Technology Executives Push IP-Based Networks, Caution Against Excessive Regulation During ATIS Technology Forum

ATIS participants were treated to a lively panel discussion during the ATIS Technology Forum at TELECOM ’04 Tuesday morning. The general session, moderated by ATIS President and CEO Susan Miller, included updates on the carrier’s rollout of fiber and IP-based services and the impact of regulation from Verizon’s Paul Lacouture, Chris Rice from SBC, Balan Nair of Qwest, and ATIS Chairman Bill Smith of BellSouth.

“We can’t fit packet solutions into legacy systems,” Smith said. “We have to have a standard set of solutions. If we get carrier agreement, that means stability for vendors.”

The four technology executives – all ATIS board members – confirmed their commitment to deploying fiber networks and agreed that though they have chosen different strategies, the end goal of delivering bundles of IP-based voice, video and data was the same. For more information, see today’s press release.

Regulation of current and future technologies was a common topic, as it has been in all of the TELECOM ’04 sessions. All of the speakers called for minimal regulation of fiber and IP-based technologies to increase investment and innovation in the space.

“We are an information-based society,” Smith said. “Information and communications is as important as power and water were to the industrial society.”

ATIS participants also had the opportunity to attend the two breakout sessions of the ATIS Technology Forum: Video over IP: Are we Really There Yet? and Delivering the E-Business Framework: Real Time Processes, visit the exhibit hall floor and meet with their committees during the afternoon.