As you have surely noticed, the interest in Open Access Networks is growing by the day, but there is still some confusion about what it really is. Therefore, we have teamed up with our friends at Connected America to arrange a pre-conference day focusing exclusively on Open Access. The program starts at lunch and ends with an Open (Access) Bar close to the venue.
12 pm – 1 pm | Lunch
1 pm – 1:50 pm | Keynote
Understanding the Increasing Popularity of Open Access and key business model considerations for success – Insights from Mikael Philipsson, CEO, COS Systems
The future of fiber is a digital society with Everyone and Everything relying on digital infrastructure. Paired with the current trends of consolidation, more expensive build costs and a race to invest in fiber roll out – all roads lead to shared infrastructure and open access. Mikael Philipsson, former CTO and CEO at one of the largest Open Access networks globally, IP Only (now Global Connect), led this journey on a national scale in Sweden, which has a fiber penetration of 98% today. He shares his insights on why Open Access is the right choice and how to structure the business case to make Open Access a success.
2 pm – 2:50 pm | Panel Discussion I
Three Layers of an Open Access Network: A Thorough Look at Roles and Responsibilities
Panelists:
Gregg Shepperd, Senior Engagement Leader at Fujitsu Network Communications
Beni Blell, Vice President, Head of Sales and Marketing, Hexatronic
Gabe Gomez, VP Customer Experience, Syringa Networks
Pankaj Gulati, Head of Products and Platforms, Ubiquity
The key characteristics of an Open Access Network are the separation of the network infrastructure, the neutral operations of the network, and the independent service providers selling their services to subscribers. This panel will explain these different roles and show that you can run an efficient fiber network by working with specialized partners without doing everything yourself.
3 pm – 3:50 pm | Panel Discussion II
Exploring the Advantages of Open Access Networks for Internet Service Providers and Their Operations Support Requirements
Panelists:
Phil Roberts, Chief Executive Officer at Valo Networks
Brian Hollister, CEO and Co-Founder at Bonfire Infrastructure Group
Dan Johnson, Product Manager, Connect Fast
Aaron Hildreth, Founder, Intellipop Internet Services
On an Open Access Network, all parties rely on each other for success. Internet Service Providers often have financial or workforce constraints limiting their ability to build fiber at a large scale. On an Open Access network, their Capex investment is minimal, and they can focus on providing high-quality services and support to their subscribers. But to be able to do this, they need a strong operator partner offering tools to efficiently sell, deliver, and troubleshoot on the shared network.
4 pm- 4:50 pm | Panel Discussion III
Navigating the Choice of Tech Stack for Open-Access Networks: Key Considerations for Success.
Moderator: Isak Finér, CRO, COS Systems
Panelists:
Robin Harder, Woven Product Lead at Arcadis
Sean Dundon, Director – Partner and Channel Development at VETRO FiberMap
Rob Laudati, VP – Product & Partnerships, Render Networks
Don Eben, CEO, Core Network Strategies
Despite the digital nature of fiber networks, a lot of legacy systems, technology, and manual processes are still in use. The Open Access model of sharing one infrastructure creates a whole different set of requirements and challenges that legacy technology can not solve. This panel explores the benefits of a “digital first” approach and how important integrations and automated workflows are becoming – especially in Open Access Networks.
5 pm- 6:00 pm | After-Panel Drinks and Socializing
Grab a beer and take the opportunity to grow your network of Open Access experts. Courtesy of the Open Access Day sponsors.
7 pm – 10 pm | Open (Access) Bar
COS Systems and all other Elite Sponsors are inviting you to continue the fun and discussions at Bar Louie, 360 W Las Colinas Blvd #100, Irving, Texas 75039
Our (US) team keeps growing – Meet Kevin Rush
Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?
Hi, my name is Kevin Rush. I have recently joined COS Systems as a Product Specialist currently residing in Texas, but soon to be in Chicago. I have worked in a wide variety of roles and industries, but the bulk of my experience is with Telecommunications. I have spent over 5 years of experience working on various projects related to rolling out Broadband Infrastructure with customers in different countries and look forward to building upon this experience while at COS.
What caught your interest in COS Systems?
The people and the culture are what stood out to me first and foremost. I’ve met a few COS employees over the years at Trade Shows and Conferences during my last role and could instantly tell how passionate they all felt about being a part of the team. Secondly, I believe in the future of Open Access networks and the role it has to play in building out Fiber all across the United States in the coming years.
Why should people contact you and press the “connect with Kevin” button??
People should reach out if they enjoy discussing technology and the future of Broadband in America. I believe in open communication and speaking your mind as the best ways of sharing ideas, especially in a team setting.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I absolutely love discussing music, books, and good food with any and everyone. If you have any favorite albums, books, or places to get good food please let me know. I love to travel and my favorite part of traveling is trying new foods in new places.
