AGENDA
MONDAY, MARCH 22

11:00AM-12:15PM ET:
OPEN RAN FOR BROWNFIELD NETWORKS: READY FOR PRIMETIME?

Organizations advocating for open RAN say it will produce a more competitive ecosystem for radio access network equipment, preventing vendor lock-in, and allowing operators to mix and match equipment. Open RAN also offers the promise of more innovation in the RAN. But leading carriers say it is not easy to deploy commodity hardware and open-source software in brownfield networks. So, what needs to happen before Open RAN is fully embraced and deployed from more Tier-1 operators? When does the business model make sense….and conversely, not? What is the status of all open RAN deployments around the globe today? And what progress can we expect from this space through the remainder of the year - especially in regard to vendor interoperability? 

11:00AM-11:15AM: Keynote 
11:15AM-11:30AM: Partner Keynote 
11:30AM-12:15PM: Panel Discussion

AGENDA
MONDAY, MARCH 22

2:00PM-3:15PM ET:
INNOVATIONS IN OPEN RAN: A TECHNICAL DEEP DIVE

The O-RAN Alliance says that a lot of its work focuses on the interfaces in the radio access network. But the RAN also encompasses the radio, antenna, baseband, and software. The Telecom Infra Project (TIP), Vodafone, Rakuten and Dish Network are some groups that have been on the leading edge of open RAN technology, along with a group of startup vendors. What innovations have we seen in the different elements of the RAN? How can operators optimize the performance of RAN systems with elements from multiple vendors? What are the biggest challenges with open RAN technology?

2:00PM-2:15PM: Keynote
2:15PM-2:303M: Partner Keynote
2:30PM-3:15PM: Panel Discussion

AGENDA
TUESDAY, MARCH 23

11:00AM-12:15PM ET:
HOW CAN ENTERPRISES BEST LEVERAGE 5G?

There’s a lot of hype around 5G for mobile users, but the real promise lies in 5G use cases for enterprises. Some carriers are building network-as-a-service (NaaS) platforms with 5G mobile edge compute capabilities. Some are partnering with big cloud providers such as AWS and Microsoft Azure to cooperatively deliver 5G services to enterprises. But what is the best formula for giving Enterprises what they need?  What are some of the early 5G low-latency applications that enterprises will find appealing? At the customer premises, which spectrum will make the most sense for enterprise applications: LTE-M, NB-IoT, mmWave or CBRS? And will enterprises prefer NaaS services or will they prefer to build their own private networks?

11:00AM-11:15AM: Keynote 
11:15AM-11:30AM: Partner Keynote 
11:30AM-12:15PM: Panel Discussion

AGENDA
TUESDAY, MARCH 23

2:00PM-3:15PM ET:
5G AUTOMATION AND ORCHESTRATION

The new ideal for managing software-based, virtualized networks is to create a common automation and orchestration layer above all the network functions. Such a layer allows for faster creation and monetization of services, while giving operators the ability to best optimize the performance of their networks. Some greenfield networks have done this already, but it’s a little more difficult for brownfield operators. What is the low-hanging fruit for introducing automation into networks? What are the primary use cases and services that network automation will enable? How are Virtual Network Functions and Cloud Native Functions being used to manage fluctuating demands on the network? 

2:00PM-2:15PM: Keynote
2:15PM-2:303M: Partner Keynote with IBM's CTO & Director IBM Telco Network Cloud
2:30PM-3:15PM: Panel Discussion

AGENDA
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24

11:00AM-12:15PM ET:
5G INFRASTRUCTURE 2021: OPPORTUNITIES, USE CASES, AND BEYOND

The pace at which operators roll out their 5G is really ramping in 2021. And that means more macro cell deployments, more small cell deployments, and more equipment such as massive MIMO radios being installed on existing towers and other infrastructure. It also means the deployment of hundreds, possibly thousands of new edge compute locations. What are some of the challenges to quickly rolling all of this infrastructure out, and how are they being overcome? What operators, vendors, and enterprises will benefit the most from recent mid band spectrum auctions, and what use cases will offer the best return on investment? For indoor use cases, is densification where it needs to be to support 5G? 

11:00AM-11:15AM: Keynote 
11:15AM-11:30AM: Partner Keynote 
11:30AM-12:15PM: Panel Discussion

AGENDA
THURSDAY, MARCH 25

11:00AM-12:15PM ET:
FUTURE GAZING: LOOKING AHEAD TO A 6G FUTURE

5G has barely gotten real, and we’re already starting to think about 6G. A group of companies in the European Union have created a 6G project called Hexa-X. And another group called the Next G Alliance has formed to focus on 6G specifically in the United States. While 5G has goals to increase speeds and capacity and to reduce latency, what are the initial goals for 6G? Where will 6G fit in the radio spectrum and how much spectrum will 6G need? Are spectrum sharing technologies, similar to the innovations created for CBRS spectrum, likely to be an important part of 6G?

11:00AM-11:15AM: Keynote 
11:15AM-11:30AM: Partner Keynote 
11:30AM-12:15PM: Panel Discussion