• Advanced Signal Processing for Communications
• Advanced Wireless Communications Systems
• Communications QoS and Reliability
• Communication Theory
• Global Service Portability and Infrastructure for
  Next-Generation Virtual Home/Office Environments
• High-Speed Networks
• Multimedia and VoIP - Services & Technologies
• Next-Generation Internet
• Optical Networking
• Satellite Communications
• Wireless Networking Theory

These symposia were proposed by the Communications Society technical committees and were selected to cover "all" the topics currently under research. This symposium structure worked very well for both authors and organizers. All eleven symposia start on Monday, April 29, 2002, but end at various times based on the number of sessions.

These symposia were led by 21 Symposia Chairs/Co-Chairs/Vice-Chairs who have all put in a tremendous effort to create an excellent technical program, choosing about 655 papers out of the1568 submitted, which is a record! These chairs drew upon the support and hard work of over 250 organizers. My sincere thanks to all these organizers. Without their commitment to quality and a just treatment of all papers, this program would not have been possible. I also thank the many reviewers who provided their time and expertise to review all the submissions, and in many cases offered authors comments for improving their papers. Kin Leung and Moe Win, TPC Vice-Chairs, provided their leadership to the TPC overseeing the whole process, along with Mark Karol, who was instrumental in recruiting many of the Symposium Chairs and envisioning this symposium-based structure. Finally, I would like to recognize the exceptional work of Debora Kingston, ComSoc, whose focus and guidance helped us greatly.

Technical papers presented in these symposia are often the culmination of many years' worth of work starting with good ideas and followed through with analysis, simulations and/or experiments. Many of the academics and industry researchers who will present at this conference are eagerly looking forward to hearing comments, mostly good (smile!), but also critical ones since the latter typically help improve a paper. Perhaps the next key breakthrough idea for a new networking or communications technology will make its first appearance here! Perhaps an opportunity to formulate a brilliant new marketable plan arises out of interacting with our speakers. Finally, many of our speakers are students, possibly making their professional debuts. Providing them our encouragement is very important. They also make excellent recruits.

The Business and Applications Sessions (BAS) complement these technical sessions nicely, providing attendees a wide range of choices. Several excellent tutorials and three workshops in topical areas round out the overall ICC2002 program. I urge all attendees to partake in all these aspects of ICC2002 and have a great time in this remarkable city we proudly call the Big Apple!

Malathi Veeraraghavan
ICC 2002 Technical Program Chair