In the news

article

We need an industry-backed, tech-neutral resource to restore trust in voice communications

With illegal robocalls now representing nearly half of all unwanted calls in the U.S., consumers are opting to simply not pick up their phones. In fact, studies show that in the U.S. alone, 76% of calls from an unidentified or unfamiliar number are left unanswered, and 58% of consumers only answer calls from numbers they recognize. A previous article exploring how businesses can protect their brands against the damages from illegal robocalls touched on industry initiatives that are helping…
Apr 1, 2022
article

Scam attacks are on the rise, but can they be fully stopped or prevented?

The Covid pandemic has accelerated not only digital adoption but also the scale and spread of scams. Every month, over 4 billion scam calls are made globally, with 23% of Americans reporting that they've lost money due to such calls in 2021 alone. During a panel session during Mobile World Congress Barcelona, George Cray, Senior Vice President at iconectiv, highlighted the growth in spoof calling and cited statistics revealing that 85 billion robocalls happen globally. He revealed that many…
Mar 17, 2022
article

MWC22 gets ready to unleash connectivity

In a recent VanillaPlus article, Peter Ford, Executive Vice President of iconectiv, explained how digital transformation will have a significant impact on connectivity and communications, along with identity verification. “Both are driving forces behind the acceleration of conversational commerce – completing customer e-commerce transactions through communications platforms likes Instagram and WhatsApp, for instance – and how businesses communicate with customers and how countries make…
Feb 25, 2022
article

CSPs must adopt a common language to ensure optimised operations

Business strategies that involve 5G, edge computing and virtualized networking demand a universal structure for the deployment, interconnection and management of the physical and virtual assets these capabilities require. Essentially, the same terminology must be used to enable different domains within a communications service provider (CSP) to have visibility into each other and for external organizations, such as partners and vendors. For this interview, Eyad Alqadi, Regional Sales…
Feb 25, 2022
article

Registered Caller: A Centralized Registry Service to Collect, Vet and Send Enterprise STIR/SHAKEN and Rich-Call-Data to Consumers

STIR/SHAKEN is a now widely-adopted protocol enabling telecoms to feed calling party attestation info to consumers when they receive a call from businesses. But phone calls from legitimate enterprises—such as a consumer’s bank, pharmacist, and doctor—are routinely NOT answered by consumers. So what “common language” or industry-adopted methodology will enable STIR/SHAKEN to evolve to its next level of usefulness? The Q&A with iconectiv and CTIA about their joint initiative,…
Jan 7, 2022
article

Tuning Your Selling Approach For 2022

The science of selling is constantly evolving. Over the last several decades, selling has become more capital intensive, data driven, and teamwork oriented. Several secular forces have been changing the nature of selling incrementally over time. Peter Ford, Head of Information Solutions Business at iconectiv, shares his insights on allocating the most effort toward the biggest customer opportunities.  Read more here.
Dec 28, 2021
article

Trusted Communications: Authenticating Calls with Delegate Certificates

People simply do not answer the telephone anymore unless they unequivocally know who is calling. That is hurting legitimate businesses that rely on voice calls to reach their customers. The industry continues to advance the objective to restore consumer faith and confidence in answering our telephones. Central to achieving that objective is the ability to verify that the information of the calling party has been authenticated. That seems simple enough but considering that many businesses use…
Nov 5, 2021

Press Releases

Media Contact:
Sharon Oddy
Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications
+1 732 699-5130
soddy@iconectiv.com

press release

The Common Language of Telecom Helps Rural Service Providers Close the Digital Divide

iconectiv® TruOps™ Common Language® helps overcome the rural market’s unique, longstanding challenges to extending affordable, high-quality broadband service throughout small towns and remote communitiesWhat’s the News: A new iconectiv case study explores how rural service providers can use Common Language to effectively assess network infrastructure and enable rapid, cost-effective buildouts to close gaps in broadband resources. Why it Matters: Slow or no internet access is a…
Apr 11, 2024
press release

UK Broadband Service Providers: Are You Ready for a New Switching Process?

