IEEE 802.16 Session #61

IEEE 802.16's Session #61 was held on 4-7 May 2009 (Monday-Thursday) in Cairo, Egypt. This was an Interim Session of the Working Group. The session was hosted by Fadel Digham, Ahmed Shalash, and Mohamed Khairy, with the National Telecom Regulatory Authority* of Egypt (NTRA) as the organizational Host and Cairo University as co-host. The venue was determined during Session #56 based on a proposal and presentation. (Note, however, that a different venue has been selected.) For a recent update concerning preparations and the venue, see the presentation of January 2009.

Outcomes
219 people registered for the session, 210 of whom logged attendance. For full details of the activities, see the Session #61 Report.

Meeting Schedule
NOTE: The session will begin Monday at 8 am and close Thursday at noon. The draft meeting schedule is posted, but adjustments will be made as a result of the extent of input materials for the various activities.

Hotel
The finalized venue for Session #61 is the Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel located in downtown Cairo, the heart of the Egyptian Capital, overlooking a magnificent view of the Nile River.

Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel
Cornich el Nil
P.O. Box: 60 11511, Cairo, Egypt
Tel. (202) 2795-7171
Fax (202) 2796-3020
Interactive Map

Complimentary breakfast, free in-room wireless internet access, and a number of other special features - even a daily sum toward laundry expenses - are offered to IEEE 802.16 attendees. The hotel cutoff date for our group discount rate is 14 April 2009. All reservations after this date will be subject to normal hotel rate and availability. Also, reservations are being accepted to cover the adjacent weekends (1-10 May). The base rate is $165 per night, plus tax (~25%).

Hotel reservations are now available online. Please follow the following steps:

Registration
The registration fee is $475 US until 14 April 2009 and $575 US afterwards. You can pay by credit card or bank transfer. Complete the Session #61 Meeting Registration Form, sign it, scan it, and email or fax it to Mohamed Khairy. Email him for advice if you need a different submission method.

Contact Information
Please contact Mohamed Khairy or Ahmed Shalash if you are experiencing technical difficulties or if you have any other question about the session.

Airport and Ground Transportation
Cairo International Airport (CAI) is 25 km from the hotel.

The hotel provides both "Meet & Assist" and "Transportation" service:

  1. Meet & Assist: US$40 per person. This includes a greeter as well as help obtaining the entry visa and clearing customs. Transportation is not included. The hosts believe that this service is not generally necessary since the process in the airport is clear and straightforward.
  2. Transportation: US$40 per car, with a maximum of 3 people.
If you are interested in either of these services, kindly add a note in your online reservation.

Another recommended option, with an informative web site, is the Cairo Airport Shuttle Bus. There is no need for reservations, and it is easy to find them in the airport by looking for their signs after clearing customs. The transportation cost is 80 Egyptian pounds (~$15). They also offer a meet & assist service for 50 pounds (~$9) for which you need to contact them prior to arrival.

For other ground transportation alternatives please see the airport ground transportation link.

Entry Visa Requirements
All foreigners arriving in Egypt should have a valid passport (with at least 6 months left, before expiration) to get an entry visa. Please check with your nearest Egyptian Consulate for information about getting Egyptian visa. In many cases, entry visa can be issued at the airport.

All attendees are asked to submit the Visa Info/ Invitation Letter Request Form. Complete the PDF form electronically, save it, and email it to Fadel Digham. The form asks you to specify whether or not you are requesting a visa invitation request letter. Even if you do not, submission of the form is needed to facilitate the process in the airport and for some security measures.

Currency
The currency is the Egyptian Pound (LE), which was valued at approximately 0.178 US Dollar on 8 March 2009.

Climate
Egypt enjoys a moderate climate. Warm spring weather is expected in early May.

Tourism
The meeting venue is located on the banks of the river Nile in the downtown area, within walking distance of the major shopping, commercial and diplomatic areas of Cairo.

Old Cairo is probably one of the most fascinating parts of town. It contains the oldest buildings going back to the years 800. It is also home to one of the largest and oldest bazaars in the world the Khan al Khalili. Old Cairo is 10 minutes away from the hotel by coach.

Closer to the hotel is the Egyptian museum, a 5-minute walk. The museum contains all of the pharaonic history of the country. The downtown and garden city area are around the hotel and offer a fascinating insight to art deco architecture constructed during the occupation by the French and the British at the turn of the century. 5 minutes by taxi is the old palace of the last King of Egypt, a fascinating step back in time.

The Cairo International Airport is 25 km North-East of the hotel, within 45-60 minutes drive.

Nearby

For further information, please refer to the Egypt State Information Service.
*Disclaimer: As a regulatory body, the Egyptian National Telecom Regulatory Authority is technology neutral and as such hosting of this meeting and other meetings does not constitute an endorsement for any given technology.
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