The introduction of communication and integrated services is made advantageous through various devices. Some of the tendencies that mostly prompt interest in Italian companies and public administration are those that view these solutions as a vital and strategic tool to improve the efficiency of company operations and to satisfy the necessity of maximum mobility. The affirmation of these tendencies is exemplified in SMAU Milan 2010, where well over 2,700 managers signed up, as well as 2011 SMAU Roadshow, with over 3000 mangers present at the event; in addition, numerous industry specific visitors have showed up because interested in topics related to advanced communication systems.

This is the reason why in 2011 SMAU has focused particular attention to these topics in EXPO COMM, an event within the event that in turn focuses on solutions for Unified Communication and Collaboration, concentrating in particular on large enterprises. The event took place inside the Salone Milanese; EXPO COMM is an international brand name that holds events in four continents. The 2011 project in SMAU Milan represents the first step towards the development of a broader platform dedicated to Unified Communications and Collaboration in Italy.

At the SMAU show, the EXPO COMM held a conference whose participants included top European companies; Italian companies represent the best in telecommunication operators, software houses, and integrated systems providers. Among others, companies that participated to the event were Aastra, Cisco, Siemens, and Telecom Italia. Immediately following the conference, an opportunity was given to meet with the protagonists in the industry. There was also a lunch, where the conference speakers and other participants, young entrepreneurs, and journalists had the opportunity to be exposed to a more in depth discussion on the topics addressed in the conference.

The visitors inside the Salone were able to experience hands on approach to the latest trends in technology products and services, as well as watching demonstrations about the world of telecommunications and infrastructure platforms. The data obtained from different associations in the communications industry indicated Italy needs to deepen the knowledge they can take from the utilization of advanced systems of communication; thus, having EXPO COMM at SMAU was not only a brilliant idea but also a necessity. The collaboration with SMAU allowed EXPO COMM to create an important technological platform that focused on the tangible development of Unified Communications in Italy.

The cooperation with SMAU also represents the first step for a broader and more comprehensive project dedicated to advanced systems of communication.

Communication is employed in many different ways and in all areas of people’s life as well as at work; thus, it is vital to find ways to improve and to enhance this sector. The collaboration between SMAU and EXPO COMM is one of the many examples.