iconectiv’s David Wilson to examine how service providers can prepare for a new era of broadband switching at UKWISPA Members MeetingWhat: With the United Kingdom’s “One Touch Switch” deadline set for 12 September 2024, broadband service providers must undertake a series of measures to ensure compliance with the new requirements. While facilitating seamless switching for UK residents ultimately presents a unique opportunity for providers to attract new customers through their innovative…
Mar 20, 2024
press release

iconectiv Recognized for Its Commitment to Simplifying Network Planning and Operational Efficiencies Across Telecom Ecosystem, and Its Support for Streamlining 5G Network Deployments

Company’s Industry-Leading TruOpsä Common Language® Platform Lauded with Six Merit Awards for Telecom and Wireless BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – February 23, 2023 – On the heels of announcing advancements to its TruOpsä Common Language® platform, iconectiv today announced that the company and its industry-leading platform have been recognized with several Merit Awards for Telecom and Wireless. The Merit Awards, an independent awards program that recognizes global industries and the markets they…
Feb 23, 2024
press release

With Digital Identity and Fraud Set to Take Center Stage at Mobile World Congress 2024, The Mobile Phone Number is Having its Moment

Serving as today’s de facto personal identifier, iconectiv highlights the role of the phone number in keeping commerce flowing, businesses running and consumers engagedBARCELONA and BRIDGEWATER, NJ – February 15, 2024 — The pervasiveness of digitization across consumers’ personal and professional lives—from mobile banking to healthcare to e-commerce—is highly dependent on their digital identity. It has also created a critical need for solutions that protect consumers and businesses. At the…
Feb 15, 2024
press release

iconectiv Enhances Operational Efficiency, Simplifies Network Planning for Communications Service Providers and Telecom Infrastructure Owners and Operators

New app enables quick identification and tracking of equipment; network view feature simplifies network managementBRIDGEWATER, NJ – February 8, 2024 – Communications service providers (CSPs) are consistently looking for ways to capitalize on growth opportunities while simultaneously driving operational efficiencies and cost savings. With evolving market expectations—for example, 5G demand is forecasted to grow approximately 60% by 2030—an increasing amount of expenditure is required for network…
Feb 8, 2024
press release

Video: Navigating the Opportunities of Communications Infrastructure in the 5G Era

iconectiv and other industry leaders discuss the collaborative strategies that are shaping the future of 5G connectivity.What:     To meet the growing demand for seamless 5G wireless coverage across a range of use cases, the communications infrastructure ecosystem is adapting and changing. Communications Service Providers (CSPs) are looking for new ways to optimize their infrastructure investments. As a result, new opportunities are emerging for different types of businesses…
Dec 19, 2023
press release

iconectiv Toll-Free Numbering Experts Appointed as North American Numbering Council (NANC) Representatives

Mike Gilbert and John Malyar Join the U.S. Federal Advisory Committee’s Toll Free: Utilization of Numbers Working Group BRIDGEWATER, NJ – October 10, 2023 – iconectiv, a trusted partner of the communications industry, announced the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has selected iconectiv Senior Account Director Mike Gilbert and Senior Director Industry Solutions John Malyar to serve on the rechartered North American Numbering Council (NANC) during its next term, beginning…
Oct 10, 2023

Speaking Engagements

Michael Iwanoff

Michael Iwanoff

Chief Information Security Officer

Michael Iwanoff, Chief Information Security Officer at iconectiv, leads the Global Information Security organization and is responsible for building and implementing enhanced security policies, standards and technology controls and establishing security strategy and direction for the company.

With more than 15 years of experience in IT Risk and Security, Iwanoff has successfully built and implemented comprehensive IT Security, Risk and Compliance programs for global organizations. His professional experience spans telecom and financial services at leading organizations including AIG, Barclays, Comcast and AT&T. Prior to his current position, he served as the Vice President -- Chief Security Officer for the Property Casualty division of AIG, a global financial business. Iwanoff is a member of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force.

