Critical Infrastructure Telecom Tutorial
Room: 13

Everything you always wanted to know about how utilities use telecom and how it’s regulated packed into one dynamic session! Perfect for professionals new to the field who need to know the background of critical systems, for experienced professionals who are curious about new technology, or for technology vendors who are looking to understand this market better. Learn how the industry uses telecommunications, facilities, media and mechanisms, and get the basics on how the FCC and other agencies regulate what we do. Highlights include a focus on data networks, telecom applications unique to utilities and wireless and fiber-based telecom technologies.

Birds of a Feather Networking Lunch
Room: Ballroom A

Grand Opening of UTC TELECOM 2006 in UTC EXPO 2006

Don’t miss the opening reception for UTC TELECOM 2006. Kick off your conference experience by meeting with potential partners in the UTC EXPO 2006. Network with colleagues and friends as you see new products and services. Enjoy the food, drinks and fun as you walk around UTC EXPO 2006 - the premier critical infrastructure technology showcase!

Opening General Session

Join us as we kick off UTC TELECOM 2006 in a grand fashion! As we look into the future of the utility industry, it often is hard to see beyond the demands and responsibilities of our current project. This session will draw on the expertise of one of our own – Leonard Leech, UTC’s Chairman of the Board – and a leading utility CEO to explore the question – where is technology leading the telecom and IT departments of critical infrastructure entities. It’s never to early to be educated about what is coming next to prepare for it and plan for it, for as the old adage says, failure to plan is a plan to fail. Additionally, this session will explore UTC in detail, outlining the benefits you receive as a UTC member or the benefits potential members could receive. In this era of change, it never hurts to have an ally on your side. That’s what UTC is – your ally. *New* UTC TELECOM 2006 General Session will feature Dr. Larry J. Sabato, a political analyst director of the University Of Virginia's Center for Politics and the Robert Kent Gooch -Professor Of Government and Foreign Affairs. He is a former Rhodes Scholar and Danforth Fellow. Dr. Sabato will be a touch of humor and insight to the opening general session on politics and the future.

Unleashing the Power of Optical Networks to Enable New IP Services
Room: 05/06

New commercial IP services hold great promise as new revenues for utilities seeking to capitalize on the power of their existing optical networks. In many instances, utilities and their UTelcos may need to add capacity to their existing networks to fully realize the potential of offering commercial Voice over IP (VoIP) and other broadband services. This session will examine what some utilities have done already and how they are meeting real-world challenges as they deploy commercial IP services. This session will teach you how to unleash the power of optical networks in order to deliver new revenue producing services.

Networking Break

Fiber-to-the-X
Room: 05/06

Fiber-to-the-Home, Fiber-to-the-Pole, Fiber-to-the-Curb - all are examples of the expanded ways utilities and their technology providers are leveraging optical assets to gain more functionality, cost saving and service deployments. Making simple changes to existing infrastructure can lower cost, decrease installation time and expand fiber capacity. This will enable new applications such as video transport and distribution architectures to overlay onto the existing infrastructure. This session also will look at how a group of communities are developing building codes to mandate levels of broadband capacity and connectivity, just like the codes that have existed for years to ensure universal access to electricity, gas and water.

UTC Expo Hall Opens

Networking Lunch in UTC EXPO 2006

HOT TOPIC: 2006 UTC Engineering Papers
Room: 16

Attendees won’t want to miss this special hot topic session featuring the student winners of the first annual UTC Engineering Paper Competition! The UTC Engineering Paper Competition was designed as a way to get student involvement on a technical engineering aspect of utility telecommunications. In an open presentation format, winners will discuss their paper as well as address questions from attendees. Before you attend this session, check out the UTC Engineering Paper Competition display inside UTC EXPO 2006. This display will feature the papers of the top finalists. Don’t be the one attendee who’s not talking about these papers!

HOT TOPIC: IPv6 - New Internet Protocols
Room: 15

IPv6 has been on the horizon for many years and may become reality soon, help prepare your organization for the proposed 2008 adoption of IPv6 by the Federal Government. This session will show you the differences between IPv4 and IPv5 and the changes that IPv6 will include when implemented. Learn about its applications and products as well as how future two-way radio, microwave radio, MAS systems and fiber/SONET systems might be influenced as a result of the change. Join experts as they discuss how this technology will determine the development of new end user technologies as well as simplified network operations.

UTC Gala

This year’s UTC Gala will be a “swashbuckling” event! “Walk the Plank” with us in the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina for a night of food, fun and friends as we celebrate this year’s UTC Gala with a pirate theme! In the long tradition of UTC Gala’s, this will be an evening to remember!

