46th Annual Winter Convention Presentations
Presentations from the 46th Annual Winter Convention in Kauai, Hawaii, Jan. 17-21, 2009
General Session
Forums
Peer Perspectives
Roundtables
General Session
Washington Report
John Rose, OPASTCO
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Forums
Lighting the Way to New Opportunities: A Case Study for Rebuilding A Regional Network
Peter Rasmusson, Martin Group
Mark Shlanta, SDN Communications
- Key members of SDN Communications and Martin Group will detail the strategic, managerial, technical, operational, financial and marketing drivers for SDN’s recent construction of the Research Education and Economic Development Network for the state of South Dakota (REED Network). The presentation will also address anticipated applications of the REED Network and early operating results.
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Riding the Crest: Hot New Revenue Sources, Part 3
Sue DeFlorio, FiberCloud/Whidbey
John Granger, Mapcom
Raymond Hennegen, Rockport Telephone
George Henny, FiberCloud/Whidbey
Warren Lee, NeoNova
Ron Strecker, Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (PTCI)
- A continuation of the well-received panel discussions held at Anchorage and Phoenix, a panel of OPASTCO members share their proven “out-of the box” strategies to increase revenue. In addition, an update is provided on the ideas discussed in Phoenix. In a time of ever-changing technology and competition, these executives are taking creative approaches to truly maximize their revenue potential. This panel session is sponsored by OPASTCO Associate Member Committee.
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Monitoring and Maintaining Your IPTV Network
David Foote, Hitachi Telecom USA
Christina Holland, Conklin-Intracom
Dan Mostert, Delhi Telephone Company
Bill Trelease, Delhi Telephone Company
- After initialization of your IPTV service many challenges remain, such as how to monitor and maintain the network. This session will cover the support systems necessary to accomplish this.
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Peer Perspectives
Hang Ten with the Next Gen
Dave Nieuwstraten, Pivot Group
Heather Thompson, CoBank
- How do you capture the attention and dollars of an up-and-coming generation that thinks your product is obsolete? During this session, the OPASTCO Marketing/PR Committee will share techniques and tips that other industries are using to capture this market. Panelists will cover a variety of marketing techniques, including multimedia and social and viral marketing, that you can incorporate into your business strategy to ensure this group is your next generation of customers. This session is a follow-up to "Selling to the Cell-Phone-Only Generation," presented at the 45th Annual Summer Convention in Quebec City.
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Lessons Learned from a Digital Conversion: Taking a Hit to Become a Hit
Kurt Gruendling, Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom
Bill Harder, Volcano Telephone Company
John Lundgren, Volcano Telephone Company
Tim Owens, Cronin Communications
- Many video operators are facing the tough decision to eliminate their analog services in order to free up bandwidth to offer HDTV and other advanced services. Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom's (WCVT) legacy video system was maxed-out on channel capacity and unable to offer high-definition, expanded channels, or DVRs. Upgrading the system to all-digital would give customers access to these popular services, but at a cost: any television without a set-top box would stop working. WCVT knew that the conversion and distribution of nearly 8,000 set-top boxes would be painful but necessary to strategically position itself for the future. This presentation will discuss the decision-making process; regulatory and technical challenges; training, content sourcing, marketing and new revenue opportunities; and, most importantly, the inevitable customer backlash. This panel also will take an in-depth look at the successes and failures, and the many lessons learned from the conversion.
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Exploring Video Alternatives: From IPTV & RF to Over-the-Top
Sue Bauman, Calix
Geoff Burke, Calix
Donovan Prostrollo, Calix
- Internet video can provide a tremendous opportunity to act as a catalyst for establishing broadband relationships, complementing IPTV initiatives, and redefining the competitive playing field for broadband. Internet video will continue to emerge as an important and influential broadband application/service that will play an integral role in the strategic planning of wireline service providers. This presentation will explore the implications of the emergence of Internet video and offer perspectives on how to leverage this service as a strategic resource.
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Roundtables
Making Broadband Profitable
Don Fendrick, Alcatel-Lucent
John Finke, HickoryTech
Ben Foster, Twin Valley Telephone
David Fritz, Alcatel-Lucent
Larry Thompson, Vantage Point Solutions
- Can the rural service provider remain profitable with a broadband service offering alone? As land line disconnects continue, telephone service providers are quickly transforming into broadband service providers. This session will discuss revenue opportunities to offset the decline in land line revenues for rural broadband service providers. Applications (including voice and video), along with the delivery mechanisms like content delivery networks (CDN) and over the top (OTT) methods, will be discussed.
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Everyone Needs an Exit Strategy... Even the Boss!
Bryan Hanning, AGH Solutions, LLC
Derrick L. Nielsen, Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, L.C.
- Every business owner steps down someday... but it’s one of the most emotionally charged decisions of a lifetime, especially for entrepreneurs. Many owners struggle to transition to the next stages of their life because they don't take the time or know how to plan for it. This presentation highlights emotional and financial factors every business owner should consider before a transition.
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USAC Audits, Round 3: Let’s Get Ready to Rumble
Timothy Burns, BKD, LLP
Steve Meltzer, John Staurulakis, Inc.
Bob Rozell, BTC Broadband
- As the next round of USAC audits approach, the industry can expect as many as 800 new investigations in 2009. What did the first two rounds teach us? What do we need to know to prepare adequately? Will you be at the mercy of whomever USAC sends to your door? This session will review significant areas scrutinized in Round 2 and explore the best ways to get your company ready, including internal controls, record retention, affiliate transactions, asset testing, confidentiality, and your rights as an audited company.