September 2001

Ready... Aim... EXPO!
CONVERGENCE IN THE CROSSHAIRS: An Internet Telephony Conference And EXPO Preview

BY GREG GALITZINE

After years of getting bombarded with the question: "What's your focus?" I finally decided to take a closer look at the word "focus." As luck would have it, I was just putting the finishing touches on the conference program that my colleagues and I had developed for Internet Telephony Conference and EXPO, when it hit me. This show is the epitome of focus. To wit:

focus n

• A point at which rays of light or other radiation converge.

Let's break it down: Rays of light = optical; Other radiation must mean broadband wireless (or maybe 802.11?); Converge? Well that's what gets me up every morning -- that and coffee.

• The distinctness or clarity of an image rendered by an optical system.

Again, the reference to optical positively reeks of next-generation telecom solutions for service providers and enterprises alike (all of which can be discovered at the show).

• A center of interest or activity.

In this particular case, referring to Internet Telephony Conference and EXPO at the fabulous Hotel del Coronado. (Can sometimes also refer to that "other" industry-leading event: Internet Telephony Conference & EXPO in Miami, in February.)

• A condition in which something can be clearly apprehended or perceived.

This speaks right to the heart of our conference program. We bring together the industry's best and brightest to share their expertise on a diverse array of subjects that you absolutely need to know about. There's just no other conference program as complete as this one. None.

• In the study of geology, the point of origin of an earthquake.

Ok, ok... IP telephony doesn't fall neatly into the realm of geology. But it is true that our industry is shaking the foundations of the legacy circuit-switched telecom world.

So there you have it. Internet Telephony Conference & EXPO is by far the most focused event the industry has to offer. And together with some of the longest running attractions at any event, this show is one you just can't afford to miss.

THE CONFERENCE
Conceived and developed by the editors of TMC's industry-leading publications -- Internet Telephony, Communications Solutions, Communications ASP, and Customer Inter@ction Solutions -- with help from the engineers of TMC Labs, the conference program at this year's Internet Telephony Conference and EXPO is truly the most comprehensive, most complete learning experience being offered in the industry today.

Just look at the sessions being offered across a multitude of tracks: Enterprise, Service Provider, Developer, General & Special Interest, Contact Center, Standards, International... the conference has something for everyone, and yet we delve deep into the technology so that no matter what your level of expertise is, you can rest assured that you'll walk away knowing more about the technologies that drive our industry than when you came in.

EXHIBIT HALL
Our laser focus extends to the Exhibit Hall at Internet Telephony Conference and EXPO as well. With such a vast array of all the right vendors -- the vendors you want to see -- exhibiting at this year's event, we're presenting all the right products and services for you to check out. There's simply no better place to come "kick the tires" or just learn about the wealth of new offerings from the industry's leading vendors such as Cisco, Intel, Dialpad, Ericsson, Marconi, Adir Technologies, ICS Advent, Motorola, Aravox... and that's just scratching the surface! The list goes on and on.

KEYNOTES
Once again, we have lined up a fascinating group to deliver the keynote addresses at the show. Following introductions and opening comments by Rich Tehrani, TMC's President, Conference Chairman, and group Editor in Chief, on Wednesday; and Marc Robins, VP of Publications and Trade Shows, and Associate group Publisher of TMC publications on Thursday, attendees will have the opportunity to hear visionary keynotes from: David Greenblatt, President and Chief Operating Officer, ADIR Technologies, Inc.; Christopher J. Rezendes, Vice President, General Manager Of Marketing & Business Development, ICS Advent; and Brad Garlinghouse, Chief Executive Officer, Dialpad Communications, Inc.
In fact, we've got a little preview of what you might hope to hear from these leaders of our industry. Check out the interview with David Greenblatt.

ConvergeNET
Making its return to the Internet Telephony Conference and EXPO lineup is ConvergeNET, the industry's first and largest multi-vendor interoperability proving ground.

ConvergeNET is a live, on-site network, which participants connect to, showcasing their IP telephony standards compliance. It consists of a TCP/IP-based network that brings IP telephony clients, gateways, etc... together in a proof-of-concept environment -- right on the Exhibit Hall floor. TMC's ConvergeNET allows each exhibitor to connect their products with the products of other exhibitors to prove that their Internet telephony products do in fact interoperate.

Currently the longest-running IP telephony interoperability event in the industry, ConvergeNET promises even greater interoperability success this year at
Internet Telephony Conference and EXPO. Don't miss this unique opportunity!

NETWORKING RECEPTIONS
What can be a more fitting end to a day of conferences and exhibits than an oceanfront, poolside networking reception at this majestic locale? Each day at Internet Telephony Conference and EXPO concludes with a focused networking reception held outside on the exquisite grounds of the Hotel del Coronado (Wednesday 10/3 at 6:30pm; Thursday 10/4 at 7:00pm). These receptions are the ideal setting for cementing existing relationships -- and generating profitable new ones with new partners or new vendors. The receptions at Internet Telephony Conference and EXPO are forever distinguished by the partnerships spawned there overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

FOCUS PEOPLE, FOCUS!
If you haven't yet done so, please register now for the fastest growing Conference and EXPO in this dynamic industry. Visit our Web site or call (800-243-6002 x0) for more details. Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to experience a world-class conference, explore an unparalleled trade show Exhibit Hall, and network with the industry's best and brightest -- all at one of America's premiere resort locations. Trust me. It's good. It's focused. It's right on target. It's everything you want a conference to be. I'll see you there.

