Winter Conference 2007 Program

2007 UPLC Winter Conference Everything from Smart Grid to Home Networking February 27 – March 2, 2007 Red Rock Casino – Resort - Spa Las Vegas, NV
Tuesday, February 27
9:00a.m.-5:00p.m.	Registration (Red Rock Promenade)
1:00-5:00 p.m.	Half-Day Workshop: BPL 101, Smart-Grid Applications and In-building BPL (Veranda A/B) Brett Kilbourne, Dir-Reg. Svcs & Assoc Counsel, United Power Line Council David Shpigler, President,The Shpigler Group This half-day workshop will focus on three mini-workshops with interactive discussions designed to lay the foundation for the conference. Whether you need an introduction to BPL or you want to figure out more about how smart-grid and in-building BPL are driving the deployment of BPL, you will find it here. These workshops will walk you through these issues and provide an opportunity to take deep dives into the important issues for BPL as it goes commercial.
1:00-5:30 p.m.	UPLC Board of Directors Meeting PRIVATE (Red Rock G)
5:30-7:30 p.m.	Networking Reception in BPL Exhibit Hall (Red Rock EDF)
Wednesday, February 28
7:00a.m.-5:00p.m.	Registration (Red Rock Promenade)
8:30-9:00 a.m.	Continental Breakfast (Red Rock DEF)
9:00-9:30 a.m.	Keynote Address (Red Rock GHI) The purpose of the UPLC is to drive the development of BPL in North America and during the keynote address you will learn about the key drivers as BPL goes commercial this year. The keynote address will explain why BPL makes sense from a business perspective for broadband and smart-grid applications; how BPL promotes various public policies; and what technical capabilities BPL provides.
9:30-10:30 a.m.	Introduction and Overview (Red Rock GHI) Steve Greene, BPL Global Steven M. Taylor, President, Corporate Systems Engineering (Download [1]) Greg Moore, Dir-Business Development, IP Applications Ram Rao, Chief Network Architect, Ambient Corporation (Download [2]) This session will summarize the activities of the UPLC and the issues that will be covered during the conference. The conference will continue the ongoing work of UPLC on the business, technical and regulatory issues for BPL, as well as the development of internal applications for the technology.
10:30 -11:00 a.m.	BPL Exhibit Hall Open with Vendor Spotlights (Red Rock DEF)
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.	Business Drivers for BPL (Red Rock GHI) David Shpigler, President,The Shpigler Group Steven E. Turner, Chief Operating Officer, International Broadband Electric Communications (Download [3]) Cheryl Smith, CEO, Utility.Net (Download [4]) Moderator: Greg Moore, Dir-Business Development, IP Applications This session will examine the business case for BPL. What are the key drivers – utility applications, broadband, other opportunities? What are the major challenges – capital or operational costs, competition, investment? These questions and more will be addressed during this presentation. This session includes an open discussion for questions and answers with presenters and audience members on this topic.
12:30-2:00 p.m.	BPL Exhibit Hall Open with Vendor Spotlights & Networking Lunch (Red Rock DEF)
2:00-3:30 p.m.	Regulatory Green Light for BPL (Red Rock GHI) Jay Bradbury, Regulatory Consultant, Duke Energy Corporation (Download [5]) Brett Kilbourne, Dir-Reg. Svcs & Assoc Counsel, United Power Line Council Moderator: Steve Greene, BPL Global This session will provide the state of BPL regulations. From the FCC to the state PUCs, you will learn about the latest developments. This session will feature industry representatives talking with state and federal policymakers about BPL as well as larger policy issues (e.g. affiliate transactions, broadband policies) that will affect the deployment of the technology.This session includes an open discussion for questions and answers with presenters and audience members on this topic.
3:30-5:00 p.m.	Technical Capabilities of BPL (Red Rock GHI) Gary Stuebing, Sys. Intgrtn. Mgr.- PL Comms., Duke Energy Corporation Andy Melder, Sr. VP Strategic Bus Development, Intellon Corporation (Download [6]) Tom Willie, President & COO, Current Communications Moderator: Ram Rao, Chief Network Architect, Ambient Corporation This session will cover the technical advances and challenges affecting the deployment of BPL. Capacity, reliability, security, standards – you name it: it’s all covered here by experts from the leading technology companies, IEEE and utilities with first-hand experience on a variety of technical issues. This session includes an open discussion for questions and answers with presenters and audience members on this topic.
