The
Utility Telecom Forum (Regions 8, 9 & 10)- which includes utilities
from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming - is a great
opportunity to learn about the current issues facing utility telecom
professionals. The educational program and exhibit hall are set up to
help you address the projects you are working on today and the projects
you are planning for in 2016 and beyond. It's a can't miss opportunity
to network with utilities in your region and meet with leading industry
technology partners.
Host Hotel
Silver Legacy Resort Casino
407 N. Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89501
http://www.silverlegacyreno.com/
Silver Legacy offers a complimentary shuttle for attendees that runs about every 30 minutes from 7am until 11pm.
Rate: $79 per night plus $12 resort fee
Hotel cut off date: Monday, January 18, 2016
Hotel Reservation link: Silver Legacy
AGENDA
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
5 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Pre–Conference Networking Party
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Registration
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. | Attendee Breakfast
8:50 - 9:00 a.m. | Welcome Remarks
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. | Simplifying Operations with Software-defined Network Management and Control
Utility networks have historically operated using multiple layer- and
vendor-specific management systems, resulting in complexity that leads
to poor overall network utilization, configuration errors, delayed
resolution of issues, and ultimately, higher costs. In this session we
provide and introduction to software-defined network management and
control, which reduces vendor lock-in and simplifies the creation,
automation, and orchestration of services across end-to-end networks by
unifying multi-vendor element and network management with the advanced
control and programmability provided by SDN.
10:00 - 10:15 a.m. | Networking Break
10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | Teleprotection Over Packet Networks
Nearly two decades ago, utilities migrated from Analog Frequency
Division Multiplexing (FDM) to Digital Time Division Multiplexing (TDM).
Those technologies were designed for telephony and were inherently
deterministic, well suited for time sensitive critical communication for
the power system. Today, utilities face the migration towards Packet
Transport Networks. Ethernet is capable to move massive amounts of data
at the speed of light, it is based on statistical multiplexing and
therefore inherently non deterministic. Utilities face a migration
challenge for their time sensitive and most critical applications. Our
topic during the UTC national will be twofold; 1) we will go over the
required techniques and 2) the engineering rules to guarantee the on
time delivery of teleprotection traffic over a packet transport network.
11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. | Networking Lunch
12:45 – 1:45 p.m. | OPSEC In The Utility Industry and the Failure of The Supply Chain
Real world examples of why supply chain matters and how supply chain and
transitive trust failures cause information disclosure in the form of
open source intelligence about critical infrastructure in the utility
industry. This discussion is based on actual reconnaissance exposure
analysis performed by an electric utility and will give real world
context to the ongoing supply chain issues in our industry.
1:45 - 3:00 p.m. | The POWERful Choice: Carrier Ethernet or MPLS?
SONET/SDH transport networks that utilities have been using for years
are rapidly becoming obsolete. Modern broadband packet based transport
networks are clearly the solution, but they come in two flavors :
Carrier Ethernet and MPLS (including MPLS-TP). This webinar explores the
fundamentals of these two technologies, and examines how well they
address the critical requirements of latency, resiliency, security,
network diversity and management within the context of a power utility
operational network.
3:00 - 3:15 p.m. | Networking Break
3:15 - 4:15 p.m. | UTC Cybersecurity Awareness, Training, and Education Programs
UTC has put together a comprehensive set of cybersecurity awareness,
training, and education options to help you get the knowledge you need
in the most efficient way. These opportunities include specific
technical courses, management-level overviews, end-user training, and
even graduate study. We deliver the training ourselves or through
agreements with premier institutions, such as the SANS Institute and
EnergySec. Audience will learn what these programs entail, who should
get it, and how to get enrolled.
4:15 – 5:00 p.m. | Wrap up
5:00 - 7:00 p.m. | Exhibit Hall Grand Opening and Networking Reception
Thursday, February 4, 2016
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Registration
8:00 a.m.– 9:00 a.m. | Attendee Breakfast
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Security Clinic Roundtable (Utilities Only)
Everyone is challenged by rapidly evolving cybersecurity threats,
requirements, and practices. The press is full of information about
security breaches demonstrating that we need to continue working these
challenges. Every utility has unresolved questions to ask and useful
practices to share with others to help everyone get better. Utility
participants are invited to come to this session to:
1. Ask questions they always wanted to ask but were afraid to do so
2. Share security-related lessons learned
3. Help colleagues from other utilities get through their security day
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Digital Land Mobile Radio Multi-Path Issues and Observations
Digital land mobile radio modulation formats are more susceptible to
multi-path distortion than their legacy analog counterparts. Some
frequency bands and terrain are more prone to problems than others. This
is a review of multi-path mechanics, modulation formats and
observations from recent system deployments.
10:00 – 10:15 a.m. | Networking Break
10:15 –10:45 a.m. | Individual Regional Meetings
Meetings of UTCs Rocky Mountain (8), Northwest (9) and Southwest (10)
Regions. Discussion will focus on individual regional issues.
*THESE MEETINGS ARE CLOSED TO INDIVIDUALS NOT CONSIDERED CORE MEMBERS OF UTC.
Region 8 includes the following states: Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming
Region 9 includes the following states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington
Region 10 includes the following states: Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii and Nevada
10:45 – 11:15 a.m. | Combined Regional Meeting
*THIS MEETING IS CLOSED TO INDIVIDUALS NOT CONSIDERED CORE MEMBERS OF UTC.
