM exhibiting Visa, MasterCard, or America Express symbols will be able to provide cash withdrawal services.
The region's central bank is The Monetary and Foreign Exchange of Macau. Banking hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays, and from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
Foreign currencies can be exchanged in any of the hotels, banks, and licensed moneychangers that are widely available in the city. The Macau International Airport also has a 24 hour automatic currency exchange service.
TIME Macau is eight hours ahead of GMT. (13 hours from Eastern Standard Time.) (16 hours from Pacific Standard Time.)
WEATHER & CLIMATE The climate is moderate to hot, with an average annual temperature of just over 20°C (68°F) and a yearly mean variation between 16°C (50°F) and 25°C (77°F). The humidity is high with an average range between 75% and 90%. Rainfall is also high with the yearly total between 40 and 80 ins. The best season is autumn (October - December) when days are sunny and warm and the humidity is low. The winter (January March) is cold but sunny. In April, the humidity starts to build up and from May to September the climate is hot and humid with rain and occasional tropical storms (typhoons).
WHAT TO WEAR Cotton or light clothing is recommended for the summer. Wool coats may be required for the winter. Sweaters and jackets are sometimes necessary for the cooler evenings from March to May and September to November.
HEALTH Since Macau's climate is mild, there are no endemic diseases. International Inoculation Certificates are normally not required unless cholera has been detected in either Hong Kong or Macau or in the area recently visited by the visitor.
POSTAGE Postage System Macau has developed its postal services to the highest international standard. The general Post Office is located at Leal Senado Square. It is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays.
There are post offices, open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays, at the Macau Jetfoil Terminal and Macau International Airport. The Macau Postal Services have 15 automatic vending machines in different parts of the city. Most hotels offer postal facilities for guests' letters and packages, as well as packing services.
SAFETY Macau is relatively a very safe place. However, one should be careful of pickpockets. There are police stations and reporting centers throughout the territory. For emergency, dial 999.
Crime - Petty street crime occasionally occurs in tourist areas in Macau, including in and around casinos. The loss or theft abroad of a passport should be reported immediately to the local police and to the nearest consulate. Persons violating the law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession or trafficking in illegal drugs are strictly enforced. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines.
Security Concerns - Violence relating to organized crime has increased in Macau and poses potential security concerns for the general public. Recent incidents in Macau include a shooting and the placement of several small incendiary devices at a hotel and government buildings.
Road Safety - Traffic moves on the left in Macau and roads are narrow and winding. Traffic is generally congested throughout the day. Taxis are plentiful and inexpensive, as are public buses.
WATER Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.
BEACHES There are beaches in Macau. The most popular of those can be found at Cheoc Van and Hac Sá, on the east coast of the island can reached by public buses. The water is clean but muddy, while the sand at Hac Sá explains its meaning of 'black sand'. There are cafes and picnic sites on both beaches.
[edit] Top 10 Things to Do In Macau
1. Go swimming at Cheoc Van and Hac Sá beaches, on the east coast of the island. These beaches can reached by public buses. The water is clean but muddy (pearl River silt), while the sand at Hac Sá explains its meaning of 'black sand'. There cafes and picnic sites on both beaches.
2. Gasp at the Cybernetic Fountain the biggest fountain in Asia. Installed in the reservoir opposite the Ferry Terminal. It is computer-controlled and consists of 292 water jets, the tallest reaching 70 metres, with special shows of sound and light every night, except Fridays.
3. Gambling There are nine casinos in Macau (possibly more now with the addition of the Las Vegas style hotels going in), all operated under Government franchise by the Sociedade de Turismo e Diversoes de Macau (STDM) and rules are standard in all gaming halls. With the exception of the Victory Casino in the Macau Jockey Club, all casinos operate round the clock. Macau's casinos offer the largest variety of casinos game anywhere in the world, combining both established western favourites with long popular eastern games of chance.
4. Greyhound Racing The Canidrome, located in the northern part of the city, is the only Greyhound Racing facility in Asia. Today, it is considered one of the largest and best equipped in the world. Races are held four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays with over 300 dogs racing each day. Races are broadcast over radio and TV from broadcast studios also located within the complex. Off-course centres are located at Hotel Lisboa, Kam Pek Casino, Jai Alai Casino, and the Wing Heng Bldg. on Avenida Almeida Ribeiro. Check for operating time and dates before you go.
5. Enjoy the Largo do Senado Square. The 3,700 sq.m. Largo do Senado square is paved with a wave-patterned mosaic of coloured stones, created by Portuguese experts. From the main road to the church of St. Dominic, the pavement extends to the ruins of St. Paul's, making the heart of the city a pedestrian paradise.
6. Visit Lou Lim Ieoc Garden modelled on Chinese gardens in Soochow. With its twisting walks amid ornamental "mountains", it resembles a landscape in a Chinese painting.
7. Check out the Macau Maritime Museum situated opposite the historic A-Ma temple, the museum concentrates on Portuguese and Chinese maritime links. Displays include models, and real vessels moored nearby at no. l pier. It offers regular half-hour tours around the inner harbour with departures at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 3:30 pm and 4:30 pm everyday except on Tuesdays.
8. Experience the Macau Grand Prix Museum located in the basement of the Tourist Activities Centre, the Grand Prix Museum was opened in 1993 on the occasion of the 40th Macau Grand Prix, Asia's premier road racing event and the world's leading Formula 3 championship. It contains some of the cars and motorcycles that won here in the past, plus pictures, videos and memorabilia of such winners as Ayrton Senna. In addition there are interactive simulators for visitors to 'drive' the circuit. The museum is open 10:00 am - 6:00 pm.
9. Be in awe of the Ruins of St. Paul's is the most famous sight in Macau. The original church was probably designed by an Italian Jesuit in the early 17th century and was built with the assistance of Japanese Christian artisans who had fled from feudal persecution in Nagasaki. In 1835, the church and its adjacent college caught fire and burned to the ground leaving only the facade, the staircase and a few portions of the walls.
10. See the birds at Seac Pai Wan Park Built on the site of the Macau Foresty and Agriculture Department, the park covers 20 hectares. There is a large walk-in aviary stocked with birds and an air-conditioned display room to give information about local flora and fauna. Hundreds of trees and shrubs scientifically identified have been planted amid the natural vegetation. The park is open daily except Mondays from 10 am to 6 pm. During the week, route 21A buses serve the park at 40-minute intervals. At weekends and on public holidays, the frequency is 15 minutes. Buses depart from opposite Hotel Lisboa.