5:00-7:00 p.m.	Networking Reception in BPL Exhibit Hall (Red rock DEF)
Thursday, March 1
7:00a.m.-5:00p.m.	Registration (Red Rock Promenade)
8:30-9:00 a.m.	Continental Breakfast (Red Rock DEF)
9:00-10:30 a.m.	Smart Grid Utility Applications (Red Rock GHI) Tom Willie, President & COO, Current Communications Group (Download [7]) Ram Rao, Chief Network Architect, Ambient Corporation Chris Britton, President & CEO, PowerGrid Communications (Download [8]) Chris King, Chief Strategy Officer, eMeter Corporation (Download [9]) Sean P. Doyle, Director-Marketing & Sales, muNet, Inc. (Download [10]) Moderator: Steven M. Taylor, President, Corporate Systems Engineering This session will take a real-world look at what has been done with BPL to support various internal applications. It will feature not only utilities and BPL companies with their experiences, but also OEM companies with their perspectives and products. This session includes an open discussion for questions and answers with presenters and audience members on this topic.
10:30a.m.-12:00p.m.	In-Building/Energy Management Opportunities for BPL (Red Rock GHI) Celine Anelone, Sr. Manager, EarthLink, Inc. (Download [11]) Jim Dillon, Honeywell (Download [12]) Moderator: Albert Diehl, Executive Vice President, Telkonet This session will cover the details of an in-building deployment for landlords, utilities and contractors. It will explain why the commercial opportunity is attractive for in-building BPL; what technical issues and advancements exist; and where the big in-building deployments are. This session will also explore the energy management implications for BPL, including energy efficiency standards like Title 24 in California as well as demand response programs and devices like in-home displays. This session includes an open discussion for questions and answers with presenters and audience members on this topic.
12:00-1:30 p.m.	BPL Exhibit Hall Open with Vendor Spotlights & Networking Lunch (Red Rock DEF)
1:30-2:30 p.m.	BPL Deployment Case Study (Red Rock GHI) Raymond Blair, Vice President, BPL Initiatives, IBM Corporation Chuck Hackney, Department Manager, CenterPoint Energy (Download [13]) As the conference transitions toward its discussion of practical issues, this session will feature a case study of one utility's experience while deploying BPL. What were the success factors and what challenges were encountered? This session will discuss the logistical resources required for such an undertaking and explore the lessons learned along the way.
2:30 -3:30 p.m.	Practical Issues: Pole Attachments (Red Rock GHI) Dr. Yehuda Cern, Ambient Corporation (Download [14]) G. Paul Anundson, Coord.-Telecom. Attachments, National Grid USA Service Company (Download [15]) Moderator: Brett Kilbourne, Dir-Reg. Svcs & Assoc Counsel, United Power Line Council What are some of the practical issues that BPL faces with regard to pole attachments? Is there sufficient capacity? What are the safety issues? What about joint use poles? These and other issues will be addressed during this interactive discussion session.
3:30-4:00 p.m.	BPL Exhibit Hall Open with Vendor Spotlights (Red Rock DEF)
4:00-5:00 p.m.	Practical Issues: Managing a BPL Implementation (Red Rock GHI) Peter Sobotka, CEO, Corinex Communications (Download [16]) Tom Moses, IT Architect, San Diego Gas & Electric Company (Download [17]) Moderator: David L. Masters, Manager PLC Network Engineer, Duke Power What are some of the practical issues that BPL faces with regard to the actual implementation of BPL? This session will examine the resources required; the coordination of those resources; the integration of the applications and other logistical issues to be considered when deploying BPL.
5:00-7:00 p.m.	Networking Reception in BPL Exhibit Hall (Red Rock DEF)
Friday, March 2
7:00a.m.-12:00p.m.	Registration (Red Rock Promenade)
8:00-8:30 a.m.	Continental Breakfast (Red Rock Promenade)
8:30-9:30 a.m.	Practical Issues: Working with Partners (Red Rock GHI) Greg Moore, Dir-Business Development, IP Applications (Download [18]) Ray Hexamer, CEO, First Communications (Download [19]) Heidi Caroline, BPL Global (Download [20]) Moderator: Brett Kilbourne, Dir-Reg. Svcs & Assoc Counsel, United Power Line Council This session will explore the practical issues with regard to working with technology partners, including ISPs, backoffice support and design consultants. This session not only will introduce these partners but pair them with the utilities they worked with so attendees can hear how they worked together and the experiences they had partnering.
9:30 - 10:30 a.m.	Broadband Technology Showdown (Red Rock GHI) Cory Cipra, Dir-Bus Dvlpmt-MuniNtwrks, EarthLink, Inc. Subodh Nayar, Director of Operations, Powerline Telco Inc. (Download [21]) Moderator: Ram Rao, Chief Network Architect, Ambient Corporation What other broadband technologies should utilities consider, either in combination with or as an alternative to BPL. This session will explore the latest --including broadband in gas, WiMAX and WildBlue– and the traditional plays – including FTTH, DSL and coax to enable you to base your decisions.
10:30 - 10:45 a.m.	Networking Break (Red Rock Promenade)
10:45a.m.-12:00p.m.	UPLC Strategic Plan (Red Rock GHI) This session will chart the course ahead for the UPLC, taking lessons learned from the conference and developing a strategic plan for the next year.