Agenda

At a glance Full Agenda

Day 1

March 26, 2019

  • 8:55 am
    Chairman’s Opening Remarks
    Aaron Boasman-Patel,
    VP AI & Customer Experience, TM Forum
  • Business case for change
  • 9:00 am
    Opening CXO Keynote PANEL: Will the promise of automation and intelligence really deliver the network requirements of tomorrow?
    Aaron Boasman-Patel,
    VP AI & Customer Experience, TM Forum
    Ibrahim Gedeon,
    CTO, Telus
    Christian Maitre,
    Director Global Operations Transformation, Orange Group
    Neil McRae,
    Managing Director & Chief Architect, BT
    • What is your vision for the network of the future?
    • How are SDN, NFV, AI, IoT and 5G driving the network of the future?
    • What are the key requirements for future networks?
    • What are the future network requirements for the Networking of Everything, i.e. the delivery of IoT services?
    • How important is operations automation for the success of tomorrow’s network?
    • How do you keep investments in advanced software-driven, high-speed and high-capacity networks under control?
    • How can AI technology support the evolution to automatic, self-healing and self-optimizing networks?

    Moderator:

  • 9:45 am
    Do you really have a choice? Incorporating AI into your network evolution strategy
    • Why AI is no longer an option, but a requirement for future networks
    • Developing a holistic approach to AI deployment by examining the entire ecosystem
    • Defining your network evolution goals to make the right AI technology choices
    • Charting the network transformation path from the manual mode to AI-based autonomous mode
    • Examining how to integrate AI technology into the network design process to ensure that future networks can be scaled
  • 10:15 am
    The 5G challenge: What new opportunities are there for telcos by deploying intelligent networks?
    Matt Beal,
    Director, Technology Strategy & Architecture, Vodafone Group
    • Is there more to 5G than just the autonomous vehicle and more connection?
    • Understanding the business case for change – what new use cases are there for intelligent network and services – moving beyond the consumer to the enterprise
    • Creating a platform business to open up and address new markets
    • What implications do these new services have on the network?
  • 10:45 am
    Morning Refreshments and Networking
  • FUTURE NETWORKS – VISION, TECHNOLOGY AND STRATEGY
  • 11:15 am
    PANEL Discussion: Is AI really the game changer for networks?
    Anil Rao,
    Principal Analyst, Analysys Mason
    Matteo Gatta,
    Director Technology Strategy & Innovation, Proximus
    Mostafa Essa,
    RAN AI and Data Analytics Distinguished Engineer, Vodafone Egypt,
    Chair POC Rapporteurs ENI (Experimental Network Intelligence) ISG, ETSI,
    Chair FGML5G WG1 – Network 2030 SG1, ITU
    Mirko Voltolini,
    Global Head of Network on Demand, Colt Technology Services,
    Board Member, MEF
    Kim Krogh Andersen,
    SVP, Head of Global Technology Strategy, Telenor
    • Where do you see the greatest benefits to implementing AI in the network?
    • Deciding whether to implement a centralized AI architecture or specialized AI solutions for different use cases
    • What are the risks and how can they best be addressed?
    • What are the operational, organizational and technical challenges of implementing AI in your network?

    Moderator:

  • 12:00 pm
    Hype, hype and more hype. Is there more to automation and intelligence than just cost savings?
    Adan Pope,
    Chief Information Technology Officer, Ciena
    • What are we trying to deliver with the networks of tomorrow?
    • What new business models can be created?
    • What short-term gains can be made?
    • Will the cost savings live up to the hype?
  • 12:30 pm
    Examining how network automation and AI are enabling new digital business models and services by utilising data
    Richard Benjamins,
    Data & AI Ambassador, Telefonica
    • Data, data, data: how can I generate value from data in our networks?
    • Getting the most out of the data mountain – using AI to climb the data mountain and bring useful insights
    • How can service providers leverage mobile network data to serve B2B customers and other large customers better?
    • Seizing the opportunities whilst being realistic about the challenges
  • 1:00 pm
    Networking Lunch and Exhibition Visit
  • 2:00 pm
    Knowledge-Defined Networking – applying ML to networks
    • Understanding the goals of KDN
    • Examining how to introduce ML into network operations and control
    • Addressing maturity issues associated with using ML models in the network
    • What are the consequences of using ML to control the network?
    • What are the involved in building a self-driving network?
  • 2:30 pm
    PANEL Discussion: Stopping the breech – Securing future networks with the help of AI and virtualisation
    Patrick Donegan,
    Founder & Principal Analyst, HardenStance
    Oliver Cantor,
    Associate Director, Product Strategy, Verizon
    Alex Leadbeater,
    Head of Global Obligations and Standards, BT
    Jaya Baloo,
    Chief Security Officer, KPN
    • How billions of internet-connected devices increase cybersecurity threats
    • Building security into the network architecture of the future
    • Leveraging virtualisation to distribute and automate security functions
    • Combing AI and human monitors to maximise network security
    • Determining how and when to leverage cybersecurity-oriented AI to secure the network

