OSP^® has long-standing relationships with our friends in the large LECs. Believe you me, we appreciate their partnership and expect to grow our relationships with companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Qwest. That said, it’s important for us to applaud the equally as important players in the market: the Independent Operating Companies (IOCs).

That’s why we are dedicating OSP’s 2010 Thought Leaders Forum to these entrepreneurial providers across the nation.  We applaud their common-sense approach. We respect how they pride themselves on building and maintaining relationships with their customers. And we feel for them as they struggle with economies of scale. It’s not easy being an IOC in these economically tight times.

How do these entrepreneurial providers aim to evolve and grow in the future? They have visions to extend their work in Smart Homes, collaborate with Smart Grid consortiums, and take on a lot of other smart initiatives.

Read how these savvy yet grounded IOCs plan to find incremental revenue streams in these competitive times. Learn their secrets behind white-glove customer service and their best practices for technicians in the field. There’s a reason they are surviving and thriving. You can’t afford to miss their insights in this year’s Thought Leaders Forum.

Discussion Topic #1: IOC’s Infrastructure Evolution Strategy
OSP has long-standing respect for Independent Operating Companies (IOCs) and their entrepreneurial approach to evolving the infrastructure.

Question #1: In your opinion, what are the fundamental philosophy differences between the large LECs and more nimble IOCs? What is helping IOCs accelerate their networks and what is hindering them? Why will IOCs succeed in today’s marketplace?

Discussion Topic #2: Home Networking and the OSP
Just a few years ago, service providers drew a very clear line defining their responsibility once they connected a residence to their network. They refused to partake in the home’s internal network, especially the devices that consumers use. However, this attitude has since changed in the face of fierce competition and in a market where consumers are looking to connect multiple devices to the home network for rich media distribution around the home. A recent ABI Research study focused on residential gateways forecasts intelligent broadband gateways to produce double-digit annual growth results over the 6-year forecast period ending in 2013.

Question #2: We see the large players looking into the home for ancillary revenue. (Example: AT&T’s ConnecTech). How is that strategy similar or different to your company’s strategy? Since technicians are now interacting with end-users’ homes for longer periods of time and in a more intimate way, what is the key to making that technician-to-customer experience a stellar one?

Discussion Topic #3: Wireless Backhaul
Though many think the mobile and landline world are separate networks, we know those bits and bytes flying through the air rely on landline networks to deliver on providers’ 3G and 4G promises.

Question #3: How has the demand for mobile bandwidth changed your priorities in the OSP? How have mobile backhaul demands increased the need for high-bandwidth infrastructure efficiency?

Discussion Topic #4: Tools and Techniques

Question #4: What are the best tools in your company’s OSP tool bag that will help reduce your OpEx in 2010?

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Brian Schrand, Sr. Specialist, NE&C, Cincinnati Bell

We see the large players looking into the home for ancillary revenue. (Example: AT&T’s ConnecTech). How is that strategy similar or different to your company’s strategy? Since technicians are now interacting with end-users’ homes for longer periods of time and in a more intimate way, what is the key to making that technician-to-customer experience a stellar one?

If providers are going to stay competitive they’re going to have to become more involved in home networking, whether or not they want to. “Smart Homes” are no longer a thing of the future. Computers and TVs aren’t the only appliances that are now network-accessible. The need for higher bandwidth and an IP home network to remotely control devices will go hand-in-hand. The challenging part is determining what the customers want and how much they’re willing to pay for it. Do we offer one package or an a la carte type of service?

The key to making a stellar experience with the customer is exemplary service. Many times providers believe that the product will sell itself when in reality the consumer is more concerned with service. Since technicians are spending more time in the home interfacing with the customer they’re the key to setting this experience. Customer service and product training is essential for consumers to feel connected to the technician, thus the company and its products and services.

How has the demand for mobile bandwidth changed your priorities in the OSP? How have mobile backhaul demands increased the need for high-bandwidth infrastructure efficiency?

