Mr. Harte is a communications industry expert who is experienced in the high growth telecommunications industry. His 27 years of technology and business experience was developed while serving at leading communications technology companies including Ericsson/General Electric, Audiovox/Toshiba and Westinghouse. Lawrence holds the degrees of Executive MBA from Wake Forest University (1995) and a BSET from the University of the State of New York, (1990). Mr. Harte has instructed at and received numerous certificates from many non-university courses including communications, cryptograph, microwave measurement and calibration, radar, nuclear, Dale Carnegie, 360 leadership, and public speaking.
Mr. Harte has published articles and has been referenced in over 75 telecommunications related articles in industry magazines. He has been a speaker and moderator at numerous industry seminars and trade shows. His magazine publications include Popular Science, Wireless Week, RCR, Cellular Business, Cellular Marketing and others. Between 1993-1995, Mr. Harte published a monthly column in Cellular Marketing called “Techniques.” The monthly Techniques column explained the business related issues behind key technology innovations that were developing in the telecommunications industry.
Lawrence has authored over 12 books and several industry research reports on telecommunications technology including “Delivering xDSL” (2000), “Public and Private Land Mobile Radio Telephone Systems” (2000), “The Comprehensive Guide to Wireless Technologies” (1999), “IS-95 CDMA” (1999), “IS-136 TDMA” (1999), “GSM Superphones” (1998), “Cellular and PCS, The Big Picture” (1997), “Wireless Resale Market Report and Forecast 1997-2002,” (1997), “Cellular and PCS/PCN Telephones and Systems”, (1996), "Digital Cellular: Economics and Comparative Technologies", (1993), and "Dual Mode Cellular (IS-54/IS-136)", (1991). Lawrence is an inventor of several patents including “Cellular Standby Power Saving Systems” (5,224,152 - issued June 29, 1993), 5,568,513, 5,701,329, 5,794,137.
Lawrence has consulted and been an expert witness for companies including AT&T, Nokia, Hughes Network Systems, Casio, Ericsson, Samsung, Sony, AMD, VLSI, Siemens and others.
Avi Ofrane founded The Billing College in 1996, addressing the converging market trends associated with telecommunications Billing and Customer Care. The Billing College is a spin-off company of Mr. Ofrane's technology consulting company, Jupiter Data, Inc., established in 1990.
Mr. Ofrane started The Billing College to focus exclusively on Billing and Customer Care education. He is currently President and CEO, as well as a master instructor of the company's courses.
Mr. Ofrane began his career in 1977 as an analyst with the IBM Corporation, designing and implementing manufacturing systems. Throughout his extensive career, Mr. Ofrane has been involved in all aspects of the industry, including strategic planning, RFP processing, vendor evaluation and selection, business process engineering, business/systems analyses, project management, implementation, operations, quality assurance, and executive management.
Since 1982, Mr. Ofrane has concentrated exclusively on the telecommunications industry, in which he is now a recognized expert in Billing and Customer Care. Drawing from his broad expertise, Mr. Ofrane lectures extensively in the US and in Europe on Billing and Customer Care issues, strategies, methodologies, and practices. He is a frequent speaker at major conferences, and is currently co-authoring a new book on these topics. Mr. Ofrane holds a BS, Computer Science, from Pennsylvania State University.
