Dallas, TX November 5, 2007 – The TM Forum announced today the launch of a new program dedicated to management issues around managing devices such as mobile handsets, set-top boxes, and home gateways. The new initiative illustrates the Forum’s commitment to the end-to-end service value chain -- reaching out to address management needs from content source to the user’s device.
Keith Willetts, TM Forum Chairman said: “When communications, music and TV were all separate sectors, different management approaches were OK. But the ‘any content on any network on any device’ converging world needs a universal approach. There is significant momentum building to unify the management of the ever widening variety of end-user devices used by consumers and in enterprises, because companies know that without it the market for converged advertising based services will be very limited.”
The new program will look at management approaches currently used in the mobile, cable and consumer electronics field and see if a universal approach is possible. Chris Ballard, TM Forum’s program leader added, “We don’t aim to reinvent the wheel if we don’t have to, but we need to look at all of the angles to come up with a lightweight, simple approach to managing all devices as quickly as possible.”
MIT Media Labs guru Dr David Clark has estimated there could be up to 1 trillion devices in the market in 15-20 years time. Each being managed and controlled in different ways would be impossible. So the team will address questions such as:
• How can a common approach be forged across the variety of devices?
• What is the demarcation point between devices and the network?
• Where should the management intelligence reside?
• How can we help spur fixed-mobile convergence?
• How can we more effectively link management of these devices with the way that companies want to manage their businesses and services end-to-end?
Detecon, the international consulting company of Deutsche Telekom, has provided leadership in defining the initial framework for the program. Dr. Uwe Alkemper, Managing Partner and Head of Strategic Technology at Detecon, said, “We are pleased to help drive the discussion in the TM Forum, since it is provides a good platform for discussing these topics and moderating the joint interests of all stakeholders in this rapidly changing market.”
End-User Remote Device Management at Management World Americas 2007
To learn more about the End-User RDM, TM Forum initiative attend the Management World Americas event at the Adams Mark Hotel in Dallas from Nov 4-8, 2007 and participate in the following sessions:
• End-User RDM Overview presentation at the TM Forum Booth on Tues, Nov 6, 2007 at 5:00 pm
• Device Management Spotlight on Wed, Nov 7, 2007 at 2:30 pm in the Houston B room. Session participants include: Accenture, Detecon (Deutsche Telekom), Peak 8 Solutions, Parks Associates, Motorola, and the senior leadership of the DSL Forum.
• Project kickoff to organize the new initiative on Wed, Nov 7, 2007 at 6:30 pm in the Houston B room
For more information about getting involved in the End-User RDM interest group, please visit the TM Forum website or contact Mike Kelly at mkelly@tmforum.org.
About the TM Forum
With over 630 members in 65 countries, the TM Forum is the world’s leading trade association focused on management of information, communications and entertainment services. The Forum provides leadership, strategic guidance and practical solutions to improve the way that services are created, delivered, assured and charged. Members include the majority of the world’s service providers, network operators, software suppliers, equipment suppliers and systems integrators.
The Forum currently facilitates over 80 technical programs and provides extensive training, conferencing and information services to its members. Through its initiatives to help providers move to 21st century ‘lean’ processes, the Forum helps its members automate business processes by deploying operational systems that will work seamlessly across various parts of the service delivery chain. The organization provides industry benchmarks, guidebooks, process and software frameworks and specific ‘plug and play’ standards. These give service providers the direction and specific roadmaps to achieve much greater business efficiency and operational flexibility.
For further information regarding the TM Forum, related programs such as the Prosspero initiative and its Management World conferences, please visit www.tmforum.org
Media Contact:
Juliet Shavit
TM Forum
+1 215-504-4272
jshavit@tmforum.org