    Moderator:

  • 3:15 pm
    Implementing zero-touch automation to enable new hybrid services
    Domenico Convertino,
    OSS Worldwide Leader, HPE Communications & Media Solutions
    • Drawing the roadmap to zero-touch automation - determining where to start
    • Defining an architecture that allows the seamless interaction of automation with the underlying physical and virtual components
    • What are the challenges and requirements associated with implementing and deploying zero-touch automation?
    • Understanding how to automate network and service migration
    • Leveraging closed-loop service assurance to optimize how the service is delivered in real-time
  • 3:45 pm
    Afternoon Refreshments and Networking
  • AUTOMATING NETWORKS & OPERATIONS
  • 4:15 pm
    PANEL Discussion: Intelligent network automation – paving the road to the intelligent, autonomous networks: What are the keys to success?
    Pierre Blanchard,
    President , PRBL Advisory
    Shahryar Khan,
    Head of Automation and Systems, Transport Networks, Telia Group
    Mustafa Ergen,
    Chief Technology Advisor & Board Member, Turk Telekom
    Marco de Nooijer,
    Program Director Data and Chief Data Officer, KPN
    Kailem Anderson,
    Vice President of Portfolio and Engineering, Blue Planet, Ciena
    • How are operators building software-driven, automated and intelligent networks?
    • Understanding how to incorporate AI into the network design process
    • Determining the optimum AI technology mix to drive network automation?
    • Designing innovative automation solutions using appropriate AI technology mix
    • What are the strategic and commercial drivers for intelligent network automation?

    Moderator:

  • 5:00 pm
    Next Generation Automation – a case study
    Vikas Kukreja,
    Senior VP, Head of Network Automation Center of Excellence, Smartfren
    • Outlining the challenges for Mobile Network Operators
    • Defining the key priorities with network automation?
    • What are the main benefits of automation?
    • What does the evolutionary path from manual to automated network operations look like?
    • What is the ultimate goal of network automation?

Day 2

March 27, 2019

  • 8:55 am
    Chairman’s Opening Remarks
    Dimitris Mavrakis,
    Research Director, ABI Research
  • AI IN THE CLOUD AND AT THE EDGE
  • 9:00 am
    Opening Keynote: Harnessing the power of Cloud AI
    • Exploring the symbiotic relationship between the Cloud and AI
    • How are major Cloud platform providers integrating AI technologies?
    • What new types of Cloud-delivered AI services are being developed and deployed?
    • Making AI accessible through the Cloud by providing AIaaS (AI as a Service) to enterprise customers and developers
  • 9:30 am
    Keynote PANEL: Cloud vs. Edge AI – Where is the best ROI?
    Dimitris Mavrakis,
    Research Director, ABI Research
    Fran Heeran,
    Group Head of Cloud & Automation, Vodafone,
    Board Member, ONAP
    Axel Clauberg,
    VP Strategic Portfolio Management & CTO, TC Services, T-Systems International GmbH, Deutsche Telekom,
    Chairman, TIP (Telecom Infra Project)
    Jim Fagan,
    Executive Director, Product & Technology, Global Platforms, Telstra
    Patrick Lopez,
    VP, Networks Innovation, Telefonica,
    Board Member, ONF
    • How does AI at the edge differ from AI in the Cloud?
    • Symbiotic or mutually exclusive - is the future of the Cloud in danger as computing moves to the edge or is there a role for both?
    • What are the opportunities in the Cloud and at the edge?
    • Cloud vs. Edge AI - how does spending and RoI compare?

