EXPO 2011 brochure

September 11-15 | Chicago
Highlights
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
Early registration 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
Opening General Session 9:00 am – 11:45 am
u Welcome and Opening Remarks
u Keynote Speaker
Marketing and management professional Terry Brock will address not only
what’s happening in telecommunications and technology, but more importantly
where there are opportunities for our members.
u Broadband... Improving My Life???
A panel of industry applications developers will discuss new business
opportunities.
Reception 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Visit with our vendors and have some fun! This year’s vendor showcase theme
is “The Big Tailgate Party” — vendors will be decorating their booths with their
favorite sports team memorabilia – so wear your favorite jersey!
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
Join us in the vendor showcase for lunch and prize drawing
from 11:50 am – 1:10 pm.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
AT A GLANCE
Sunday, september 11
Early Registration: 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Welcome Reception
Monday, september 12
Opening General Session:
9:00 am – 11:45 am
EXPO Courses:
1:10 pm – 4:30 pm
Vendor Showcase & Evening Reception:
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Tuesday, september 13
EXPO Courses: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Vendor Showcase: 11:50 am – 1:10 pm
Wednesday, september 14
EXPO Courses: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Thursday, september 15
Closing General Session:
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Closing General Session 8:30 am – 10:00 am
Rural Group Update: Members of the national associations will discuss effects of
Universal Service & Intercarrier Compensation Reform
vendor showcase
Monday, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Tuesday, 11:50 am – 1:10 pm
WELCOME RECEPTION
Sunday, 3 pm – 8 pm
Stop by the Regency Foyer to pick up your registra­
t­ion packet and enjoy some light refreshments.
Lunch on Tuesday will be pro­vided in the show­case area.
Prize drawings will be held
during the Vendor Showcase.
www.NECA.org
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
All registrations include admittance to the Vendor Showcase.
Badges are required for admittance to all EXPO functions.
Full conference registration
Early Bird (by August 1st): $795
Standard (after August 1st): $895
4 or more attendees—same company:
$100 off each registration
ƒƒ All EXPO classes and events
ƒƒ Monday evening reception
ƒƒ All breakfasts, lunches and breaks
Hotel reservations
For a limited time the Hyatt has agreed to the rate of $249,
after which the rate will increase to our contracted rate of
$269. To make hotel reservations for the rate of $249, register
online using this special link or call 888.421.1442. When calling,
be sure to ask for the National Exchange Carrier Association
Early Bird rate. (Note: the Early Bird rate is not available when
making online reservations through Hyatt’s regular website.
You must use the link provided on our EXPO page.)
Cancellation policy
Cancel by July 15: Full refund
Guest registration
Cancel by August 12: 75% refund
Early Bird: $300 · Standard: $400 · child under 12: $100
ƒƒ
All breakfasts, lunches and breaks
No refunds will be issued for cancellations received after
August 12. Substitutions are always welcome. Please submit
refund or substitution requests in writing to Nancy Turnbo at
nturnbo@neca.org.
Reception only
Registration hours
ƒƒ Monday evening reception
Standard: $75 · Child under 12: $25
Sunday, September 11............................................3:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Three ways to register
Monday, September 12..........................................6:30 am - 5:30 pm
Online at www.neca.org
Mail your completed registration form, class schedule and
check, payable to NECA EXPO 2011 to:
Tuesday, September 13...........................................7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday, September 14...................................7:00 am - 4:00 pm
BNY Mellon, N.A. – NECA Admin. Lockbox
Attention: Keith Edson
P. O. Box 371923
Pittsburgh, PA 15251-7923
If you have registered online, please include the customer # for
each attendee on your check.
Fax your completed registration form, class schedule, and
credit card information to 800.551.1328.
Please call Nancy Turnbo at 800.892.3322 with any questions.
www.NECA.org
Registration Form
Early bird registration ends august 1
Attendee information
Name
Company
Address
City
State
Phone
Email
Registration
(Write your name, email address and any guest names as they should appear on badge)
$
$
$
$
$
EXPO Total
Payment information
If you have registered online, please include the customer # for each attendee on your check.
