An extraordinary line-up of keynote speakers featuring CEOs from across the communications, entertainment and technology landscape will take center stage next month at TelecomNEXT, the only place where the business and technology of communications and entertainment meet. TelecomNEXT replaces SUPERCOMM as USTelecom's annual industry show and will be held in Las Vegas, March 19-23, 2006.

CEOs from some of the world's largest service providers, including Ed Whitacre, Chairman & CEO, AT&T; Ivan Seidenberg, Chairman & CEO, Verizon; Norio Wada, President & CEO, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone; Stan Sigman, President & CEO, Cingular; Duane Ackerman, Chairman & CEO, BellSouth; and Glenn Britt, President & CEO, Time Warner Cable will offer an insider's perspective on competing in the digital age and on their efforts to provide customers with voice, data and video services in TelecomNEXT keynote addresses. Also speaking is Dan Hesse, President & CEO designee, EMBARQ, Sprint-Nextel's wireline spin-off.

Service providers and content providers are finding common ground as the entertainment industry begins to tap new delivery streams such as broadband video and wireless networks to reach consumers. Recognizing this tremendous potential, Robert Iger, President & CEO of The Walt Disney Company, will share his views on how content and service providers can maximize new business opportunities in the evolving communications market.

Offering a look at what's next for entertainment and interactive gaming, Robbie Bach, who oversees Microsoft's IPTV activities and the popular Xbox(R), will also deliver a keynote address.

For a look at the technologies changing how the world communicates, CEOs from the nation's leading equipment suppliers, Cisco's John Chambers and Juniper Networks' Scott Kriens, will offer their insights on deploying next-generation networks in a converged telecom marketplace.

"This collection of industry innovators and visionaries can only be found at TelecomNEXT. Anyone who needs to know what's next in a converged communications marketplace can't miss the opportunity to see the cutting-edge exhibits on the TelecomNEXT exhibit floor and hear from this elite line-up of service providers, entertainment companies and equipment manufacturers," said USTelecom CEO Walter B. McCormick Jr.

In addition to the stellar speaker line-up, the TelecomNEXT exhibit floor features one of the largest-ever displays of IP video and IMS products and services, as well as network security solutions. The latest in WiMAX, VoIP and other hot technologies will also be showcased on the floor. Going beyond equipment to include software, entertainment and content, the displays, demonstrations and technical presentations are designed to meet the substantial business and technology needs of network operators in a converged marketplace.

The full list of luminaries speaking is available here.