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  issue highlights May 15, 2008 | A Penton Media, Inc. Publication  
MultiService Forum readies global demo

Verizon field techs get BlackBerry benefits

AT&T, Verizon win $1B Homeland Security deal

Alltel third carrier to pick LTE for 4G


top story

Embarq next to exit MVNO biz

By Kevin Fitchard
New Sprint CEO Dan Hesse’s former company, Embarq, is the latest to abandon its reseller deal with Sprint. Embarq’s chief financial officer told an analyst conference Wednesday that its wireless operations failed to meet the company’s expectations, attracting only 112,000 customers in two years, forcing Embarq to stop sales and likely shut down the operation next year.

“It was becoming apparent we wouldn’t obtain enough wireless customers to make a big difference,” CFO Gene Betts said. “Originally we hoped to get around a million customers, and it’s becoming clear we’re not to come close to that.”

When Embarq spun off from Sprint in 2006, it signed the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deal with its former parent, allowing it to market its own service plans under the Embarq name though using the Sprint network and devices. While sunsetting the service, Embarq isn’t shutting it off entirely. Betts said it would continue to sell its remaining inventory of phones to customers, but once they are gone, stop sales entirely. Existing customers are still profitable, so they will remain under the Embarq umbrella at least until 2009, when the company will weigh whether transferring them back over to Sprint.

Read more of this story


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Finally, an Event Exclusively for Independent Service Providers!
Telephony's INSIGHTS for Next-Generation ILECs


Join us at INSIGHTS for Next-Generation ILECs, a one-day conference June 16 at NXTcomm, from the editors of Telephony and The Independent. At this one-of-kind event, you will find out how Independent service providers are innovating their businesses… and how you can innovate yours. Registration includes free admittance to the NXTcomm exhibit hall, PLUS the first 40 to register may attend an executive VIP luncheon on business valuation! Find out more about this dynamic, focused event: Check out the full agenda and see the full list of speakers. Early bird rates of $295 are only available through April 30, so register soon to take advantage! Register today!

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Applications for a Highly Scalable, Independent IP/MPLS Control Plane
Watch Webcast live on May 20, 2PM ET/11AM PT


In this Webcast, Telephony's Executive Editor Ed Gubbins will be joined by Ray Mota of Synergy Research Group and Gal Rosenzweig & Alan Sardella of Juniper Networks to discuss how service providers can simplify and scale their networks. They'll examine the many applications that a scalable control plane can enhance, including network consolidation, collapsed PoP architectures, rapid service rollout, service separation, and simplified adherence to regulatory requirements. Learn more about this Webcast or register now.

Sponsored by: Juniper Networks



white papers

Service Delivery Platforms: "New Services Made Easy"

Today's service providers are facing well-known challenges: ARPU erosion as voice becomes a commodity; and aggressive competitors offering a broad range of services. In response, they must deliver new high-revenue services. Unfortunately, there is a major obstacle barring their path: their traditional network integration and marketing processes mean that new service development takes a very long time and costs a huge amount. That's why the Service Delivery Platform was developed. This white paper by Daniel Marcus of MetaSwitch describes how an SDP allows service providers to define, develop and deploy new services far faster than they have been able to in the past, all while reducing the cost of service deployment. Download today.
  READ MORE >>  

Addressing Data Integration Challenges with SOA

A big challenge for telcos is validating data exchange as they integrate business applications. SOA (service-oriented architecture) offers tremendous promise to streamline application development and enable productive re-use of existing services. Learn how SOA is gaining ground. Read White Paper.
  READ MORE >>  

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Read this Stratecast White Paper: Common Information Modeling in a SOA Environment

As SOA implementations proliferate, integration can not occur without careful attention to data architecture. Service providers who are creating a formal structure for effectively validating OSS/BSS data through a Common Information Model are seeing significant benefits. Read White Paper.

Brought to you by: Progress DataXtend




top news

MultiService Forum readies global demo

Carriers including Verizon, BT, Vodafone and new member China Mobile will be among the host test sites for the MultiService Forum's global interoperability demonstration of next-generation networks.
  READ MORE >>  

Verizon field techs get BlackBerry benefits

Verizon Partner Solutions, the wholesale arm of Verizon, is now equipping its 2200 field technicians with BlackBerry 8703e smartphones and reaping financial and customer satisfaction rewards in the process.
  READ MORE >>  


telephony's innovation awards

Know a service provider defining innovation?

Nominate it for Telephony's Innovation Awards at Telephony LIVE, September 30 in Chicago. Click here to nominate a service provider or visit telephonyonline.com/telephonylive08/awards/ for more information. Deadline is June 30!
  READ MORE >>  


special report

Differentiate your Ethernet Services: Read Telephony's Special Report

Research shows Ethernet market revenue will grow to $16 billion in 2010. How will you cash in? Read Telephony's Guide to Carrier Ethernet to differentiate your services from the competition and prepare for future challenges. Read Special Report.
  READ MORE >>  


more news from the web

AT&T, Verizon win $1B Homeland Security deal

From Associated Press
Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. on Wednesday won a 10-year, nearly $1 billion deal to provide the Homeland Security Department with a secure telecommunications network, an agency spokesman said.
  READ MORE >>  

Alltel third carrier to pick LTE for 4G

From Electronista
Alltel will use Long Term Eveolution (LTE) for its next-generation phone network, according to statements made during a conference call discussing the provider's latest financial results.
  READ MORE >>  

Comcast acquires social networker Plaxo

From Washington Post
Just got off the phone from a tandem interview with Plaxo CEO Ben Golub and Comcast Interactive Media's Sam Schwartz. They weren't willing to talk money but answered just about everything else and talked at length about the vision of marrying set-tops and social software.
  READ MORE >>  

FCC taking suggestions on D-block re-auction

From PC World
The FCC on Wednesday voted to ask for public comments on how to re-auction the D block, a 10MHz piece of spectrum that commissioners had wanted to pair with another 10MHz controlled by public-safety agencies.
  READ MORE >>  

SK Telecom may double down In U.S

From Forbes
Will combining two of the weakest players in the U.S. cellular market result in a stronger competitor? Virgin Mobile USA and SK Telecom may soon find out.
  READ MORE >>  


nxtcomm08 news

Survivor Producer Mark Burnett starts digital content delivery dialogue

`Survivor’, ‘The Apprentice’ and `Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader’ Producer Mark Burnett recently shared his experiences and thoughts on digital content delivery during an exclusive, executive event in Hollywood, hosted by NXTcomm and InfoComm and sponsored by iHollywood Forum. Burnett’s comments on the symbiotic role between entertainment and communications began an industry dialogue which will continue on June 19, 2008 during NXTcomm08 in Las Vegas.
  READ MORE >>  


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