The biggest challenge to providing higher bandwidth to mobile carriers is the ability to be flexible. Until recently T1’s delivered via twisted pair were all that carriers required. Now they’re asking for those same traditional services to be delivered over fiber. However, they also anticipate upgrading in the near future as bandwidth demands and technology increase. A good example of this would be the migration from T1s towards Ethernet. The challenge that arises from this is whether to integrate the FTTH, specialty services and existing legacy fiber networks together or maintain two distinctly different networks. Another way to ask the same question is: save on capital by building one network or spend more to build two in an effort to decrease the chances of service interruption?

What are the best tools in your companies OSP tool bag that will help reduce your OpEx in 2010?

The biggest tool to keep OpEx down is flexibility. Unlike in the past, today’s world doesn’t have a Bellcore standard to use as a guideline for building an FTTH network. IOCs have limited capital and resources so they’re relying on their own experience which results in a more common-sense approach to building a network. We can pick and choose from manufacturers, engineering companies, and contractors on what products to deploy and how we’re going to build. This will allow us to see very quickly if something is working or not, and provides us with the ability to adapt and adjust accordingly. Now more than ever the IOCs should be networking together to share ideas and knowledge of successes and roadblocks.

Brian Schrand is a Senior Specialist for Network Engineering, Construction and Operations. With more than 22 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, he has held positions with the City of Cincinnati’s Telecommunications Division and with Cincinnati Bell Telephone. While at the City of Cincinnati, Brian assisted in engineering and constructing the city’s fiber network in 1991. Since joining Cincinnati Bell Telephone in 1995, Brian has held various management positions within the company, including Outside Plant Construction, Installation, Information Technology (IT), and Outside Plant Staff. Brian can be reached at email brian.schrand@cinbell.com.

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Joy Eldred, Regional VP – Engineering, Frontier Communications

We see the large players looking into the home for ancillary revenue. (Example: AT&T’s ConnecTech). How is that strategy similar or different to your company’s strategy? Since technicians are now interacting with end-users’ homes for longer periods of time and in a more intimate way, what is the key to making that technician-to-customer experience a stellar one?

Frontier believes in Peace of Mind service delivery. That means 2-hour appointment windows, full installs of HSI, phone calls before and after a tech arrives, customer satisfaction surveys, and more. Frontier’s standard program requires technicians to become certified. The program includes guidelines on how to build/maintain personal relationships to enhance the customer experience. Keeping customers aware of our enhanced services is critical to customer satisfaction because we are their subject-matter experts. Our competitive advantage is that our technicians often know their customers because we are focused on local engagement, community involvement, and a 100% U.S.-based workforce. Our customers are our friends and neighbors, so our techs play a defining role in ensuring a great overall long-term relationship with our customers.

How has the demand for mobile bandwidth changed your priorities in the OSP? How have mobile backhaul demands increased the need for high-bandwidth infrastructure efficiency?

In the past, the standard mode of provisioning mobile circuits was copper-based due to the limited bandwidth requirements. The explosion of high-bandwidth services and new applications has increased the demand for fiber-based solutions. Our company is making the appropriate capital investment to extend our fiber network deeper into our base and put fiber into greenfield builds. Bandwidth demand is only going to increase and we are and will be ready to augment bandwidth as needed. In the end this benefits mobile carriers as well as our business/residential customers since we are able to continually expand Frontier’s suite of products and services at extremely competitive pricing.

What are the best tools in your companies OSP tool bag that will help reduce your OpEx in 2010?

Analyzing repeat and high trouble areas to identify capital replacement or cable rehab gives Frontier the opportunity to reduce OpEx associated with repeat troubles and associated truck rolls. Having back office support systems that allow for this type of analysis creates a repeatable process that can be performed in any NPA/NXX or on any cable lead. More importantly, this improves customer satisfaction, and that’s critical to our number one value: “Put the Customer First.”

Joy Eldred is Regional Vice President of Engineering at Frontier Communications, overseeing its service territories in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Her responsibilities include planning and design of voice and data networks, OSP engineering, and network provisioning. Since joining the Company in 1977, Joy has held progressive management positions in operations, construction management, accounting, and engineering. She was appointed Regional Vice President in July 2008. Joy can be reached at email Joy.Eldred@frontiercorp.com. 