Check Zip
Visa MasterCard American Express
Account
Expiration date
Name on card
Signature
Fax this form with class schedule to 800.551.1328
Please send check and completed forms to
BNY Mellon, N.A. – NECA Admin. Lockbox
Attention: Keith Edson
P. O. Box 371923
Pittsburgh, PA 15251-7923
Early bird (register by August 1)
$795 Attendee—full conference
$695 Attendee 4+ discount
$300 Guest—meals and reception
$75 Guest—reception only
Standard (register after August 1)
$895 Attendee—full conference
$795 Attendee 4+ discount
$400 Guest—meals and reception
$75 Guest—reception only
Children under 12
$100 Meals and reception
$25 Reception only
Tuesday, september 13
Wednesday, september 14
9:00 am – 11:45 am
8:30 am – 10:00 am
8:30 am – 10:00 am
General Session
1:10 pm – 2:40 pm
Access Arbitrage Issues Update
USAC Overview & Update
EXPO 101
1:10 pm – 4:30 pm
Technology, Applications & Tariff
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Average Schedule Issues
Dive into Pooling: NECA Settlements &
Pooling Process
Survivors: Competition Island,
Outthink, Outservice, Outsell
What’s an ATIS?
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Reception
Dive into Pooling: NECA Settlements &
Pooling Process
Cost Issues and Common Review
Findings
Which Hat are you Wearing?
Telecom Regulation: The Battle for your
Future
Would You Like Fries With That?
Increasing Broadband Adoption
8:30 am – 11:50 am
Would You Like Fries With That?
Increasing Broadband Adoption
8:30 am – 11:50 am
Technology, Applications & Tariff
Reforming USF/ICC for a Broadband
World
10:20 am – 11:50 am
Cost Issues and Common Review
Findings
Navigating NECA Resources
Telecom Regulation: The Battle for your
Future
1:10 pm – 2:40 pm
Survivors: Competition Island,
Outthink, Outservice, Outsell
Navigating NECA Resources
Which Hat are you Wearing?
Technology Panel
Reforming USF/ICC for a Broadband
World
10:20 am – 11:50 am
Survivors: Competition Island,
Outthink, Outservice, Outsell
Rural Economic Development
USF– Red Light, Green Light &
Everything in between!
1:10 pm – 2:40 pm
Cost Issues and Common Review
Findings
Smart Pricing
Rural Economic Development
1:10 pm – 4:30 pm
Technology Panel
Reforming USF/ICC for a Broadband
World
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Access Arbitrage Issues Update
Telecom Regulation: The Battle for your
Future
USF– Red Light, Green Light &
Everything in Between!
What’s an ATIS?
Would You Like Fries With That?
Increasing Broadband Adoption
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Access Arbitrage Issues
Dive into Pooling: NECA Settlements &
Pooling Process
Smart Pricing
USF– Red Light, Green Light &
Everything in between!
Thursday, september 15
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Closing General Session
Attendee Name
Class Schedule
monday, september 12
Course Descriptions
B— Beginner
I — Intermediate
A— Advanced
Average Schedule Issues
I
This discussion session is designed for all ILEC employees
and consultants who are involved in average schedule
settlements. Participants will discuss details of issues affecting
average schedule formulas and settlements. We’ll help you
understand NECA’s actions to improve settlement formulas
to better reflect broadband service deployment and other
current technologies. We’d like to hear your feedback on
average schedule reporting requirements and settlement
changes, so please bring your concerns, questions and insights
to contribute to the dialog.
Access Arbitrage Issues Update
I/A
Issues surrounding access arbitrage will be presented. Topics
to be covered include Congress’ Truth in Caller ID Act, call
termination issues and wireless interconnection agreement
issues. Aspects of the National Broadband Plan relating
to call signaling and the assessment of access charges on
interconnected VoIP will also be discussed.
Cost Issues and Common Review Findings I
This session features the cost issue process and cost related
topics including the most common findings identified during
the cost study validation and review process. The most
recently published Cost Reporting Guideline Papers will also
be reviewed.
Dive into Pooling: NECA Settlements & Pooling Process. B
What is it and how does it work?
In this session you’ll learn about the mechanics and benefits
of pooling. We’ll show you how pool members recover their
costs and earn a return on their investment and how NECA
settlements are calculated and disbursed. We’ll discuss
forecasting and tell you how we use forecast data to develop
tariff rates. We’ll also talk about Tariffs, the Carrier Access Billing
System (CABS) and provide an overview of Data Collections
and Certifications.
EXPO 101 B
Are you relatively new to the telecom industry or need
a refresher on basic industry concepts? We’ll help you
understand the basics so you don’t miss key points during
other EXPO presentations. The class is geared towards the
financial and regulatory aspects of telecommunications with
some discussion of broadband services.
