Emerging Technologies Symposium

Sponsored by:

There are many innovative solutions being developed and marketed for utility communication needs. In fact, many of these emerging technologies look promising, but how do you know if they are the right solution for your utility? Planning for the future is essential yet complicated – are you picking the solutions that will exist for the long haul? Is this only going to be an intermediate solution because something “better” will replace it relatively quickly? The goal of the sessions in this symposia is to provide attendees with an in depth analysis of some of the innovative technologies that are available or are on the horizon in order for utility professionals to better understand the benefits of each solution and determine if they could be the "right solution" for their utility.

Complete Program

Relevant Emerging Technologies Sessions Include:

Saturday May 19, 2012

3:00  - 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

Sunday May 20, 2012

7:30 a.m.
8th Annual Past Chairman's Invitational Golf Tournament
Location: Shingle Creek Golf Course

8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open

9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Concurrent Tutorials

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Networking Lunch

1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Concurrent Tutorials

Monday, May 21, 2012

6:45 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

7:15 – 8:30 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Understand LTE Technology & How it Applies to Utilities
Symposia: Emerging Technologies, Wireless
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
As utilities consider the possibility of using 700 MHz public safety broadband networks, they should also understand LTE technology, which the FCC has adopted as the network standard. LTE offers broadband data rates with good propagation characteristics, and multiple priority access levels to ensure reliable communications. There are several differences in designing and owning a private LTE system compared to traditional two-way radio systems. This presentation will discuss the key features of LTE technology, share ideas on how sharing between public safety and utilities could work, discuss the security within an private LTE network, cover the types of devices expected in the market place and talk through the differences in designing and managing this type of network.

Speakers: Ashok Rudrapatna, Director, LTE Solutions End-to-End Network Architecture Group, Alcatel-Lucent
Paul Senior, Chief Technology Officer, Airspan
Ron Taylor, Senior Principal Engineer, Salt River Project

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

9:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Utilizing White Spaces for Utilities Communications' Infrastructure
Symposia: Emerging Technologies, Control Systems, Wireless
Tracks: Management, Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
Utilities are considering using TV white spaces technologies, that is an unlicensed operation that makes opportunistic use of available TV channels, which are allocated in 6 MHz blocks of spectrum. TV white spaces can provide ample broadband level bandwidth for AMI and DA backhaul. Coupled with excellent propagation characteristics, this spectrum has the potential to provide reliable backhaul communications for hard to reach locations on the utility system. What are the upside/downside relationships of the spectrum? Who controls TV white spaces operations in the spectrum? How can products be developed and designed to smartly and dynamically utilize the changing conditions of this spectrum? Hear the answers to these questions and more during this presentation.

Speakers: Jim Carlson, CEO/President, Carlson Wireless
Frank Folz, Managing Director of Smart Grid, Airspan Mark Gibson, Director – Business Development, Comsearch

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.
Networking Break

10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Emerging Digital Land Mobile Radio Technologies
Symposia: Emerging Technologies
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
Land Mobile Radio (LMR) is arguably the most mission critical technology used by electric utilities. Due to aging systems, the FCC narrowbanding mandate and efforts to improve spectral efficiency overall, and the focus on better fleet management efficiency, utilities are investing millions of capital expenditure dollars to upgrade their current LMR systems. Utilities are demanding that the investment provides a multitude of mobile workforce management (MWM) tools as well as mission critical voice communications. Utilities are also considering cognitive radio technologies that make more effective and efficient use of available bandwidth. This presentation discusses emerging digital technologies by the manufacturers, including new MWM features, and how they can be used by the utility to provide better operational efficiency.

Speakers: Tom Hoyne, Director, Utility Markets, Harris Charles Plummer, Director of Communications Infrastructure, Power System Engineering

11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Networking Break

2:00 – 6:30 p.m.
UTC EXPO 2012 Open
Room: Gatlin CDE
Visit these great exhibitors!

6:30 –8:30 p.m.
UTC Gala
Room: Panzacola F-G
Party around the world with us as we host a fun networking event. The UTC Gala is a great way to network and meet with your peers and catch up from a full day of education and vendor exhibits. 

