Emerging Challenges and Opportunities

Wednesday Sessions

Managing BSS/OSS in a Partner-Driven Marketplace 9 – 9:45 a.m.
If you thought inter-carrier compensation was tough, the new world of partner-driven services promises to be even more complex. Here you’ll learn from the experience of New Horizon Communications and others about techniques for resolving financial assurance issues while optimizing the operating costs and revenues for new service offerings your new partners help bring to market. Learn how to gauge how well partners are living up to commitments; how cost and revenue assurance systems have been leveraged to create new smart business tracking tools to better manage customer, product and carrier partner margins; and how to build a system that will monitor, catch and resolve low or negative margin customer accounts and products.

Speaker: Brad Soutiere, CEO, Vertek

Android and the Service Provider Portal 10 – 10:45 a.m.
Android, the open platform for mobile devices developed by Google and the Open Mobile Alliance has the Internet and wireless sectors abuzz. But what does it mean for mobile operators, and how can they take advantage of this new operating system? Speakers from T-Mobile, whose G1 led the way into this new realm, will discuss the company’s experience with and outlook for Android. Other panelists will discuss the implications of operators opening their portals and partnering with Internet companies in an effort to improve the overall experience of end users, while holding onto the revenue they can gain from digital content, local search and location-based digital advertising.

Moderator: Tim McElligott, Editor in Chief, Billing & OSS magazine
Speakers: Gil Rosen, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Customer Experience, Amdocs
Gabriella Poczo, T-Mobile

Thursday Sessions

Incorporating WiMAX Into Operations of Existing Networks 9 – 9:45 a.m.
Many operators around the world are increasingly required to operate multiple disparate networks as they push from double-play to triple-play to mobilizing the triple-play. This session will discuss how can cable MSOs, cellular operators, ISPs or wireline operators can realize revenue quickly and prevent revenue leakage on their newest network: WiMAX. It also will look at ways to continue leveraging existing assets to efficiently extend their operations while offering new services.

Speaker: Krishna Putcha, Director. Network Operations Solutions, Motorola

Open Source OSS 10 – 10:45 a.m.
Open Source Software, has increasingly been accepted as mainstream in all industries with exception of the telecom back office. This panel will discuss the success and failures of open source in other market segments and how they apply to telecom; what is being done with open source in the back office today and; the opportunities and barriers to entry surrounding an open source telco back office

Speakers: Chris Couch, CEO, Transverse
Unmesh Kulkarni, Director, Software Architecture and Delivery, COVAD Communications
Kiran Nataraj, Director - Strategic Relationships, Persistent Systems Inc.