The ITEXPO (News - Alert) East event is coming up next week and one thing attendees are sure to find are demonstrations of new trends in technology. In a recent interview with TMCnet’s CEO, Rich Tehrani, Joe Basili, managing director of the Telecom Expense Management Industry Association (TEMIA (News - Alert)), shared his opinion on the most significant technology trend in 2010: the increased demand to manage spending on telecom and wireless expenses. As for the communications industry, cloud computing will have an impact in that it will mean more demand for connectivity, according to Basili. Asked about the biggest winners in mobility, Basili pointed to the road warriors and employees able to leverage new applications and functionality.

RT: What was the most significant technology trend in 2010 and what impact will it have in 2011?

JB: For the Telecom Expense Management (TEM) and Wireless Expense Management (WEM) industry, the most significant technology trend in 2010 was increased demand to manage spending on these services globally. International TEM and WEM present new challenges and opportunities to reduce expenses. In a recent survey conducted by TEMIA, enterprises reported the top challenges include:

--Lack of accurate inventory for telecom services, usage, lines, circuits, and equipment

--Ability to negotiate and obtain better pricing for telecom services

--Lack of reporting into telecom spending

--Access to usable telecom carrier data and billing

The TEMIA survey also identifies lack of knowledge regarding TEM and WEM remains as an obstacle to gaining more widespread adoption of these services, but the industry is growing rapidly with its compelling value proposition of savings and new sales of these solutions.

RT: What impact will the continued growth of cloud computing have on the communications industry in 2011?

JB: For the Telecom Expense Management (TEM) and Wireless Expense Management (WEM) industry, cloud computing will mean more demand for connectivity… particularly from mobile devices. Connectivity to cloud computing offers the promise of providing employees with unlimited computing resources and centralized corporate data.

The challenge is paying for this connectivity and managing devices that are connecting to the cloud. TEM and WEM suppliers are positioned well to meet the added costs of this connectivity. Cloud computing may also simplify corporate networks and the types of services that are needed to access lines. This in turn will reduce the complexity in managing corporate networks and inventory which could present new challenges to TEM and WEM suppliers.

Who will be the mobile winners in 2011 out of Google Android (News - Alert), Apple, Microsoft, Nokia and RIM?

All of these providers of mobile devices will see bigger opportunities for growth with greater adoption of smartphones, but it will continue to be a highly competitive market. Each will strive to win a larger portion of the market. The biggest winner will continue to be road warriors and employees that are able to leverage new applications and functionality that the market is offering.

Even more important, the business market will grow as rank-and-file employees gain the ability to access to corporate resources (more than just e-mail) when they are away from the office. There are still too many operating systems and mobile devices for most IT groups to support, but the market opportunities for Wireless Expense Management (WEM) and Mobile Device Management (MDM) Suppliers will grow as demand by corporate customers’ increases to get control of their expenses.

What impact will mobile technology have on the tech space in 2011?

Increased adoption of mobile technology, smartphones and changes in carrier service plans will mean greater challenges controlling and reducing wireless expenses. There will be greater demand to develop and control mobile device inventory as well. TEMIA anticipates market opportunities for Wireless Expense Management (WEM) and Mobile Device Management (MDM) Suppliers will grow as demand by corporate customers’ increases to get control of their expenses.

Where are the best opportunities in the tech space this year?

The best opportunities in tech will be solving customer problems. Most organizations are dealing with the challenges of managing a network that has gone through radical change over the past few years. This includes managing new communications technology smartphones, tablets and more.

Many organizations have legacy network services that need to be removed from inventory and billing. This creates opportunities for Telecom Expense Management (TEM) suppliers to help clients reduce expenses and improve business processes. Organizations must go beyond buying approaches that focus on features and functionality to develop strategies that will enable them to gain visibility into telecom inventory, expenses, and budgets. TEM Suppliers are well positioned to meet these challenges.

How can technology change the world for the better?

The response could be volumes of books for this question. I will refrain from commenting because it takes us off topic for TEMIA.

What impact has social media had on how you interact with your customers?  How do you measure its effectiveness?

As a non-profit association, we use social networking for communications and collaboration.

How have you leveraged social networking as an internal collaboration tool?

As a non-profit association, we use social networking for communications and collaboration.

The FCC (News - Alert) has recently voted to support net neutrality.  Is net neutrality necessary, or will it present more challenges than it will solve?

At this time, TEMIA has not taken a formal position on net neutrality so we will refrain from responding with an official position on this question.

What will be the greatest technological development in 2011?  Why?

The greatest technological development will come from the cross-over of social networking into business combined with mobile applications.

Why is your session a must-attend at ITEXPO?

Our session, titled, “If charges for wireless service plans keep going down, why does my spending keep rising?” presents answers that apply to everyone. Wireless expenses keep rising despite lower costs for mobile voice and data services. Wireless services are going through a period of rapid change that effect everything from the services that are available, hardware, pricing and ways in which employees use mobile services to communicate.

Join us for this thought provoking panel discussion, which will address the latest trends in mobility expense management. This session will help managers that are seeking to cut costs, improve efficiency and gain a new understanding of Wireless Expense Management (WEM). In this session, panelists will provide answers to help you understand why your budget and expenses keep rising despite lower costs. Panelists will also reveal common mistakes in managing mobile expenses, dangerous omissions from mobility policy and uncover hidden cost saving tips that you can start using immediately when you return from the conference.

What other topics should be at the top of attendees’ lists?

One strategy businesses can use to increase its sales is to sell more to its existing customers. Attendees should attend the session “Moving Up-Market with Telecom Expense Management and Wireless Expense Management." will reveal important information about how companies and sales people can make more money if they move up market selling Telecom Expense Management (TEM), Wireless Expense Management (WEM), and Mobile Device Management (MDM). This panel discussion will also provide a unique networking forum where agents, wholesalers, and agencies can learn about this market, make important introductions and develop relationships.

What new and exciting products/solutions can we expect to see from your company in 2011?

The Telecom Expense Management Industry Association (www,temia.org) is continuing to develop its programs with include open industry standards to improve program performance for customers, educational programs that include webinars, whitepapers, and other programs to fulfill our mission of promoting the value of TEM and increasing the market for TEM solutions.

We recently released an Ethics Code which creates industry standards for accuracy and truth in advertising, marketing, sales, and all other forms of communication. It also states that members will seek to win on their strengths and not disparage competitors. TEMIA membership should be an item on every buyer’s checklist. It shows companies are willing to commit to our Ethics Code and maturity with:

financial stability to pay dues

resources to work with a trade association

vision to invest in the future of the industry

TEMIA looks forward to partnering with TMCnet on its IT Expo.

Please make one surprising prediction for 2011.

Despite the introduction of new lower price service plans for fixed and wireless telecom services and lower monthly fees, costs will continue to rise for most organizations that do not have formal Telecom Expense Management (TEM) and Wireless Expense Management (WEM) programs.