Home Conference NXTcomm Programming NXTcomm Programming June 19 NP3302P-FMC Panel

Fixed Mobile Convergence and Beyond

Thursday, June 19 • 11:20 AM - 12:05 PM • Room S115

The Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) value proposition features improved service coverage, better data services and inexpensive voice traffic. These services are now being deployed and used, providing increased productivity and cost savings in the enterprise environment. IPTV is quickly gaining exposure as the most important new application for fixed-line broadband networks, while mobile users are rapidly expanding beyond basic cell phone services to digital media -- including video. It's only natural that as IPTV technology matures, IPTV services are being deployed over wireless broadband networks for viewing on mobile devices. ADD THIS: In this panel discussion with FMC users, Verizon experts and others will discuss how FMC can empower your business, extend the capabilities of existing assets beyond the four walls of the office and help your mobile workforce become more efficient and responsive while simplifying their communications needs.

Moderator

Seamus Hourihan, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing, Acme Packet

Seamus Hourihan, who first coined the term “session border control,” has driven industry recognition of the critical importance of the new product category created by Acme Packet. He is a prolific speaker on the conference and tradeshow circuit and is the author of several networking guidebooks and numerous articles. Recently, Seamus was recognized by Internet Telephony magazine as one of the “Top 100 Voices of IP Communications.”

Seamus brings over 25 years of experience to Acme Packet in executive management, marketing, product management and business development roles at voice over IP, IP networking, web infrastructure and computer companies. Seamus was vice president of marketing for internetworking leader Wellfleet and, after its merger with Synoptics, Bay Networks (now Nortel) for nearly seven years. During his tenure, annual revenue grew from $10 million to $2 billion and Inc. recognized Wellfleet as “America’s Fastest Growing Company” for two consecutive years. More recently, Seamus was vice president of marketing for Pingtel, widely recognized as a leader in SIP products and technology. He also held management positions at Data General, MASSCOMP and Bright Tiger and has operated his own consulting company. Seamus holds an AB degree from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Babson College.

Speakers

Stu Bennington, Director of Portfolio Management, Tellabs
Kelly M. Brown, Group Manager, Emerging Technologies, Verizon Business
Carl Geppert, Partner and Industry Leader, Americas Communications and
  Media Practice, KPMG
Wanda Sitar, Senior Manager of Product Marketing, UTStarcom, Inc.

 

Stuart Benington is director of portfolio strategy at Tellabs. In this role, he is responsible for identifying and targeting strategic application opportunities and for optimizing the Tellabs portfolio through product evolution and business development activity. 

Prior to this role, Benington held a variety of marketing, engineering and product planning positions across several Tellabs product groups, including Tellabs’ Broadband Media Group and Tellabs’ Network Solutions Group. 

Benington has more than 15 years of experience in the telecommunications industry and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and computer science from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Northwestern University.

Kelly M. Brown currently serves as the group manager of Emerging Services Product Marketing for Verizon Business, a premier provider of advanced global communications and information technology (IT) solutions. In this role, Ms. Brown is responsible for product marketing of enterprise mobility, fixed mobile convergence, satellite, and Verizon Business converged services to large business and government customers. She is also responsible for the marketing of transaction services to the health care, retail, financial and credit card processing industries. Since joining Verizon Business predecessor company CompuServe in 1995, Ms. Brown has held positions of increasing responsibility. She has served as group manager for Enterprise Mobility, product manager for frame relay and network management, as well as manager of service level agreements and reporting for remote dial access services. Ms. Brown began her communications career at IBM, where she performed quality assurance and functional and systems verification testing for network management products. She holds B.S. degree in computer science and mathematics from Bennett College in Greensboro, N.C. Ms. Brown is based in Hilliard, Ohio.

Carl Geppert leads KPMG’s Communications & Media group for the Americas and has assisted Global communications companies with significant financial, regulatory, information technology and business decisions for more than 28 years.  He is a member of KPMG’s Global Communications & Media steering committee tasked with finding real solutions for Convergence, Consolidation, Competition and Compliance needs within Fortune 1000 environments.  Carl’s significant experience includes leading the global Margin Enhancement practice, providing expertise in revenue related business risks including internal controls review and SOX 404 assistance as well as providing attestation services in the US and abroad.

Wanda Sitar is responsible for developing and executing all internal and external components of integrated marketing and messaging strategies for the company’s core technology solutions, including VoIP Switching, Financial Transaction Processing and CPE products. She plays an integral role in the collection and analysis of key broadband market intelligence and the preparation of technology feasibility assessments based on current market trends, key performance indicators and economic drivers, value propositions, and competitive intelligence.

Prior to joining UTStarcom, Wanda was with Lucent Technologies for 19 years in various global sales, marketing and business development positions.  She also served as a senior system engineer and software developer for Lucent’s switching solution business unit. Wanda began her career as a system engineer with GTE Corporation.

She holds a Master of Science degree in business management from National Louis University in Chicago, Illinois, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Illinois.  Wanda has also completed the Management Executive Program at Rutgers University and the Business Strategy and Marketing Executive Program at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.