This workshop was held at Ruhr-University Bochum, Institute for Integrated Systems (Prof. Dr. Josef Hausner). The proceedings of this workshop can be found here .

Initally, Prof. Josef Hausner and Dr. Toni Göller provided a general introduction to the topic from and electrical engineering and a management point of view.

In the first lecture, Lars Weyerstraß (CEO of WeyTeCon) talked about project and quality management challenges in VoIP/NGN introduction. He described the seperate steps in setting up a telecom network and discussed the major challenges involved in each step of network construction and planning. Discussions touched around the issue of tool support for the various steps in setting up a network and also input/interference with non-technical areas (e.g. finance, marketing).

Gerhard Seiler (McKinsey & Company) addressed the product complexity in the telecommunication industry. He discussed the issue of over-complex product lists within telecom companies, causing interface problems, support problems and the like. Thus an aim of telecom companies needs to be the development of a consistent product hierarchy and to rationalize individual features and products. Product hierarchy design principles thus include modularity, simplicity, consistency and trackability. The latter one to allow for products/product families to tie into back office and network infrastructure such that costs can be clearly attributed.

After a coffee break, Fatih Birol discussed his experience in managing the network merger of two Turkish GSM operators. The mobile radio equipment of four different vendors had to be consolidated in regions while not only keeping the network in operation, but at the same time expanding coverage and capacity for customers of both networks.

Finally, Toni Göller concluded the lectures with his view on integrated quality management for telecom procurement, implementation and rollout. With regard to different functions in a telecom operator (sales&marketing, legal, accounting, billing and networks), he presented a framework that eases project state visibility for buyers and vendors and allows for more responsibilty delegation to task owners.

The seminar participants then got together for dinner, thus concluding the seminar day with informal chats on technical and non-technical matters in a nearby restaurant.