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Pole Attachments: A Collaborative Approach to Maximizing Revenue
Attachments to utility poles can be a burden. But what if they weren’t?
Presenters examine issues utilities face in the areas of safety,
capacity, and reliability; regulations; cost recovery; and reserving
space on the poles for their purposes – all while meeting financial and
operational measurements that ensure pole attachments meet objectives
.Hear about current issues created by attachments like small cells and
DAS, and new rules at the FCC and the state level. A case study brings
confirmation that teamwork between utility and attaching entities
delivered smoother permitting processes, inspections, and reduced safety
violations and disputes.
12:15 – 3:15 p.m. | Networking Lunch & Exclusive Exhibit Time
3:15 – 4:00 p.m. | UTC Leadership Address – Ron Taylor – UTC Chairman of the Board (Sr. Principal Engineer – SRP)
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. | UTC Legal/Regulatory & 700 MHz Update
Every day, UTCs Legal/Regulatory team represents the telecom and IT
interests of energy and water companies on a wide variety of issues.
This year’s Legal/Regulatory Update will focus on spectrum issues,
infrastructure issues and homeland security issues - UTCs main areas of
focus. This presentation is a great opportunity to get an understanding
of the issues being decided in Washington that affect your job and how
the UTC legal/regulatory team is responding.
5:00 p.m. -5 :30 p.m. | 700 MHZ Update
Access Spectrum, will provide an update on the Upper 700 MHz A Block
Spectrum Sale to the utilities and other entities. The session will
include information on upcoming 700 MHz Pilot Project , new
manufacturers that have or will have equipment operating on 700 MHz,
completed sales of the spectrum, applications and use of the spectrum to
include Unmanned Aircraft Systems to support utility operations and
security.
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. | Networking Reception
6:30 - 8:30 p.m. | Networking Dinner
Friday, February 5, 2016
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Registration
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Attendee Breakfast
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. | IP Transition Session
“Flying like confetti” is how one utility described carrier termination
notices for the leased Frame Relay and Digital Signal (DSx) services
that utilities have relied on for decades to support substation SCADA,
protective relaying, and voice communications. This transition is
imminent and holds the potential to create an extremely disruptive
situation that could threaten the reliability and security of utility
operations. Join us for this intensive session as we examine the best
available alternatives, weighing the pros and cons of each.
10:00 – 10:30 a.m. | Networking Break
10:30 – 11:30 a.m. | Department of Homeland Security: Special Address
The Department of Homeland Security has updated the National Emergency
Communications Plan, and Office of Emergency Communications reached out
to more than 350 stakeholders – including utilities – to develop the
update. Part of the plan seeks to increase coordination and planning
with the “growing number of entities that communicate and share
information with public safety personnel and organizations during
emergencies, including the public and other emergency response agencies
or entities such as utilities, nongovernmental organizations,
international partners, auxiliary resources, and commercial service
providers.” During this session, representatives from DHS will discuss
their outreach efforts with utilities and how governance structure and
procedures for emergency communications may need to be revised to
include utilities in emergency response plans.
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Wrap-Up & Adjournment
** UTC will hold 3 Prize Drawings during the wrap-up.
Must be present to win!
INTERESTED IN EXHIBITING OR SPONSORING?
Contact Cheryl.Stratos@utc.org
Freeman Decorator Service Kit
Exhibit Location: Silver Legacy Exposition Hall AB
Exhibitor Move-in | Wednesday, February 3rd – 12pm – 4pm
Show Hours | Wednesday, February 3rd – 5pm – 7pm – Exhibitor Reception
Thursday, February 4th – 12pm – 3pm – Networking Lunch
Exhibitor Move-Out | Thursday, February 4th – 3pm – 7pm
Exhibitor Contract
Floorplan
Exhibitor Information Sheet & Badge Registration Form
Exhibitors (as of January 15, 2016)
4RF Limited
Access Spectrum LLC
Alcatel-Lucent
Alligator Communications
Aviat Networks
Avtec, Inc.
Black & Veatch
Burns & McDonnell
Cambium Networks, Ltd
Charles Industries, Ltd.
CIENA Communications
Data Comm for Business, Inc.
Destiny Communicaions
EasTex Tower, Inc.
EEI Imaging
Ehresmann Engineering
Encore Networks
Ericsson
FAE Telecom
Fujitsu Network Communications Inc
GE MDS, LLC
Graybar
Harris Corporation
Hutton Communications Inc.
INIVEN
ITL, LLC
JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation
LightRiver Technologies
Lockard & White, Inc.
Lyncole XIT Grounding
MegaSys
Multilink
NEC Corporation of America
OTN Systems
Power & Telephone Supply
Power Engineers
Power System Engineering (PSE)
RAD
Raven Electronics Corporation
RFL Electronics Inc., a subsidiary of Hubbell Power Systems, Inc.
RLH Industries
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. (SEL)
Star Microwave
TAIT Communications
Team Telecom, LLC
TEMPEST Telecom Solutions
TESSCO Technologies, Inc.
Transition Networks
TWR Lighting, Inc.
Utility Telecom Consulting Group, Inc.
Walker and Associates, Inc.
Westell
Zetron, Inc.
Zhone Technologies, Inc.
Premier Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
Dinner & Reception
Breakfast