Passwordless Authentication – improve user experience and security
We’re simplifying access to the marketplace by introducing passwordless authentication. When activated, your customers can create an account or log in to an existing account by simply entering their email address and following the link they received in an email from Business Engine. The link takes them back to the marketplace where they left off, and they are automatically logged in. Eliminating the need for passwords not only improves the user experience but also enhances the security associated with traditional passwords.
Meet Pablo Perez – our newest Customer Success Director
Fuzzy Search for Marketplace – A more efficient search tool!
Your customer’s journey usually starts with an address search on your marketplace to see which services are available at their location. Until now, every spelling mistake could lead to incorrect or no results at all! Our recently added Fuzzy Search functionality helps correct spelling mistakes, and even if only fragments of an address are entered into the search field, the correct address will be located and displayed. Fuzzy Search automatically corrects minor inaccuracies, which leads to more successful searches and a seamless ordering process for your subscribers. This small but significant update means smoother transactions for your customers and fewer support requests for you.
Be Part of a Northern American Premiere and Join the First Conference Dedicated to Open Access
As you have surely noticed, the interest in Open Access Networks is growing by the day, but there is still some confusion about what it really is. Therefore, we have teamed up with our friends at Connected America to arrange a pre-conference day focusing exclusively on Open Access. The program starts at lunch and ends with an Open (Access) Bar close to the venue.
12 pm – 1 pm | Lunch
1 pm – 1:50 pm | Keynote
Understanding the Increasing Popularity of Open Access and key business model considerations for success – Insights from Mikael Philipsson, CEO, COS Systems
The future of fiber is a digital society with Everyone and Everything relying on digital infrastructure. Paired with the current trends of consolidation, more expensive build costs and a race to invest in fiber roll out – all roads lead to shared infrastructure and open access. Mikael Philipsson, former CTO and CEO at one of the largest Open Access networks globally, IP Only (now Global Connect), led this journey on a national scale in Sweden, which has a fiber penetration of 98% today. He shares his insights on why Open Access is the right choice and how to structure the business case to make Open Access a success.
2 pm – 2:50 pm | Panel Discussion I
Three Layers of an Open Access Network: A Thorough Look at Roles and Responsibilities
Moderator: Keith Ponton, Senior Practice Lead, Arcadis
Panelists:
Gregg Shepperd, Senior Engagement Leader at Fujitsu Network Communications
Beni Blell, Vice President, Head of Sales and Marketing, Hexatronic
Gabe Gomez, VP Customer Experience, Syringa Networks
Pankaj Gulati, Head of Products and Platforms, Ubiquity
The key characteristics of an Open Access Network are the separation of the network infrastructure, the neutral operations of the network, and the independent service providers selling their services to subscribers. This panel will explain these different roles and show that you can run an efficient fiber network by working with specialized partners without doing everything yourself.
3 pm – 3:50 pm | Panel Discussion II
Exploring the Advantages of Open Access Networks for Internet Service Providers and Their Operations Support Requirements
Moderator: John Zannos, Partner at Digital Ubiquity Capital
Panelists:
Phil Roberts, Chief Executive Officer at Valo Networks
Brian Hollister, CEO and Co-Founder at Bonfire Infrastructure Group
Dan Johnson, Product Manager, Connect Fast
Aaron Hildreth, Founder, Intellipop Internet Services
On an Open Access Network, all parties rely on each other for success. Internet Service Providers often have financial or workforce constraints limiting their ability to build fiber at a large scale. On an Open Access network, their Capex investment is minimal, and they can focus on providing high-quality services and support to their subscribers. But to be able to do this, they need a strong operator partner offering tools to efficiently sell, deliver, and troubleshoot on the shared network.
4 pm- 4:50 pm | Panel Discussion III
Navigating the Choice of Tech Stack for Open-Access Networks: Key Considerations for Success.
Moderator: Isak Finér, CRO, COS Systems
Panelists:
Robin Harder, Woven Product Lead at Arcadis
Sean Dundon, Director – Partner and Channel Development at VETRO FiberMap
Rob Laudati, VP – Product & Partnerships, Render Networks
Don Eben, CEO, Core Network Strategies
Despite the digital nature of fiber networks, a lot of legacy systems, technology, and manual processes are still in use. The Open Access model of sharing one infrastructure creates a whole different set of requirements and challenges that legacy technology can not solve. This panel explores the benefits of a “digital first” approach and how important integrations and automated workflows are becoming – especially in Open Access Networks.
5 pm- 6:00 pm | After-Panel Drinks and Socializing
Grab a beer and take the opportunity to grow your network of Open Access experts. Courtesy of the Open Access Day sponsors.
7 pm – 10 pm | Open (Access) Bar
COS Systems and all other Elite Sponsors are inviting you to continue the fun and discussions at Bar Louie, 360 W Las Colinas Blvd #100, Irving, Texas 75039
Read Our White Paper on How to Successfully Invest in FTTH Infrastructure
Investing in fiber infrastructure has gained popularity among investors, resulting in many closed deals in recent years. The trend shows that there will be even more investments next year, especially in renewable energy and digital infrastructure areas.
