In the telecom world, services have usually been conceived with a specific mindset. This mindset has defined the traditional characteristics of these services; services distinguished by their linkage with the access network, tight control over service use (e.g., authentication, billing), lack of deep personalization capabilities (mass services only) and reliance on standardization to achieve end-to-end interoperability between all the actors of the value chain (e.g., operators, platform manufacturers, device manufactures). This book offers insights into this complex but exciting world of telecommunications characterized by constant evolution, and approaches it from technology as well as business perspectives. The book is appropriately structured in three parts: (a) an overview of the state-of-the-art in fixed/mobile NGN and standardization activities; (b) an analysis of the competitive landscape between operators, device manufactures and OTT providers, emphasizing why network operators are challenged on their home turf; and (c) opportunities for business modeling and innovative telecom service offers.

The International Teletraffic Congress (ITC) is a recognized international organization taking part in the work of the International Telecommunications Union. The congress traditionally deals with the development of teletraffic theory and its applications to the design, planning and operation of telecommunication systems, networks and services. The contents of ITC 14 illustrate the important role of teletraffic in the current period of rapid evolution of telecommunication networks. A large number of papers address the teletraffic issues behind developments in broadband communications and ATM technology. The extension of possiblities for user mobility and personal communications together with the generalization of common channnel signalling and the provision of new intelligent network services are further extremely significant developments whose teletraffic implications are explored in a number of contributions. ITC 14 also addresses traditional teletraffic subjects, proposing enhancements to traffic engineering practices for existing circuit and packet switched telecommunications networks and making valuable original contributions to the fundamental mathematical tools on which teletraffic theory is based. The contents of these Proceedings accurately reflect the extremely wide scope of the ITC, extending from basic mathematical theory to day-to-day traffic engineering practices, and constitute the state of the art in 1994 of one of the fundamental telecommunications sciences.

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) uses services as the baseline for developing new architectures and applications, as networks are built specifically to satisfy service requirements. Most services are currently handled over different networks, but newer services will soon require cross-network support. Architecting the Telecommunication Evolution

This book discusses the ideas, interventions (by different players) and technological revolutions that have transformed the telecom industry to propel it towards a growth cycle. Pursuing a comprehensive approach, it examines highly topical issues in depth, e.g. mobile data security via 4G, the new industrial revolution, green telecommunications, and consumer awareness of radio signals. Along with input from regulators, government organizations and industry players, expert opinion columns in each chapter clearly present the viewpoints of the industry and ministry. Several graphical tools are used throughout the book, helping readers to contemplate the text in different ways and to make concepts more “hands-on.” Readers will also gain a holistic perspective of the industry (key players, regulatory bodies and the consumer) and a clearer understanding of various policy issues and their implementation mechanisms, business dynamics and technology issues in this sector.

Effective project management tailored to the needs of the telecommunications industry "In our rapidly changing world, the information and communication technologies and services have an immense impact on virtually all aspects of our lives. . . . With his deep understanding of the telecommunication services, and his rich experiences in both standardization activities and teaching practice, [Dr. Sherif's] book provides a very clear analysis of development projects in telecommunication services. I believe the readers will find this book very useful and interesting." —Houlin Zhao, Director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau,International Telecommunication Union "Dr. Sherif's book is an important contribution to the project management literature. With the domination of the service economy in recent years, the book addresses the unique features of telecommunication services, a critical pillar of the service sector. Development projects in telecommunications require combining good knowledge of the fundamentals of project management with clear understanding of the complexities arising from fast-changing technology, deregulations, standards, accountability, and supply chain management difficulties. This book addresses the much-needed integrative approach very well." —Tarek Khalil, President, International Association for Management of Technology (IAMOT) While there has been much written about project management, the vast majority of the literature focuses on industrial design and production. In Managing Projects in Telecommunication Services, Mostafa Hashem Sherif effectively demonstrates the unique requirements of projects in telecommunication services and, consequently, the benefits of an integrated approach to project management that is specifically tailored to the telecommunications industry. Managing Projects in Telecommunication Services draws from a wide range of disciplines, including organizational management, motivation, quality control, and software engineering. All the theory and practical guidance that an effective telecommunications project manager needs is provided. The text is divided into three main parts: Chapters 1 through 3 set forth the special characteristics of telecommunications projects, including technology life cycle, type of innovation, and project organization Chapters 4 through 10 cover the areas that the Project Management Institute has standardized in its publication A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), focusing on the issues specific to telecommunications. Chapters address scope, schedule and cost, information and communication, human resources, quality, vendor management, and risk Chapters 11 and 12 integrate and summarize all of the concepts for the planning and delivery of a project Chapters are loaded with examples and case studies, many from the author's personal experience, that demonstrate the benefits of good project management and the consequences of poor project management. Each chapter includes a summary of key points. References are also provided to facilitate further research and study. For project managers as well as students in telecommunications, this text is unsurpassed. It not only covers the theory and practice of effective project management, it also tailors its discussion specifically to the unique needs of the telecommunications industry. (PMBOK is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.)

With the given work we decided to help not only the readers but ourselves, as the professionals who actively involved in the networking branch, with understanding the trends that have developed in recent two decades in distributed systems and networks. Important architecture transformations of distributed systems have been examined. The examples of new architectural solutions are discussed.

This volume constitutes the proceedings of the Second International Conference on Intelligence in Broadband Services and Networks (IS&N '94), held in Aachen, Germany in September 1994. The book addresses the design of telecommunication services in the rapidly changing technological and regulatory environment. The 47 revised papers presented in the volume reflect work done under the CEC RACE project "Intelligence in Services and Networks" as well as individual research done independently. The volume is organized in 11 chapters, all introduced by surveys by the session chairpersons. Among the topics covered are: the context of IS&N, user interfaces, component models and service creation, TMN implementation, service management, and beyond IN.

This volume constitutes the proceedings of the Third International Conference in Broadband Services and Networks, IS&N '95, held in Heraclion, Greece, in October 1995; this book summarizes at the same time the main results of a group of RACE projects sponsored by the European Commission for several years. To meet the new challenges in broadband communication, service engineering has now emerged as a new discipline strongly related to software engineering; particularly the concepts of object-orientation and open distributed processing are being adopted. The book presents 44 full papers and 8 posters selected from 88 submissions. Among the issues addressed are service architecture, usability, communications management, advanced communication services, security, and service creation.

A "Learning Network" is a community of people who help each other to better understand and handle certain events and concepts in work or life. As a result – and sometimes also as an aim – participating in learning networks stimulates personal development, a better understanding of concepts and events, career development, and employability. "Learning Network Services" are Web services that are designed to facilitate the creation of distributed Learning Networks and to support the participants with various functions for knowledge exchange, social interaction, assessment and competence development in an effective way. The book presents state-of-the-art insights into the field of Learning Networks and Web-based services which can facilitate all kinds of processes within these networks.