UTC Apex Award Presentation Breakfast
Room: Ballroom B

Sponsored by Motorola

The Second Annual UTC Apex Award promises to be an awards breakfast to remember honoring the absolute best in utility telecommunications. Join us as we showcase not only the winners of this distinguished award, but the finalists as well - told through the stories they submitted. Come and get inspired by how your peers have taken the jobs they do every day and made them a unilateral success story for their companies and their communities. As we continue to work through the many changes and challenges of the industry, the UTC Apex Award reminds us and our bosses of the critical function we deliver on a daily basis. UTC continues to strive for higher recognition of the importance of telecom and IT departments within critical infrastructure. The UTC Apex Award highlights the deeds and actions that make these departments stand out in a crowd. Learning from these stories is an essential step in raising the bar on your own successes with community assistance.

New Technology In Optical Fiber: Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (ROADM)
Room: 05/06

New emerging fiber optic solutions are changing utilities communication needs for their SCADA networks. These advancements are reliable and have the ability to elevate system and network management. Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers are innovative enhancements to ROADM modules or gear with ROADM capabilities. The technology grants network operators more flexibility to plan networks with meticulous accuracy prior to final acceptance of the network plan. Hear how the technology helps to improve dependability and how your company can consider the technology for your network structure.

UTC EXPO 2006 Open

Networking Break in UTC EXPO 2006

HOT TOPIC: Hurricane Response Town Hall Meeting: Lessons Learned from Katrina, Rita, Wilma, Etc.
Room: 10/11

The critical communications networks deployed by America’s utilities in the regions devastated by hurricanes in 2005 performed amazingly well, supporting recovery as designed and often providing the only communications in affected areas for the first days following the storms’ impact. However, while much worked well, response to the hurricanes of 2005 also pointed out problems and opportunities for improvement that will be of use to everyone who responds to disasters. The Hurricane Response Town Hall Meeting will feature an open discussion among leaders from critical infrastructure industries, as well as their counterparts from public safety, Federal or State government, commercial telecommunications – and YOU! Please plan on being a part of this unique and essential event.

HOT TOPIC: The A,B,C’s of Creating a Successful Business Case for Utility Telecom and IT Projects
Room: 16

A serious challenge faces telecommunications/IT departments of critical infrastructure companies - how to gain the support of executive management for the necessary capital funding for network improvements. A well thought-out, organized and written business case can make all the difference in the critical step of justifying a project and securing management support. This session will explain the basics of A) How to write an RFP or RFI document for vendors; B) How to calculate and present key financial benchmark; C) How to write a business case document incorporating all of the elements of a successful plan. You can learn from the examples of your industry peers as you prepare to launch the “big idea”.

Networking Lunch in UTC EXPO 2006

Networking Break

Using New Technologies to Maximize Existing Optical Networks
Room: 05/06

Advancement in optical networking technologies allows service providers to bring more offerings to the marketplace and enable greater use of wavelength services. UTelcos that currently are examining optical networking and it’s effect on the “Top-Line” revenue growth through the enablement of new services will learn how optical telecommunications networking technologies can help their organization meet revenue projections. The session will address such areas as the technical architecture for delivering wavelength services, an economic and network design case study and an assessment of technology use within the UTelco environment.

UTC Awards Dinner

The UTC Awards Dinner is the social event of UTC TELECOM 2006! Join us as we honor the recipients of UTC’s most prestigious awards, the Dondanville, Meehan and Chairman’s Awards. This event will feature cocktails, dinner and award presentations with colleagues and friends.

Coffee Service

Next-Gen Optical Foundations for 21st Century Networks
Room: 05/06

The industry agrees that converged networks are required to deliver broadband services, beat competitive challenges and handle growing economic pressures. Placing the “layer-2 and above” vision of next-generation networks on top of transport infrastructures not capable of cost-effectively addressing wide-scale high-speed service delivery only delays the inevitable transformation needed at layer-1. This results in greater CapEx and OpEx and opens the door for competitive service provider success. This industry panel session will examine the various approaches that can be deployed at layer-1, and will discuss the requirements that are best suited for each approach.

Capstone Session and UTC Annual Membership Meeting
Room: Ballroom B

Help us close out UTC TELECOM 2006 with brunch and installation of new officers. Join the outgoing Chairman and the Board as we report on the activities over the past year and the planned activities in our next membership year. We know that you’ve absorbed a LOT of information over the past few days, this session gives you a chance to reflect on what you’ve learned and how UTC is addressing the issues we feel will develop as we move forward. As UTC expands our focus, especially in advocacy, it is important to understand how this benefits you and your company. Find out how you can benefit more in your professional life by volunteering to serve in some capacity with UTC. If all you do with UTC is attend the annual conference, this session will point out all that you are missing. Come and be reminded of why you joined UTC!