[ Return To The September 2001 Table Of Contents ]

IT: What is the state of Internet telephony today?
DG: I think that we have made significant advances of late. Quality of service has improved, stability of applications has increased, and reliability of total user experience is greater. Just as an example -- NetSpeak has over 30 worldwide customers that are profitably running voice over IP (ed. note: ADIR acquired NetSpeak in June of this year). Much of what ADIR has been saying all along -- which was that the success of the market would be dependent on being able to deliver reliable commercial grade service -- is now becoming evident.

IT: What does the future hold for our industry?
DG: I think the next year is going to show major Tier 2 customers and smaller broadband companies beginning to provide voice over IP services to their customers. Over the longer periods we will see VoIP eventually replace TDM or circuit-switch based systems in the large carriers and cable companies, for instance in the U.S. In addition, we will also begin to see the implementation of new services that convergence brings to us, many of which ADIR is working on.

IT: There has been much talk about the hesitancy of consumers to adopt VoIP. Do you think that is true (if so), and how do you think telcos can get customers to overcome their hesitancy?
DG: The ultimate customer victory will happen when customers start to see the possibilities of convergence-based services that they simply cannot get on their traditional point-to-point telephone calls today. Services, such as softswitch-type application that they can easily enable or disable, giving the ability to quickly bridge together multiple legs of calls, and the ability to include video in their communications... When customers see the integration of wireless, PDA, and telephony devices in these processes... All of these new types of services that cannot be easily done or even done all together in the traditional TDM world are going to really be the demarcation that will cause customers' acceptance.

IT: What new applications and services do you think will succeed in the market?
DG: I believe that the services that will succeed are those that are created without the mindset of the traditional telephony world. We need to re-think and re-look at the industry without the bias and limitation of what the last hundred years of telephony have saddled us with. If you don't disconnect yourself from the old world, you tend just to come up with new ways of reworking the old stuff. And the real value added applications -- the real wins here -- will come in out of left field and are not tied in to the way that people communicate. The fact that the telephone works well for us today has been ingrained in us because of history, but there are probably better ways for us to communicate. For example, we do not normally communicate one-to-one -- communicating in a group of two is a limited form of communication. Communications comes from the word "community" and communities are usually made up of more than two people. As one example, we need to open the idea of talking in communities in a more free-form, open way than that one-to-one conversation that takes place over the telephone.

IT: Where is this market headed and what are the new applications that are driving it in that direction?
DG: The fact that vendors and carriers are now laying IP fiber rather than traditional cable in their networks is pushing them in a kind of tail-before-the-dog way into implementing IP-based services. The carriers are getting pushed into voice over IP because of the networks they are now building.

IT: What about Wall Street? ADIR has raised some significant funding in this trying market. Is this a sign that investors see value in telecom? Do you think that Wall Street is underestimating the value and promise of telecommunications?
DG: Investors have always understood that communications is a bread-and-butter industry that makes the world work. The lack of support that Wall Street has given is simply because they do not see the revenue opportunities in the limited voice capability of these networks. With voice prices decreasing rapidly, Wall Street failed to see its long-term opportunity. But on the other hand, with the new types of convergent services that VoIP offers, it is easy to understand why companies like ADIR have gotten funding and will continue to get funding. They are in fact the answer to what Wall Street wants to see from today's service providers.

IT: QoS is always an issue when it comes to VoIP. How has QoS improved and do you think it should still be an issue for customers and providers?
DG: I believe that properly managed networks can well compensate for any QoS issues that IP technology brings. We've built products that basically let a network operator view all the way down to the level that we call the DS0 or single port. There are other products that are constantly monitoring the PSTN ends of the VoIP as well as the IP communication within the network itself. So with comprehensive solutions it is possible today to give QoS that customers are ready and willing to pay for.

IT: How important is it for software developers to be able to offer products that can be easily integrated with legacy systems?
DG: It is very important for companies to have an integration roadmap for other products that work with both customer's product sets, as well as with legacy software that runs within the carriers. First, the window of demand for high-tech systems is shortened, companies are now required to get more out of the gates quicker, and therefore it is necessary to rely on other best-of-breed solutions for comprehensive solutions. In addition, let's face it, with the world's customers running on legacy systems, we can't expect any carrier to be able to easily remove any of their existing solutions. VoIP has to work with them rather than replace them - it has to be an evolution not a revolution.

IT: What about 3G wireless? Is it simply delayed or is it destined to never break into the market?
DG: The fact that there have been delays in Japan in the early editions and implementation of 3G technology should not be a red flag in understanding what the future is going to look like. 3G technology will come and will be prevalent. There are already worldwide demands for wireless IP access, and those capabilities. Therefore research and development and efforts will be put into this, we will see a successful implementation of 3G, probably primarily though in 2002.

IT: How is cable affecting the VoIP market?
DG: It is important that readers understand that the cable opportunity for VoIP is incredible. Quite clearly, the AT&T acquisition of a large part of America's cable infrastructure is not because of their desire to go into cable content. But AT&T saw that the easiest way to combat the last mile value that the local RBOC have is through the cable plants. It might be slow in adoption, but the impact will be far reaching. Many, if not most, cable homes will be using the same connections for delivering 'TV' like images, but also the convergence stream, which is interactive TV.

IT: Is there anything else you wish to add?
DG: I think it is important to stress the incredible possibilities that convergence offers us. Beyond the development of systems and devices, new applications will change our personal lives and the way that we conduct our day-to-day business. The social and personal impact that convergence will have on us is incredible and it is an exciting time with a future of tremendous possibilities.

ADIR VoIP Technologies offers proven, carrier-scale VoIP management software and a complete "real-time" VoIP platform for telecommunications, Internet, wireless, broadband, and next generation service providers and enterprises worldwide. ADIR was created by Net2Phone, a leading provider of Internet telephony services, and Cisco Systems Inc.

[ Return To The September 2001 Table Of Contents ]