Summary and Key Outcomes
For full details of the activities, see the Session #43 Report. 121 people attended the session. A session document guide is available.
Venue
The meeting took place at the
David Intercontinental Hotel, 12 Kaufman Street, Tel Aviv, Israel. For more details, see the Proposal Checklist for Session #43, submitted 18 December 2005, and the 802.16 Session #43 Arrangements slides of 6 March 2006.
Registration and Hotel Reservations
On-line registration and hotel reservations are available through a single application form. At the end of the registration process, you will receive an email with an access code which will serve for making later modifications.
The registration fee is US$300 until 6 April and US$400 afterwards. The registration fee is nonrefundable. The hotel charges need to paid only after arrival. The social activities are at no extra charge.
Entry/Visa Requirements
The hosts have provided a Visa Information Form. It contains some information about visa requirements. Also, the form, once filed with the hosts, will enable them to determine whether or not you need an entry visa. If you do not need a visa, you will still need a letter of invitation. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to submit the form if you are considering participation.
Meeting Schedule
See the draft Session #43 schedule.
Monday industry event
On the morning of Monday, May 8, Alvarion is organizing a meeting between the IEEE 802.16 attendees and the Israeli wireless industry. Session #43 registrants are invited at no cost. See the agenda.
Friday trip
Registrants are invited to a sightseeing trip on Friday 12 May, at no extra charge. At the registration site you can indicate which trip route you prefer - Dead Sea and Jerusalem or the Galilee and Christian holy places.
Flying in
You will be arriving at the Ben Gurion Airport (named after the first Prime Minister of the state of Israel), which has the designation TLV. Ben Gurion Airport is the hub of El Al, the Israeli national airline, and is served by many major airlines.
The easiest way to travel between the airport and the conference hotel is by taxi. A taxi station is located after you exit the arrivals hall, to the left. The travel between the airport and the hotel will cost about 120-150 NIS (about US$25-30), depending on daytime.
Currency
The Israeli currency is called Shekel (which divides into 100 Agorot), sometimes abbreviated NIS (New Israeli Shekel). The exchange rate is approximately 1 $US = 4.7 NIS (see currency converter). It is uncommon to accept payments in foreign currency, except maybe at tourist shops. Foreign major credit cards are commonly accepted. Note, however, that taxis do not accept credit cards, so you will need to exchange some Israeli cash to get from the airport to the hotel.
Electricity
The mains voltage in Israel is 220 V, 50 Hz. Laptop power supplies and cell phone chargers are usually universal, but you are advised to check that all the appliances you bring withstand the 220 V. The electric outlets in Israel are 3-pin with grounding. The electric outlets accept directly the European 2-pin plugs. If you bring an extension cord with multiple outlets (to conserve on the amount of adaptors used), please check that it contains no surge arrestors that might fail at 220 V.
Weather
The average daily-high temperature in Tel Aviv in May is 25C (77F). It is quite humid (50-80%). Rain is extremely rare in May, so you may leave the umbrella and bring short-sleeve shirts. You'll probably want to bring a swimsuit, both for the Tel Aviv seashore (seawater temperature in May 23C), and for dipping into the Dead Sea on Friday - a unique experience.