    Moderator

  • 10:15 am
    Taking AI from the cloud to the edge
    • Why the move from Cloud AI to Edge AI is a business requirement
    • What does AI at the Edge entail and look like?
    • The value of being able to analyse data at the edge
    • Identifying and addressing the challenges of Edge AI
    • Understanding how performance and data security are enhanced by keeping the intelligence and processing at the edge
    • Partnering with start-ups to build the infrastructure for a smarter edge
  • 10:45 am
    Morning Refreshment & Networking
  • DESIGNING FUTURE NETWORKS WITH NFV AND SDN
  • 11:15 am
    Leveraging virtualised technologies to enable real-time automation
    • Enabling real-time, policy-driven software automation of VNFs
    • Understanding how virtualised technologies enables operators and their partners to rapidly create new services and infrastructure
    • Delivering a unified architecture and implementation
  • 11:45 am
    PANEL Discussion: Taking NFV and SDN to the next level with Zero Touch, Automation, Orchestration and AI
    David Boswarthick,
    Director, CSC, ETSI
    Satish Jamadagni,
    VP Network Planning Engineering, Reliance Jio
    Klaus Martiny,
    Senior Program Manager , Deutsche Telekom,
    Chair, ZSM ISG, ETSI,
    Vice Chair, NOC, NFV ISG, ETSI
    Luca Pesando,
    Standards Coordinator Technology Division, Telecom Italia
    • Why automation is key to the success of the virtualized network
    • Using AI and ML to drive automation in virtualized networks
    • How can AI be leveraged to support the need for speed and scale in network and service orchestration?
    • How will AI engines interact with automation and orchestration platforms in the future?

    Moderator:

  • 12:30 pm
    Realizing NFV-based Automation in the Mobile Telco Network
    • Delivering commercial agility and network automation using NFV technology
    • Examining how to apply machine learning and artificial intelligence into the network platform
    • Architecture revolution towards a simplified NFV/SDN
    • 5G with NFV based automation
  • 1:00 pm
    Networking lunch & exhibition visit
  • HUMAN FACTOR IN BUILDING THE NETWORK OF THE FUTURE
  • 2:00 pm
    PANEL Discussion – Why you need to transform your business culture
    • Understanding the impact AI will have on the organisation and the culture
    • Overcoming employee distrust, concerns and resistance to ML and AI amongst employees
    • How will the organization have to change to shift values and attitudes?
    • Creating a culture of collaboration across siloed departments
  • 2:45 pm
    Spotlight issue: HELP –How do we address the AI skills gap?
    • What skill sets are required of employees to lead the integration of AI technologies?
    • Providing AI training to existing employees
    • Developing a hiring strategy that attracts talent with AI skills
    • Cooperating with universities to overcome the AI skills gap
    • Providing AI training courses to all company engineers
  • 3:15 pm
    Afternoon Refreshments & Networking
  • COLLABORATION AND ECOSYSTEM: FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNERS
  • 3:45 pm
    PANEL Discussion: Developing strategic partnerships for AI network success
    Lucy Lombardi,
    Senior Vice President, Digital & Ecosystem Innovation , Telecom Italia,
    Board Member, Technology Group, GSMA
    Andy Reid,
    Chief Network Services Architect, BT,
    Vice Chair, OSM ISG, ETSI
    • Overcoming the challenges of partnering: business approaches and technical solutions
    • How to successfully work with chosen partners to design and implement AI in your network
    • Understanding how to successfully retain partners and their innovations
    • Exploring shared investment, risk and monetization models
  • 4:30 pm
    Selecting the right AI partners
    • Determining the key criteria partners need to fulfil
    • Choosing a partner with an ecosystem
    • To what extent are existing vendor partners able to support the introduction of AI into your networks?
    • What are the benefits and drawbacks of partnering with start-ups?
  • 5:00 pm
    The winner takes it all! – Leveraging automated AI in your network as a competitive differentiator
    • Why early adopters of automated AI in their networks have a competitive advantage
    • Examining how early adopters among operators and OTTs are applying AI to their network operations
    • Rethinking your business models to take full advantage of the opportunities create by introducing automation and AI into networks
    • Translating the increased speed to insight into new innovative services