| BELTUG UPDATE 27, November 2007 |
|
Dear Member,
Dear Contact,
|
| Table of contents |
|
|
BELTUG projects
1. BELTUG action plan: what can our members expect until June 2008
2. BELTUG makes use of the digital signature
Lobby
3. First fixed-to-mobile barometer available soon: plenty of information has already been gathered
4. BELTUG paper: the use of Bluetooth in cars
Information
5. DNS.be: Protect your .be and Special characters in .be names
6. New BELTUG Mission Statement makes clear who we are and how we work
7. BELTUG Checklist ”How to choose a communications service provider?”
Networking
8. BELTUG visited SPA
9. Agenda
|
BELTUG new projects |
| 1. BELTUG action plan: what can our members expect until June 2008 |
|
|
Starting now and running until June, BELTUG will develop these topics:
- Policy “Toward efficient use of communication tools, such as GSM, PDA, video, etc."
- Cost control and managing expenses
- Corporate policy on the use of GSM, e-mail, internet, PDAs/laptops, location based services/tracking & tracing, presence management
- The shortage of ICT-personnel
- How to incorporate new technology and changing pricing schemes in long term contracts?
- Application aware networking: services and SLAs – optimising the bandwidth - correct routing
- Checklist business case Wifi versus mobile (voice)
- Maturity VoIP/VoIP for any place, any device
- Business continuity
- Managed iCt services and the importance of security and privacy
- Collaboration tools/Presence management/Directory management
- Secured Email - SPAM in a business environment
Based on the feedback of 172 companies - The full study is available for BELTUG Members in Dutch and French. (32 p.)
In the mean time BELTUG prepared an action plan where for each topic a set of concrete deliverables are proposed. These include a mix of information sessions, workgroups, interactive discussions, checklists and other papers. The planning can be consulted at http://www.beltug.be/page/28/Agenda/
In this way BELTUG members know exactly what they can expect from us in the coming months.
|
|
|
| 2. BELTUG experiments with electronic signature |
In August BELTUG took the first steps in e-signing its contracts.
Paul De Cooman, Managing Director of BELTUG, clarifies: “as a user group we wanted to be among the first to test e-signing and explore in a ‘live’ context how companies can best employ e-signatures to gain optimal benefit.”
Each year we enter into contractual relationships with a number of partners. This entails a number of manual handlings: preparing the documents, document printing, signatures, trip to the post office, sending the documents from the one location to the other for the signatures and back. Now all this can in fact be done electronically. |
|
|
Lobby
3. First fixed-to-mobile barometer available soon: plenty of information has already been gathered
|
|
|
|
For years companies and public services have complained about the high costs of calls from fixed to mobile networks (F2M). These tariffs are high because of the high mobile termination rates (i.e. the rates mobile operators charge to terminate calls on their networks).
The regulator BIPT has decreased these rates in November 2006 and May 2007. This means that all operators pay less for calls to Base, Mobistar and Proximus.
BELTUG wants to know whether the operators are passing on this decrease to their customers.
We are pleased to report that numerous companies have supplied us with the necessary information. Soon we will report on the situation in the market.
|
|
| 4. BELTUG paper: the use of Bluetooth in cars |
|
Various members asked BELTUG about Bluetooth use in company cars.
Statement: In their advertisements, car manufacturers boast about their built-in Bluetooth car kits, but Bluetooth GSMs/PDAs used in these members’ cars are not (entirely) compatible with these solutions.
That is why BELTUG proposes some recommendations.
The paper is here available for members.
BELTUG has also written to Daimler Chrysler and BMW with a request for more detailed information. Naturally, their reaction will be made available to members.
|
|
|
Information
5. DNS.be: Project your .be and Special characters in .be names
|
As founding member of DNS.be, the non-profit that manages the .Be domain, it is important to BELTUG that relevant services in this area are offered to companies and government organizations. This is currently the case :
1. Domain Name Monitoring helps to detect potential cyber- or typosquatters, who registered a domain name in conflict with intellectual property rights of a company.
A cyber- or typosquatter registers domain names which are identical or very similar to well-known trademarks or trade names. By abusively registering domain names, cyber- or typosquatters sometimes try to attract internet users to their own internet sites, to the detriment of their competitors.
Therefore, DNS BE now offers Domain Name Monitoring, a clever tool to detect cyber- and typosquatting. It is possible to request a list of ".be" domain names which are identical or very similar to your domain name, trade mark or any other right.
More info on http://www.domainnamemonitoring.be/
2. Special characters and marks in Belgian domain names
DNS.be will introduce the “internationalised domain names” before the summer of 2008, enabling the use of accents and foreign characters in Belgian domain names.
|
|
|
|
6. New BELTUG Mission Statement makes clear who we are and how we work
|
|
|
|
BELTUG’s mission is to promote objective study, research and the dissemination of relevant knowledge to help companies and public services seize the opportunities and overcome the challenges arising from communications technology and services in their daily business.
Here you find our new Mission Statement.
It outlines:
• Who we are: an independent user association for sharing knowledge, improving efficiency and effectiveness, networking…
• Our values: user-driven, independent, credible spokesperson…
• Our areas of competence: the application of communications technology and services in business…
• Who are our members: Full Members and Associate Members…
• How do we work: members determine the agenda; BELTUG responds with workshops, seminars, publications…
|
|
|
| 7. BELTUG Checklist ”How to choose a communications service provider?” |
|
This recently released BELTUG paper provides recommendations for best practice in choosing communications service providers. Note that the paper covers the broad range of communications services offered, and does not attempt specific detail on technical aspects of individual products and services. In the past, choosing a service provider was more modular, for example choosing a PABX, an email service or Internet service provider (ISP), a wide area data network or a set of communications equipment such as routers and switches. But with the advent of all-IP networks, fixed-to-mobile convergence and wireless access, this is becoming less common, as customers seek to aggregate their requirements in business terms and look for a provider who can deliver and manage an end-to-end solution. This paper is mainly concerned with choosing this type of “one-stop shop” provider.
The paper is available for members. |
Networking |
|
8. BELTUG visited SPA
|
|
|
|
This year, BELTUG members descended on SPA, a small town everybody knows by name but few really are acquainted with. The town is world famous for its water and for its glorious past as the watering hole of kings, tsars and other rich people. Many of us have even passed through on the way to other locations or a walking tour in Hautes Fagnes or visited the Spa springs during a school trip.
The town showed its best thanks to a fine sunny day, and of course, BELTUG visitors enjoyed their reunion at Sol Cress, a resort that overlooks Spa’s main street. After a pleasant meal and a cosy chat with fellow members and their partners, it was time for a playful encounter with the town’s monuments. The group divided into search parties that had to carry out assignments and find specific information on the places encountered. The weather helped to create high spirits. Among the assignments was a tasting of the various Spa waters (which some thoroughly disliked) as well as local cheeses (such as Vieil Aubel and honey-laced goat’s cheese) and “cuberdons/neusjes” prepared according to traditional methods. As one can see from the many photographs taken, the event met with general approval and both winners and losers heartily agreed with the score.
The event once more helped to tighten the bonds of friendship among members – beyond the sphere of professional work activities.
Click here for the pictures
|
|
|
9. Agenda
|
|
|
December 2007
12 X-change Managed ICT services - security & privacy (all members)
12 X-change Secured e-mail in a business environment (all members)
January 2008
15 X-change VoIP maturity (users only)
21 Member Forum - How to incorporate new technology and changing pricing schemes in long term contracts?' (all members)
April 2008
16 VIP Evening Auditorium KBC
all information on http://www.beltug.be/page/28/Agenda/
|