The whitepaper presents three critical considerations for a successful fiber infrastructure investment:
– Securing Demand
– Controlling Costs
– Adapting Advanced Software Solutions
Read our whitepaper and reach out to learn more!
Updated Network Troubleshooting Feature and Network Element Tree
Network operators need to get a comprehensive overview of their network quickly. Our new tree view displays the statuses of different network elements in the system. It helps network operators visualize, locate, and troubleshoot any issues in their network quicker and more efficiently.
Our Provisioning Dashboard shows you the total count of ONTs (Optical Network Terminal) in your network and whether they are online or offline. From there, you can easily access the tree view that opens when you click on the network element widget:
The tree’s nodes are Technical Area, OLT, and port. The number of ONTs on each level is visible.
You also see if these ONTs are online or offline- information we gather from our many hardware vendor integrations, and that is displayed and easily available in the tree view.
You can click on the different nodes in the tree to get to the corresponding entity. By using this feature, a network operator can easily see if there is a problem on a specific OLT or port.
Stripe Connect – billing made easy
Whether you are operating an Open Access Network or an Internet Service Provider offering external services, billing the providers using your network infrastructure and keeping track of fees and payments might seem daunting. It doesn’t have to be!
Our Stripe integration in Business Engine has been extended to support Stripe Connect, which is specifically designed for payments on platforms and marketplaces.
Every time a subscriber uses their preferred payment method to pay their service fee to a service provider on your network, the money is automatically transferred to the Operator’s or ISP’s Stripe account. From there, the payment, minus the fee you charge the providers on your network, is deposited into the provider’s Stripe account – all happening in the background without the subscribers even thinking about the platform’s existence.
This makes billing easier for everybody!
Learn more about the COS Subsriber Marketplace here.
Our (US) team keeps growing – Meet Åsa Broman
Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?
Hi, I am Åsa Broman. As you may guess from the strange letter in my name, I am Swedish, but I currently live with my family in Palo Alto, California. I lived and worked in the Bay Area about 10 years ago as well, and the US feels like a second home, so it feels great to be back! For almost 25 years, I have worked in telcos and other infrastructure-related companies in a wide range of roles. The common denominator for those roles has been to connect people and bridge the gaps where teams or companies have different perspectives or competences. And no matter what my title has been, I have always been close to the customer.
What caught your interest in COS Systems?
I was part of the big broadband and fiber rollout in Sweden, where the majority of the citizens got fiber access 10-20 years ago. Those investments have been crucial to reaching equal Internet access for everyone, including the possibility to take part in the digital transformation in all aspects of society. COS delivers a unique tool that can make this infrastructure improvement happen a lot faster and providing a better customer experience. With the current explosion of fiber rollouts in the US, I couldn’t resist joining the ride.
What are your goals for the coming months?
Full speed ahead – I am getting to know our customers through a number of implementation projects that we are running, and at the same time, getting familiar with the product and its (many) features. I am also looking forward to meeting my colleagues. We are spread out on three continents to support our customers in the best possible way.
Why should people contact you and press the “connect with Åsa” button?
Don’t hesitate to connect with me if you are interested in broadband rollout or for any other reason connected to the experience I have from different fields.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I love traveling. Many years ago, before I started a family, I went on several backpacking trips on a shoestring around the world. During those travels, I experienced many odd and memorable situations. On our honeymoon, we were backpacking in India and went on a camel safari in the desert. The starry sky was supposed to be amazing and super romantic. This particular night, it got overcast and ended up pouring for the first time in four years. Traveling is a lot like life in general – unexpected things happen that totally can change the path you anticipated from the beginning. This actually makes both living, and traveling, an exciting adventure.
Telecom Billing: COS Business Engine’s Automated Solutions for Fiber Broadband Networks
Automated Telecom Billing Solutions
Billing is a very central part of telecommunications and of any fiber broadband network. Automated billing is key; cuts costs, ensures revenue, and saves time. COS Business Engine supports all possible business models no matter if you are an Internet Provider billing your subscribers directly or if you are an Open Access Network Operator who charges wholesale fees on a monthly basis.
In the latter case, COS Business Engine aggregates a billing report for every ISP on your network on a monthly basis, available on the COS Business Engine admin interface.
There are variations where the Operator is also billing the end customer, or where the Operator is billing the customer for all services on behalf of the ISPs. COS Business Engine facilitates and automates all these billing models, as well as the single-provider business model.
Automated billing is desirable because it
Let’s Connect
Are you ready to transform your fiber project? If you’re looking for a partner committed to automation, efficiency, and excellence, COS Systems is here to help.
Contact us today and discuss how our fiber network solutions can empower your business, bridging the digital divide and providing our communities with comprehensive FTTH coverage.
I highly recommend reading our whitepaper if you want to dive deeper into the topic.