Convergence is the key word for next-generation telecommunications, and as voice, video, and data are consolidated, a new frontier is already in front of us: the convergence of fixed and mobile worlds.

On this challenging new path, the first step is to guarantee service providers a higher profitability and extension of service offer along with a simplification of the management of the next-generation networks, which are increasingly complex. It is fundamental to offer users innovative and enlarged experience as well as easy use of new and convergent services. So, to reach the full convergence among services and networks, what we have to roll out today is a next generation of services born out of a new approach to telecommunications, that must let both users and providers respond to the "anyhow, anytime, and anywhere" communication need.

Among the already confirmed panelists, including top representatives from leading service providers and vendors, there will also be Professor Maurizio Décina, one of the most well-known European academics, who—along with Mauro Righetti, session chairman—will stimulate the debate.

Mauro Righetti Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors Italtel

Mr. Righetti worked for the Oracle group from 1993 to 1998, where he held important managerial roles, including chairman of the Corporation Management Advisory Board for globalization process management policies. In 1993, he founded and managed Oracle Italia, achieving brilliant results in terms of turnover and development. In 1998, he took part in the creation of Smart Venture Partners, a venture capital group active in the high-technology sector. In the following five years, he invested in start-up companies in the technological sector. He has been with the Italtel Group since 2003.

Geraint Anderson Vice President Service Provider – Europe Cisco Systems

Mr. Anderson is responsible for all aspects of Cisco's business with all the fixed telecom operators throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In his five years with Cisco, he has also led Cisco's Photonics business unit on a worldwide basis, a division of Cisco's Optical Networking group, where he was responsible for the development and marketing of Cisco's optical long-haul products.

Vivek Badrinath Executive Vice President France Telecom Group

Mr. Badrinath is in charge of policy setting and group product delivery support for the fixed, mobile, and Internet activities. He was appointed executive vice president of products, technology, and innovation of Orange in December 2004. Mr. Badrinath is responsible for the technical and product management and delivery teams, as well as devices, across the group. He retains this responsibility as part of his current role. Prior to joining Orange in April 2004 as chief technical officer, Mr. Badrinath was chief executive officer of the Indian subsidiary of consumer electronics company Thomson.

Maurizio Dècina Professor Politecnico Di Milano

Professor Dècina has shared his 40-year career in telecommunications between industry—including Telecom Italia, Italtel, and AT&T Bell Laboratories—and university—ncluding University of Rome, Politecnico di Milano, and CEFRIEL. Professor Dècina was the president of the IEEE Communications Society from 1994 to 1995. In 1986, he was appointed Fellow of IEEE; in 1997, he received the IEEE Award in International Communications; and in 2000, he received the IEEE Third Millennium Medal.

Guido Garrone Chief Technical Officer FastWeb

Mr. Garrone heads the group responsible for the technological development, management, and control of the network infrastructure: from the IP on fiber backbone platform and FTTH and ADSL access systems to the applications used to supply business and residential users with voice, data, and video services. In 1999, Mr. Garrone was involved in the start-up of FastWeb, with overall responsibility for network rollout and management. He is also a member of the Management Committee.

Jesús Olmedilla Partner, Communications and High Tech Group and Member, Global Leadership Council Accenture

Mr. Olmedilla leads an operations unit with more than 9,000 consultants and IT professionals who provide services to European clients in the telecom industry, including Vodafone, Telecom Italia, British Telecom, Telefonica, and Telenor; and in the media, entertainment, and high-tech industries, including Nokia, Ericsson, BskyB, Vivendi, RCS, and RTVE. He has written several studies related to the industry.

Stefano Pileri Chief Technology Officer Telecom Italia

Mr. Pileri is responsible for driving and co-ordinating the fixed-mobile integration and the overall technological network development. Previously, he was responsible for network planning, engineering, and marketing in the network division of Telecom Italia. He was also responsible for the network development and operations in the Emilia-Romagna region. He has been in SIP since 1982, where he assumed growing responsibilities, during the years, in the network management systems department.

Philippe Ribonnet Head of Network and IT Management Belgacom

Mr. Ribonnet is in charge of Belgacom FLS' IT and network infrastructure, operations, engineering, applications, and systems. He started merging the IT and network activities into a single and convergent structure, allowing to deliver integrated business solutions such as IDTV, VoIP, and security. During the five previous years, he held the position of strategy and business development director at Proximus, the mobile subsidiary of the Belgacom Group, where he had been working in various roles since its creation in 1993.

Christian Unterberger President, Fixed Networks Siemens Communications

Mr. Unterberger has profit and loss responsibility for the worldwide fixed network business. He joined Siemens AG in 1987. After his first responsibilities in technical offers and order processing for international customers, worldwide, he focused on the Asian market, as: Head of Sales Asia/Pacific for ICN’s transport networks, Head of Information & Communication Networks and Information & Communication Mobile Divisions (SVP) for Siemens Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam (enterprise business). In 2001 he headed up Wireline Network Carrier Switching, then oversaw ICN Carrier Networks Europe & South Africa. Since becoming President Fixed Networks in 2003, Siemens Communications, he has remolded Fixed Networks (FN) and is continuing to evolve the unit to stay ahead of the sea changes still sweeping through the market.