• Challenges facing operators when migrating from public switched telephone networks to full IP next-generation networks and steps taken to mitigate risks
• Techniques to implement and maintain reliable, high-quality multi-play residential and IP business services and reduce operational expenses
• Practical and security issues (including authentication) encountered by operators who deploy video and VoIP solutions over broadband
• Methods to pre-qualify copper loops and dynamically manage the spectrum with high-bandwidth triple-play services over xDSL
• Differentiation between network quality and service quality and use of active and passive performance monitoring and centralized test and diagnostics systems to assure high end-to-end customer service quality
• Methods used to optimally migrate from disparate operations support system platforms to integrated end-to-end front office and back office systems and then efficiently manage the new data warehouses

Bob D'Silva Director of Customer Solutions JDSU

Mr. D'Silva is responsible for business development of broadband and IP solutions in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He started his career in the aerospace sector. He held many senior positions in the computer, defense, and electronic industries before becoming group technical director for an international organization that supplies test and measurement equipment. Mr. D'Silva moved into marketing and sales in 1986 as commercial director for a design consultancy and entered the telecom sector in 1990, offering performance monitoring systems for transatlantic fiber-optic cables, satellite communications solutions, statistical multiplexers, and other systems.

Marc Curtis Director of Business Development Fujitsu's Telecommunications

Mr. Curtis' role encompasses new business across Europe, covering networks, products, and services. In 2001, he transferred to the sales and marketing department, where he was put in charge of marketing and then business development. Prior to that, he was transferred to Fujitsu's European Telecom headquarters in Birmingham, England, where he established a switching group and led a number of large engineering teams. In 1994, Mr. Curtis moved to Fujitsu in London, England, where he worked closely with colleagues in Japan to develop products for the global ETSI market and represented Fujitsu in a number of key standardization organizations, including ETSI, ITU, and the ATM Forum.

Vincent Barriac Senior Expert Speech and Sound Technologies and Processing France Telecom Group

Mr. Barriac is an electrical engineer who specializes in signal processing. He joined France Telecom R&D (formerly CNET) in 1993. He works in the department responsible for evaluation and planning of the quality of services – especially voice quality. Initially he developed algorithms for non-intrusive measurements (INMD), in particular echo. Additionally he studied and developed different objective methods to model quality of transmission, particularly VoIP (in mono or multi-play context) and wideband audio. He now has considerable experience in use, validation, and evolution of standards like the E model (G.107) and PESQ (P.862).

John Govert Vice President and General Manager, Service Assurance Solutions JDSU

Mr. Govert brings nearly 18 years of test product marketing and management experience to his position. In this capacity, Mr. Govert is responsible for leading and developing effective strategies for Service Assurance Solutions that will enable JDSU to provide its customers with unmatched expertise, technology, and service and establish a strong leadership position.

Daryl Dunbar Director, Portfolio Development BT Group

Mr. Dunbar is directing the product and technology side of the portfolio strategy, specifically how 21st-century network technology can be used to enhance the products and services BT offers its customers. Previously, he was director of 21CN Design and Development, responsible for the end-to-end network, systems, service, and product designs and development for BT's Global Network.

Eirwen Nichols Principal Analyst Ovum

Ms. Nichols researches and comments on industry developments and provides specific advice to Ovum's clients on both strategic and tactical issues. Since joining Ovum in the late 1980s, Ms. Nichols has held a number of consulting and management roles at Ovum.

Roberto Piermarini Technical Advisor WIND Telecomunicazioni SPA

Mr. Piermarini is responsible for the fixed and mobile access engineering departments of the company. In 2001, he was responsible for the backbone engineering department. He was responsible for the planning and deployment of the WIND BSS and UTRAN network, Wind LLU network, fiber access and backbone network, optical access, and backbone infrastructures. He is member of the Italian Association of Information and Communications Technology board and has published several papers and books on mobile, digital communication, and coding theory.