Operators are facing increasingly architectural challenges how the new horizontally layered network and information technology systems should be segmented, structured, and populated with product and system integration offerings. One of the most important areas is the alignment strategy between the control layer and the service delivery platform (SDP). On one side, advisers prefer a totally decoupled design and implementation strategy for both layers, while others bring into their SDP offerings key IMS components such as call-state control function and HSS as core parts of the SDP. The third group is strictly committed to a clear distinction between SDP and IMS, while analyzing provided capabilities of both layers and designing a no-redundancy/no-duplication overall solution.

Ansgar Dirkmann Vice President, Service Delivery Framework Siemens AG

Mr. Dirkmann holds a diploma in physics from University of Freiburg and an M.B.A. from INSEAD/Fontainebleau. He joined Siemens in 1986, assuming responsibilities ranging from engineering, marketing, and corporate planning to product management. He currently heads the SDF activities at Siemens COM.

Thomas Goetz Managing Partner Detecon Germany

Dr. Goetz heads the competence practice Information Technology with 90 consultants, offering advice to CIOs and CTOs for large enterprises in telecommunications and ICT industries. In 2002, he was entrusted as a managing partner and member of the executive committee of the new Detecon International GmbH, with direct report to the CEO. In his personal consulting scope, he concentrates on strategic technology and innovation management as enablers and drivers for strategic business transformations.

Peter Bukhave Hansen Strategy Consultant TDC Solutions

Mr. Hansen is responsible for network strategy and has been with TDC since 2005. Previously, Mr. Hansen worked with Ericsson with sales development globally for six years. He holds a Ph.D. in optical communications from Technical University in Denmark.

Jürgen Hardt Vice President Technology and Platform Strategy Deutsche Telekom

Mr. Hardt has been in the group CTO area of Deutsche Telekom for three years. He is responsible for the group technology as well as platform strategy and architecture. He focuses on all topics that belong to the application layer, especially the design of a corporate-aligned service delivery platform architecture. Before joining Deutsche Telekom, he was the executive director at T-Systems GmbH for application service provisioning solutions, electronic marketplaces, and purchase and logistics solutions. He studied electronic engineering and deals with IT and TC subjects.