Biographical Sketch: Dr. Tam has 35+ years in the Telecommunications/Wireless Engineering industry and had taken on roles from being a long time Embedded Software engineer, Software/Systems Architect, Software Development Manager, Technical Director, Technical Strategist, Director of Engineering and CTO in large companies such as IBM, Motorola, Computer Associates, Verizon Labs etc. to many small start-ups including her own entrepreneurial venture at one point. Started out as embeded engineer working with circuit switches such as Lucent 5ESS, DMS 100 to Packet Switches to Fixed-Mobile Convergence to 2G, 3G, WiMAX, 4G/LTE and now 5G. Other focuses include large scale E2E wired & wireless network architecture work from the RAN (Radio Access Network) to TDM, Fiber, IP/MPLS , microwave, backhaul - Transport Network to the IMS Core; SDN/NFV and Network Slicing transforming legacy networks to 5G-ready autonomous SON (Self Organizing Network) that can support M2M/IoT applications such as Smart Cities, Smart Grid, AgTech, Connected Homes, Connected Cars (V2X), eHealth, etc. Latest patents on M2M horizontal platform and Device Classes. Ph.D. Dissertation is on IoT Standardization.

Abstract:  5G is hitting a larger segment of the commercial market by the end of this year (2018) finally. Just like any new technologies, it has been testing the waters since 2012 even in its prototyping stage by large wireless carriers like Verizon & AT&T. Being able to download a full-length movie in seconds, enjoying immersive experience in VR/AR/MR, operating autonomous vehicles with high confidence and so much more can be intoxicating. 5G is an ecosystem of layers of technologies, manufacturers and vendors that already have the experience in doing other ‘G’s (such as 2G, 3G, 4G…); most of whom have embarked on a program to develop ‘IMT for 2020 and beyond’ set forth in the early 2012 in the ITU-R working group to target 5G standardization by 2020.