Navigating NECA Resources B
Information and resources available on NECA’s website will
be covered. This session will also provide an overview of the
different NECA systems available to member companies.
Systems covered will include Settlements and Tariff No. 4.
Reforming Universal Service and Intercarrier Compensation for a Broadband World - The 3Rs
of Universal Service - Revamp/Reform/Repurpose
A
An interactive panel discussion focusing on proposals
to revamp, repurpose and reform universal service and
intercarrier compensation to fund nationwide broadband
capability. This session will cover the current state of support
and intercarrier compensation, competing interests and
objectives among parties, proposed solutions in the industry
and potential impacts to carriers.
Rural Economic Development
B/I
Panelists will discuss community and economic development
in rural areas.
Smart Pricing I/A
Video over the Internet is causing broadband network
congestion and raising network costs for service providers.
A strategy under consideration by wireless and wireline
broadband providers to deal with rising cost and congestion
is the adoption of usage pricing strategies for broadband
Internet services. This session provides key insights on the
different pricing models and strategies developed by industry
and academic experts to address congestion issues. Topics
will include new edge equipment to implement time-of-day
pricing, pricing strategies being proposed for the wireless
industry, and usage pricing experiences of a rural LEC’s
affiliated electric utility coop with time of day pricing.
Survivors: Competition Island —
Outthink, Outservice, Outsell
B/I
Some pundits have already written the obituary for the wire­
line telephone industry. A nationally known management
consultant and a LEC marketing guy will take the audience
on a guided journey from “What the heck do we do?” to “Hey,
that just might work!” Come have some fun and, as a bonus,
become part of the solution. No whiners allowed.
www.NECA.org
B— Beginner
I — Intermediate
A— Advanced
Technology, Applications and Tariff I
Hear about emerging technological developments beginning
with an overview of recent service offerings and descriptions,
followed by unfolding market trends, and then on to tariff
implications and solutions, with a focus on the increasingly
competitive environment. Open discussion for questions and
identification of new service opportunities completes the
session.
leadership for and of worldwide technical and operations
standards for information, entertainment and communications
technologies. This session focuses on the committees where
NECA represents rural exchange carriers. We’ll discuss what’s
new in the world of Access Service Requests including wireless
backhaul using ETS, Ethernet EVCs, fiber rings.
Which Hat are you Wearing? B/I
ƒƒ The marketplace – Demand discussion covers recent
demand trends, pricing strategies, and challenges caused by
the blurring of distinctions in an all-packet world.
Do you wear multiple hats at your company? These days
telcos have a variety of customers depending on your service
offerings. This session is designed to help you determine
which hat you’re wearing (ILEC, ISP, LD) and who YOUR
customer really is in each situation. We’ll concentrate on the
responsibilities associated with each hat and discuss why it is
so important to understand who your customer is.
ƒƒ Tariff implications – Covers recent and upcoming tariff
developments. The potential effects of regulatory changes
on tariffed services will also be discussed.
Would You Like Fries With That? Increasing Broadband Adoption
ƒƒ Service offerings – Description of industry service offerings
and marketplace challenges with emphasis on wireless
backhaul, broadband infrastructure and middle mile issues.
Technology Panel
I/A
Hear from a panel of experts in the communications
industry about the impact of IP-enabled services on network
infrastructure, demand for wireless backhaul, evolution of
wired broadband and fixed and mobile wireless broadband.
Discussion will be focused on wires serving the wireless
backhaul market, and evolution of wireline and wireless
broadband in rural markets.
Telecom Regulation: The Battle for your Future
B/I
New Internet players and larger carriers have a picture of how
regulation, USF and ICC will look in the not-so-distant future,
and for rural telecom carriers, that picture isn’t pretty. Their
vision is based on the way the Internet works, and they argue
current USF and ICC regimes are not only obsolete but actually
hinder broadband investment and adoption in high-cost areas.
This session maps out alternative versions of the regulatory
future, sizes up opposing sides, and offers some perspective
on potential outcomes for rural America.
What’s an ATIS?
I/A
What can you do to increase take rates for DSL services? In this
class we will look at the main techniques to help your company
succeed in attracting broadband customers. Topics will include
marketing and customer upselling, improving digital literacy,
bundling techniques and broadband partnering.
USAC Overview and Update
B/I
Get an overview of USAC and the programs it administers.
You will learn about the NECA/USAC relationship and their
interdependence, as well as a discussion on the various USAC
forms and certifications and why they are important to you.
