In the news

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An Easy-to-Deploy Fraud-Control Handshake for Voice Operators is Here: When Will it Takeoff?

For decades, operators have been losing tens of billions of dollars a year from international traffic fraud.  So why — after all this time — does the problem persist? There’s no simple answer to that question, but three key factors ensure traffic fraud remains an on-going problem: Fraud is an electronic cat-and-mouse game.  The fraudster-mice improve their stealth and automation techniques to steal more “cheese”, while the operator-cats work to better detect and tighten their…
Dec 5, 2022
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Interview with ABC: Here's how thieves may use your phone to steal from you

ABC Austin’s Erica Proffer cautions viewers of fraudsters that are taking advantage of the holiday shopping season using text scams. In an interview, iconectiv’s Senior Vice President, George Cray, provides expert information on why scammers are heading towards texts. Cray explains that text messages are more likely to be opened and engaged with than an email scam. Some common text scams this season include information on gift cards or shipping delays. iconectiv advises viewers to be wary of…
Nov 23, 2022
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Interview with NBC: Tips to avoid scams this holiday season

NBC Austin’s Sam Stark warns viewers of scams to be aware of going into the holiday shopping season. In an interview, Senior Vice President at iconectiv, George Cray, recommends that viewers look to short codes, as opposed to 10-digit phone numbers, as a sign of legitimacy. Companies must undergo a vetting process to obtain a short code, and in the event the company violates the terms, they must surrender the code. Cray also advises viewers that texts with a sense of urgency or a link are…
Nov 22, 2022
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Interview with CBS: Avoiding Holiday Text Scams

CBS Chattanooga’s Nick Hill reports on how fraudsters are taking advantage of the holiday shopping season through texting scams. iconectiv’s Senior Vice President, George Cray, shares expert information on how to protect against these scammers. CBS explains the concept of smishing: text messages that are designed to install spyware or steal other personal data. Cray advises viewers to beware of text messages with links and a sense of urgency. Hill describes the common situations these hackers…
Nov 14, 2022
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Interview with CBS: TECH BYTE: Don’t Fall for Political Texting Scams

CBS Chattanooga’s TECH BYTE reports on how fraudsters are taking advantage of the election season through texting scams. iconectiv’s Senior Vice President, George Cray, shares expert information on how to protect against these scammers. Cray explains how Americans lost $86 million last election cycle from texting scams, and this year could be even worse. Money isn’t the only thing scammers are after, viewers are also warned to watch out for scammers spreading misinformation. See the full…
Nov 4, 2022
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Interview with CBS: Scammers cracking down, jumping into your phone with political texts as elections inch closer

Steve Sbraccia of CBS Raleigh reports on how scammers are taking advantage of the election season to steal personal information. iconectiv’s Senior Vice President, George Cray, shares expert information on how to protect against these scammers. Cray advises viewers to be wary of texts with a sense of urgency and sent from 10-digit numbers. Real candidates and campaigns can undergo a vetting process to obtain a 5/6-digit number (a short code), making these numbers more trustworthy for voters. …
Oct 28, 2022
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Tips for protecting yourself against political texting fraud

Terrence Lee of FOX Chicago reports on the increasing amount of text scams sent out as election season gets underway. In a live interview, iconectiv’s Senior Vice President, George Cray, provides expert tips on identifying scam text messages sent from fraudsters posing as candidates or campaigns. Cray warns viewers to watch out for requests for personal data, embedded links and messages with a sense of urgency. Cray also explains that text messages from 5/6-digit numbers (short codes)…
Oct 24, 2022

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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.

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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…
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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…
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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.

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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…
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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…