PBX has been the killer app of OS to date, and is just the beginning for voice-based OS applications in the Enterprise. PBX vendors have good cause for concern, and are responding in various ways to OS. Beyond this, though, OS is moving into other voice applications, such as voice mail and calling cards, and then to back-office support areas like billing.
• How are PBX vendors countering, and how will Digium and Pingtel respond?
• Where do the OS PBX applications really hold an advantage?
• Which OS vendors are at the leading edge for voice applications other than PBX?

Jeff Dionne is CEO and Chief Architect of Arcturus Networks, a provider of embedded technologies for consumer VoIP. With over 15 years of experience in electrical engineering, hardware design, and software, he is responsible for the Residential Gateway and VoIP programs at Arcturus. Prior to Arcturus, Mr. Dionne co-founded Rt-Control and later merged with the then largest embedded Linux company; Lineo Inc. He held various positions at Lineo including CTO. Mr. Dionne is internationally recognized as the founder of uClinux, which is largely considered to be the most broadly deployed version of embedded Linux. He was also the first person to demonstrate embedded Linux OS functionality on a handled PDA.

Bill Goodman is Director of the Packet Telephony group in Verizon Laboratories, which takes a lead role in architecting and realizing the platform solutions that support Verizon’s advanced communications initiatives.  He has 22 years of service with Verizon and its predecessors.  Bill has been working on VoIP and related technologies since their emergence, and was a lead member of the design team that successfully deployed the first commercial IP telephony service by an ILEC in 1999.  Since then he has focused on leveraging Internet technologies to enhance Verizon’s ability to offer innovative, integrated services across its networks.   Bill holds a BSEE and MBA, both from Villanova University, and is a registered Professional Engineer. 

As president & chief executive officer of Pingtel, Bill Rich is responsible for the company’s strategic direction, profitability, and aggressive growth plans. Over the past 20 years, Bill has served provided executive guidance at several innovative companies including serving as CEO of Aravox Technologies, which provided session border controllers for service provider VoIP networks and president and CEO at VocalData, a leading provider of feature servers that enable service providers to deliver next-generation IP telephony services. Bill earned a BA in economics from the College of William and Mary.

Mark Spencer is President and founder of Digium, formerly Linux Support Services, Inc., a Huntsville, AL based company focused on the development and support of low-cost, innovative telecommunications hardware and open source software. Mark, originally from Auburn, AL, graduated in 1999 from Auburn University with a BS in Computer Engineering and founded his company in 2000. Mr. Spencer is the original author of GAIM, the widely popular, multi-protocol instant messanging program for Linux, BSD, and Windows. Mark is also responsible for Asterisk, the Open Source PBX for Linux, BSD, and MacOS.

Ravi Sakaria is a veteran technologist with over 15 years experience in the Information Technology field. An expert in the area of network engineering, his vision that Voice over IP is the catalyst for a revolution in the telecommunications industry drives VoicePulse's every day thinking. Prior to co-founding VoicePulse, Sakaria headed a successful IT consulting company, The Aiko Group. The Aiko Group focused on network engineering, Voice over IP quality of service engineering, and network security. Before heading The Aiko Group, Sakaria was Manager of Network Engineering for First Union National Bank.
Sakaria's management background, engineering education, and extensive experience in IT service organizations drives VoicePulse's focus on delivering powerful technology to consumers in an easy-to-use format.