8:30 – 10:30 p.m.
After-Gala Chairman’s Cigar Party
Room: Butler Courtyard

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

6:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.
"Power Hour" Education Sessions

Cloud Computing Meets Smart Grid
Symposia: Emerging Technologies
Tracks: Management, Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
Some Smart Grid applications are a natural fit for cloud computing, others are not. Robust wireless remote control of SCADA and Distribution Automation systems are part of the evolving industrial infrastructure of the grid. Today, advances in the smart grid itself—coupled with modern cloud computing technologies—are making industrial-scale monitoring and control a reality for utility consumers as well. Soon, every homeowner will have access to handheld mobile control of home automation systems, which will become ever smaller, less expensive, and less inherently complex as the cloud takes on more of the computational load for control, monitoring, and notification. Where are the cloud applications that make sense for utilities? Where are the applications that are best left out of the clouds? Join us as we discuss where or if cloud computing is right for your utility.

Speaker: Rick Geiger, Director, Sales Business Development, Enterprise COE, CISCO Jim Jones, Vice Present & Chief Information Officer, Great River Energy

10:00 a.m.– 2:00 p.m.
UTC EXPO 2012 Open
Room: Gatlin CDE
Visit these great exhibitors!

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Networking Lunch in UTC EXPO 2012
Room: Gatlin CDE

2:15 – 3:30 p.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Digital Certificates - Simplify Your Mobile Workforce's Life
Symposia: Emerging Technologies
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
Digital Certificates, also referred to as Public Key Infrastructure, are easier to deploy than one might think. They can streamline authentication to a variety of IT services (Wireless, VPN, wired network), and provide a seamless mobility experience, while providing strong, two-factor authentication. The technology has applications in other emerging secure networking environments, such as site-to-site VPNs. This technology primer, with a bit of utility case study sprinkled in, will provide a good introduction to the technology.

Speaker: Scott Hughes, Senior IT Network Engineer, Great River Energy

3:30 – 3:45 p.m.

Networking Break

3:45 – 5:00 p.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Multi-Protocol Label Switching: Build it once. Use it many times.
Symposia: Emerging Technologies
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
This session provides a walk-through of the value that a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) data network architecture brings to the bottom-line. Discuss the benefits and applications. Get answers to basic technical questions on functionality. Explore the security aspect, and learn the depth and breadth of MPLS solutions as it is being used at other utilities. Attendees will leave with a list of practical pro's and pitfalls for Smart Grid network development when deploying this advanced IP networking technology. Also learn specific applications such as virtual private networks, traffic engineering, quality of service, operations administration and maintenance.

Speakers: Nir Daube, VP Product Management, Telco Systems Mike Prescher, Network Architect, Black & Veatch Clint Struth, Principal Engineer – Telecommunications, Altalink Cory Struth, Network Architect, Altalink

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Focus on 700 MHz Public Safety Broadband Network – Legal, Technical and Practical Implications for Sharing
Tracks: Technical, Management, Legal
Room: Gatlin A3
Utilities can share the 700 MHz Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN), thanks to Title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (PL 112-96) which became law on February 21, 2012. Potentially, utilities could access up to 20 MHz of spectrum on a shared basis, which would help them meet their increasing communications needs for wide-area, high capacity voice and data. During this informative and interactive session, UTC experts will provide an outline of the opportunities available,the challenges associated with those opportunities, and the best strategies for utilities to ensure that the network will meet their communications needs.

Speakers: Brett Kilbourne, Vice President, Government and Industry Affairs and Deputy General Counsel, UTC
Prudence Parks, Director, Government Affairs and Legislative Counsel, UTC

6:30 – 7:00 p.m.
UTC Awards Dinner Reception
Room: Panzacola East Foyer

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
UTC Awards Dinner
Room: Panzacola F
The UTC Awards Dinner celebrates the achievements of individuals and utilities involved in UTC and the industry. Come join us for a semi-formal sit-down dinner as we honor individuals for Chairman’s Awards, the Dondanville Award the Meehan Award, as well as the UTC Apex Award presentation. It's a great night to celebrate!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

7:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

8:00 a.m.
UTC Fiber Optic Professional Certification & Training

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Innovation in Practice - UTC Annual Membership Meeting & Breakfast
Room: Gatlin B
As part of UTC's Annual Conference we hose a UTC Annual Membership Meeting where members are encourage to share their opinions, hear from their volunteer leaders and vote for next year's leadership.  If you are attending UTC TELECOM 2012 it is critical that you participate in this membership meeting.  Even if you aren't yet a member of UTC, you're invited to hear what UTC has planned for the upcoming year.

9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Committee Meetings

12:00 p.m.
UTC TELECOM 2012 Adjourns

12:00 p.m. - on
Post Conference User Group Meetings