 | | April 14, 2010 Editor's Note It’s not an easy time to be a communications service provider. You’re up against the usual competition, but also breathing down your neck are a slew of non-traditional players who are angling for a piece of your business. As if that wasn’t enough, you’re forced to spend millions of dollars in some cases to ensure your infrastructure is up-to-date and ready to do battle against the best-prepared of foes. But rather than throwing your hands up, accepting defeat and getting ready to slap the label “dumb pipe” on your logo, you still have options that will keep you in the game and help you thrive even in tough times. Our coverage this month includes critical areas such as 4G and the explosion of social networks, but also some practical perspective from a new TM Forum board member who also happens to represent one of the largest companies in the world. We hope these articles, and our Executive Program taking place next month at Management World 2010, will give providers – as well as their suppliers, integrators and other partners – a view into a future that’s not so bleak after all. Anita Karvé, Newsletter Editor
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| | Articles | | | | | | Making 4G Pay Off
Without a doubt, 4G is one of the big communications stories of 2010. But, as Martin Creaner, President and COO of TM Forum, points out, while the whiz-bang nature of lightning-fast speeds to your mobile may seem cool, operators still have to figure out how to monetize it and make it worth the investment.
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| An Interview with Austen Mulinder, Corporate VP, Worldwide Communications Sector, Microsoft
Microsoft has recently taken on a leadership role within TM Forum with the appointment of Austen Mulinder to the Forum’s Board of Directors. As he settles into this new position, which will involve helping to set and guide strategic initiatives within TM Forum, Mulinder discussed why Microsoft decided to step up its involvement within the Forum and what synergies he sees between the two organizations.
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| Q&A with Nik Willetts, Senior Vice President, Communications, TM Forum
Nik Willetts recently spoke with Monica Zlotogorski, Editor of TM Forum’s Inside Latin America and Vice Chair of TM Forum’s Latin America Advisory Board, about what Communications Service Providers need to do – from a business and marketing perspective – to develop new market opportunities and remain successful in a rapidly changing world.
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| Becoming More Socially Networked in Emerging Markets
Monica Zlotogorski, Editor of TM Forum’s Inside Latin America and Vice Chair of TM Forum’s Latin America Advisory Board, looks at how social networking and other new services will become critical to the developing world as these markets look to put their mark on the communications industry.
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| | Sponsored Article | | | | | | The ABCs of SLM for OSS/BSS: A is for Automating, B is for Business Focus, C is for Contracts
With TM Forum’s Management World 2010 coming up next month, it 's important to focus on how service level management relates to the standards that come out of each year’s event. The Business Process Framework (eTOM) customer/supplier interaction is generally considered to be linear, with an end of the interaction in sight according to when the service ends and the customer leaves. This is becoming an outdated way to view the customer and service relationship and Service Level Agreements overall.
Read More | | | Brought to you by |  | | | | | | | | | | | | Conferences | | | | | Register for the TM Forum Executive Program
The invitation-only Executive Program at Management World 2010 offers the perfect environment for senior executives to network, exchange ideas and gain inspiration from provocative debates, including exclusive access to a VIP cocktail reception on May 17, followed by reserved seating at the Keynote Perspectives for the morning of May 18. In addition to an extensive conference agenda, participants will have access to a choice of private roundtable sessions. Already signed up are senior executives from: AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica O2 Germany, Alcatel-Lucent, Paltel, HP, Qwest, BT, Orange, Etisalat, T-Mobile Austria, Reliance, TeliaSonera, Telekom Slovenije, Subex, Com Hem, Telecom Egypt and Telcordia. To apply for your place, please contact Suzy Mayhew. | |  |
| | | | Other Conferences | | | | Team Action Week Baltimore 2010 | | Management World Americas 2010 |
| Best Practices & Standards | | | | | April 20 Frameworx Briefing Session
Join us for a briefing session on Frameworx, TM Forum’s integrated business architecture for Service Oriented Enterprises. Topics will include: - Business drivers for an integrated business architecture;
- Introduction to Frameworx and its benefits;
- How you can use Frameworx to improve business agility, speed time-to-market and reduce operating costs;
- An opportunity to have your Frameworx questions answered.
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| |  | | Other Best Practices & Standards | | Three Business Benchmarking Studies Now Open |
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| Get Involved | | | | | | The Culture of Transformation
To assist our members with their challenges, TM Forum has entered into a strategic partnership with Gravitas Global, a company with over 25 years of experience helping more than 3,000 executives around the globe navigate the treacherous waters of transformation. The strategic partnership provides TM Forum with the capability to assist members’ leadership teams by making available a set of four highly interactive workshops, which can be tailored to focus on a company’s specific transformation challenges. Read More | |  | | | | | | TM Forum Excellence Awards Finalists
The finalists for this year's Excellence Awards have been announced. After receiving a record 54 nominees from global communications service providers, suppliers and system integrators from across four business categories – Industry Leadership, Operational Excellence, Solution Excellence and Business Innovation - the finalists have been carefully narrowed down to 6 in each category. TM Forum’s Excellence Awards are regarded as the most sought-after awards of their kind, recognizing global leadership, innovation and excellence, while giving significance to achievements of companies within the communications industry. The winners will be announced at Management World 2010 in Nice on Tuesday, May 18. Read More | | 
| | | | | | Regional Spotlights | |
| | Jakarta, Indonesia – June 22 | | New Delhi, India – July 19 | | TM Forum Supported Events | |
| Telco Strategies 2010 – Apr. 20-21 – Singapore
TM Forum Guest Speaker: Tony Poulos, Head of Revenue Management Sector
Virtual Event: Three OSS Imperatives: Customer, Cost & Cloud – Apr. 20
TM Forum Guest Speaker: Martin Creaner, President and COO |
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