You’ll also hear the latest on USAC audits and any program
changes.
USF Red Light, Green Light & Everything in Between!
B/I
How does that Universal Service support payment end up in
your bank account? Join us to learn about factors that affect
your payments from filing revisions related to Cost Study
findings to the Red Light rule and Form 498.
B/I
Ever wonder where all those industry standards for ordering,
billing and interconnection come from? Who dreams this
stuff up? ATIS does! The Alliance for Telecommunications
Industry Solutions is an industry organization providing
www.NECA.org
accommodations
Set within the heart
of the city, the Hyatt
Regency Chicago
on the Riverwalk
is conveniently
connected to Illinois
Center and within
minutes of the
Magnificent Mile.
You can sway to the
electrified beat of
Chicago blues and
jazz greats, take in
a show at Navy Pier,
shop on Michigan
Avenue or just enjoy
a day in the park
or on the water. This cosmopolitan downtown Chicago hotel
is central to it all. View Hyatt Destinations Chicago city guide
for insider information on local culture, restaurants, shopping,
events and more.
Activities
ƒƒ Lakeshore Athletic Club / Spa Di La Fronza nearby
ƒƒ 24 hour StayFitTM gym / Waves Day Spa
ƒƒ Running / jogging paths along Riverwalk
ƒƒ Chicago river cruises
ƒƒ Ideal location for numerous Chicago activities
Local Attractions
ƒƒ Navy Pier / Lake Michigan beaches / Buckingham Fountain
ƒƒ Michigan Avenue and State Street shops / Shedd Aquarium
ƒƒ Museum campus / Wrigley, Soldier, US Cellular Fields (Cubs,
Bears, White Sox)
ƒƒ Millennium and Grant Parks / theatre district / The Loop
Transportation Options:
GO Airport Express
Guest Services
Shuttles depart from O’Hare airport every 10-15 minutes for
downtown service to Chicago hotels. Ticket counters and
loading zones for boarding the GO Airport Express van are at
Door 1E across from baggage claim 6, at Terminal 2 door 2E
across from Jet Blue Baggage Claim, Terminal 3 Door 3E across
from baggage claim 9 and at Terminal 5, just outside door 5E. If
you do not see a van, please call our toll-free number at 1-888284-3826, and ask a reservationist to send a van to one of these
locations when available. A one-way single fare from O’Hare to
downtown Chicago is $28; fares for 2 people are $19 per person
one-way and for groups of 3 or more, $14 per person. Fares are
slightly lower from Midway airport. Departures from the hotel
to the airport are available every 30 minutes.
ƒƒ Full service Business Center / Wi-Fi / FastBoard™
Chicago Transit Authority
ƒƒ PDA and Kiosk Check-in / 24 hour in-room dining
Fare is $2.25 one way. Take the Blue Line subway towards Forest
Park, to the Clark/Lake station. The trip is about 44 minutes
with 16 stops. It is a 10 minute walk or $5.00 cab ride from the
Clark/Lake station to the Hyatt at 151 E. Wacker Drive.
Rooms & Amenities
ƒƒ 2,019 well-appointed guestrooms; newly renovated West
Tower guestrooms
ƒƒ Grand Beds™ / iHome stereo with iPod® docking station / 37”
flat screen TV
ƒƒ Generous work desk / Wi-Fi and high speed Internet access
ƒƒ Business Plan, Gold Passport and Regency Club rooms
ƒƒ Multilingual staff / Concierge / Hyatt E-Concierge
ƒƒ Valet parking / gift shop / Hertz Car Rental on-site
Dining & Entertainment
ƒƒ Stetson’s Chop House: A signature Chicago steakhouse, live
entertainment
ƒƒ BIG Bar: Signature BIG cocktails, appetizers and desserts /
DaddyO’s: A cozy Irish bar with pub fare
ƒƒThe BISTRO At 151: Breakfast and lunch in the atrium lobby /
The BAR At 151: Trendy lounge for cocktails and appetizers
Yellow Cab Chicago
Yellow—and all Chicago taxi cab companies—charge standard
flat rates to and from both Chicago airports. Fares are about
$35 one way without tip. 15 percent is recommended as the
standard tip. Call 312-829-4222 for more information.
Windy City Limousine
Contact: Kevin Duff, telephone: 847-916-9300
ƒƒJ’s Express – open 24-hours: Starbucks coffee drinks, snacks,
a quick breakfast or lunch
www.NECA.org