Iwanoff holds a Bachelor of Science degree from New Jersey Institute of Technology in Computer Science and is currently pursuing his Master of Science degree in Information Systems Assurance. He has also earned numerous security certifications, including CISSP, CISM, CISA and CRISC.

speaking engagement

Safeguarding the Enterprise Against Escalating Global Cyber Threats

Ransomware attacks are up a whopping 500%, including attacks on supply chain, resulting in business disruption for many companies.  As the cyber threat landscape continues to evolve at a rapid speed, it is increasingly important for companies to promote cyber resiliency practices so they can respond more effectively and minimize business disruption in the event of a breach or attack. This session will provide the perspective of firsthand cybersecurity industry leaders bringing their…
speaking engagement

Fighting the Rise of Financial Crime

Commerce is using increasingly sophisticated technology to fight fraud whilst also enhancing UX, reducing friction and driving conversion rates at onboarding. The mobile eco-system is at the heart of this through secure, trusted, and convenient identity solutions deployed via API’s, unlocking access to key insights. Despite this, there is a growing trend of fraudsters now deploying social engineering scams as an attack vector. iconectiv’s George Cray, Senior Vice President of Information…
speaking engagement

MEF Webinar- STIR SHAKEN in North America: Lessons learnt, RoboCalls stopped?

Globally telecom users have been suffering RoboCalls, or nuisance calls. The USA and Canada have introduced call tracing capability that should help stop unwanted and fraudulent calls to reach the final consumers – what was then called STIR SHAKEN. Different levels of protection have been rolled out, but the problem seems to persist. MEF is holding a webinar to examine the lessons that have been learned from STIR SHAKEN and what the future holds for RoboCalls. Join speakers Matthew Gamble,…
Chris Drake

Chris Drake

Chief Technology Officer

Chris Drake, SVP Corporate and Business Development at iconectiv, is responsible for internal and external technology initiatives including emerging opportunities in trusted communications, cybersecurity, mobile content, mobile identity, virtualization and M2M/IoT.

Drake began his career at Bell Northern Research and has over 25 years in the Telecommunications industry. Prior to iconectiv, Chris held executive positions at Neustar, Sonus Networks, Telcordia Technologies as well as other companies. Drake is also an executive advisor to technology startups and had worked with the Canadian Consulate Tech Accelerator @ NYC for many years. Drake contributes to various GSMA efforts including the Fraud and Security Group, The Networks Group, and the Industry Specification Approving Group. Drake is on the board and executive committee of the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS), chair of the ATIS Technology and Operations Council, and board member for the SIP Forum. Drake is a longstanding member of the CTIA cybersecurity working group, the Cybersecurity Advisory Board for the Pace University Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, and has served on the Industrial Advisory Board for the Security and Software Engineering Research Center (S2ERC) for Georgetown and Ball State Universities through the National Science Foundation. Drake also serves on the FCC federal advisory committee, the North American Numbering Council.

speaking engagement

Identity in Messaging Solutions are Emerging – how will the industry change?

Sender identity is the root of much of the concerns on fraud and customer experience but changing an established technical framework has proven difficult. Regulatory pressure and solutions are now driving new approaches to limit such as smishing and Spam/unsolicited communications. iconectiv’s Chris Drake, SVP Corporate and Business Development, will be joining other industry professionals to discuss emergent technologies and solutions and the impact they will have on the industry. Multiple…
speaking engagement

GSMA VoIP Forum – Mitigating Call Fraud in the Network

iconectiv’s George Cray, SVP of Information Solutions, Products & Services, joined industry leaders and GSMA at GSMA’s VoIP Forum Webinar where he discussed combating VoIP fraud with STIR/SHAKEN. Listen to the full webinar discussion on LinkedIn. Let’s connect - schedule a meeting with an iconectiv expert!
Johnathan Shulman

Jonathan Shulman

Vice President, Business Development, iconectiv

Jonathan Shulman, Vice President, Business Development at iconectiv, is responsible for identifying and developing new business opportunities and future revenue streams across iconectiv’s secure, interconnection solutions with global mobile network operators, telecom regulators, technology and industry partners. He also leads engagement with product and engineering teams to represent the voice of the customer and translate insights into test cases and proof of concept before market launch.

