

Agenda - Day Three
Technology Insiders' Workshop
Introduction
Following the successful IMS Services Forum in October 2006, we are focused on pushing forward the debate as follows. For more background see our blog here.
Competition from Internet players and between converged operators means the telecom industry is about to launch its biggest wave of new services and features since the early days of digital networks: mobile IM, FMC features, real-time collaboration applications, enhanced IPTV, etc.
The time for standards-forming and debate is ending. Regardless of the architectural merits of IMS, SDPs and NGNs, in order to create those services we have to focus on practical implementation, using use the tools that are actually available.
Most of the new capabilities are voice and messaging features. The need for shorter implementation cycles demands architectural simplicity. We therefore need to re-examine which parts of the architecture are truly indispensable to creating competitive advantage, and what is unnecessary gold-plating based on telco “five nines” culture.
Two of the key operator business advantages over Internet companies are strong identity (e.g. SIM cards, authentication, credit control) and payments. These will be components of multiple own-brand services as well as those of partners. But how should these AAA and billing interfaces really be built?
The goals of this workshop are to understand what services are being adopted by the market, what the near-term new service requirements are, and how they should be implemented technically. What are the real opportunities for services users want? How can these be deployed by operators?