Shulman has more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience at world-class telecommunications, digital, advertising, mobile and technology companies where he has built and led high-performing global sales, marketing and channel teams. Prior to joining iconectiv, he served in high-level positions at Facebook, Lucent Technologies, Nokia and LG Electronics Mobile.

Shulman graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in psychology. He also holds a master’s degree in law and diplomacy from Tufts University, as well as an MBA from the Amos Tuck School, Dartmouth College.

Harold Salters Headshot

Harold Salters

Technology Consultant, CTIA

Harold works as a technology consultant for CTIA – Everything Wireless. He has been a regular participant on the Joint ATIS/SIP Forum IP-NNI Task Force, as well as the ATIS Non-IP Call Authentication Task Force, since November 2016 and June 2020, respectively. As CTIA’s representative on the SIP Forum Board of Directors, he’s well-versed on STIR/SHAKEN and the commercial and ecosystem drivers for enterprise engagement that are addressed by Registered Caller.

Prior to his work with CTIA, he was T-Mobile’s Director of Federal Regulatory Affairs for 14 years working on a broad range of wireless technical public policy issues, including cybersecurity, homeland security, network reliability/survivability and disabilities access. In those roles, he represented T-Mobile at DHS’s National Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Center, the FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability & Interoperability Council, and ATIS’s Network Reliability Steering Committee and Interim Non-Voice Emergency Services Incubator. Prior to that, he was Sr. Director for Government Relations at PCIA, predecessor to the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA), and worked at two DC law firms and the FCC on private land mobile and microwave issues. At the FCC, he was a charter member of the Future Public Safety Telecommunications Requirements Task Force.

He’s a graduate of Queens College (CUNY) and has an MBA from Cornell University.

speaking engagement

How Verification is Helping Maintain the Integrity of Voice Calls

Studies show that in the U.S., 76 percent of calls from an unidentified or unfamiliar number are left unanswered. While the deployment of the STIR/SHAKEN framework is helping mitigate spoofing and robocalling, some legitimate business calls may consequently be mislabeled as spam, even if they are not. To combat this, businesses and their numbers must be vetted, registered and verified by service providers to help outbound calls be delivered to consumers and displayed appropriately. In a…
Jon Herttua is the Senior Director, Information Solutions Business for iconectiv

Jonathan Herttua

Senior Director, Information Solutions, iconectiv

Jon Herttua is the Senior Director, Information Solutions Business for iconectiv. He is responsible for sales of fraud mitigation and prevention solutions for communication service providers and Fintech.

Herttua is an experienced executive in the technology industry with more than 30 years of experience. He previously served as the Vice President for AetherPal Inc. where he acted as an evangelizing change agent to deliver new secure software solutions for management of mobile devices to Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, EE, Vodafone and enterprise customers.

Herttua holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Management from West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Carolyn Knight is a Senior Account Manager for the United States Local Number Portability (LNPA) team at iconectiv

Carolyn Knight

Senior Account Manager, United States Local Number Portability (LNPA), iconectiv

Carolyn Knight is a Senior Account Manager for the United States Local Number Portability (LNPA) team at iconectiv. As the LNPA, iconectiv manages the nation’s Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC). Knight is responsible for managing customer relations and communications for the LNPA’s only authorized solution for fraud mitigation and risk assessment in using phone number porting data.

Knight is an experienced executive in the technology industry with more than 30 years of experience. She began her telecommunications career at Bellcore. Prior to iconectiv, she held positions at Verizon Wireless and Telcordia Technologies managing software development and quality assurance teams.

Knight holds Masters of Science degrees in Computer Science and in Computer Systems, Networking and Telecommunications from Stevens Institute of Technology.

speaking engagement

Protecting the Mobile Wallet: Why Number Portability is Critical to Safeguarding Mobile Banking

The Global Mobile Money Market is booming. Originally valued at USD $3.4 billion in 2019, it is expected to grow to USD $25.76 billion by 2027, as more consumers than ever before are turning to their mobile devices to conduct banking transactions via SMS and RCS. And while the opportunity for the burgeoning mobile money market is great, it does not come without challenge.   One of the biggest is around the mobile wallet itself. Since users’ mobile wallets are associated with their…