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Loren Sprouse, VP Engineering of Access Services, CenturyLink

In your opinion, what are the fundamental philosophy differences between the large LECs and more nimble IOCs? What is helping IOCs accelerate their networks and what is hindering them? Why will IOCs succeed in today’s marketplace?

I really can’t address fundamental differences between industry players. However, I do believe that localness is a significant differentiator for our company. CenturyLink believes that customers will want to interact with our company because of our local presence and company values. CenturyLink is positioning for continued success in the broadband market. Customers are looking for more and more bandwidth and we are aggressively pushing fiber deeper into the network and offering much higher DSL speeds. We also have a national fiber network where we can offer businesses regional and
national connectivity.

How has the demand for mobile bandwidth changed your priorities in the OSP? How have mobile backhaul demands increased the need for high-bandwidth infrastructure efficiency?

We have seen mobile backhaul needs greatly expand in the last couple of years. Due to this increased need, we have created a Fiber Access Initiative in which we partner with mobile providers to provide fiber connectivity to cell sites. We are providing expanded products for Wholesale customers, and have the ability to offer
diversity in the network.

What are the best tools in your companies OSP tool bag that will help reduce your OpEx in 2010?

There are several areas of focus within OSP that contribute to reducing CenturyLink’s OpEx in 2010:
 
• We are focusing on pre-grooming our networks in order to reduce High Speed Internet install times and costs.
• We are pushing fiber deeper into the network to replace copper feeds so that trouble is reduced on the T-spans.
• We are migrating from ATM-based access transport to Ethernet to meet increased customer needs and simplify our networks.
• We are also reviewing high cost and manufacturer discontinued equipment to determine if it is economical to replace
• We are placing GPON technology in the access network which has fewer active elements, and will lower costs.

As VP Engineering of Access Services, Loren Sprouse is responsible for company-wide access network planning, capacity management and capital budgeting; and access network engineering and construction across CenturyLink’s 33 states, including the sourcing and approval of all engineering, network installation, and construction contracts. He has been active in a number of industry advisory groups including serving on the Board of Directors of ATIS. He currently serves on the Dean’s Engineering Advisory Council for the University of Missouri-Columbia. To contact Loren, email loren.v.sprouse@centurylink.com.

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Dean Mischke, P.E., V.P., Finley Engineering

In your opinion, what are the fundamental philosophy differences between the large LECs and more nimble IOCs? What is helping IOCs accelerate their networks and what is hindering them? Why will IOCs succeed in today’s marketplace?

I believe one fundamental difference between the LEC and the IOC is the concept of local presence -- which may be a key to survival for the IOC. With IOCs ranging in size from several hundred to several million subscribers, I tend to break IOCs into two categories ranked by the number of companies. The first being the larger “Holding Company” whose management, driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, were willing to undertake a certain amount of risk in order to obtain their market presence. The double-edged sword for this group is the economies of scale that allowed for aggressive cost cutting also tend to remove the local presence many of their subscribers were accustomed to.

The second and larger group of IOCs, by number of companies, is the closely held, locally owned company that typically serves fewer than 7,500 subscribers. The key to the success for these companies is their reduced bureaucracy, local presence, and the fact that the management and employees often live in the areas that they serve and have a vested interest in the health of their community.

We see the large players looking into the home for ancillary revenue. (Example: AT&T’s ConnecTech). How is that strategy similar or different to your company’s strategy? Since technicians are now interacting with end-users’ homes for longer periods of time and in a more intimate way, what is the key to making that technician-to-customer experience a stellar one?

If you search long enough, it is possible to find almost any communication/entertainment service for free or at greatly reduced prices from an Internet-based provider; therefore, the local service provider will rarely be able to compete on price alone. Due to the proliferation of services, and devices to support them, the customer is often at a loss as to how to make it all work together.

A stellar customer experience will come from working with a technician who is skilled in fixing any technology problem or teaching the customer how to use any service, regardless of the provider or device. Key to the success of this experience is a technician who understands and uses the technologies (i.e., IP, computers, handheld devices, entertainment systems, etc.), and is capable of relating to the customer at their level of expertise on how to run their personal network.

What are the best tools in your companies OSP tool bag that will help reduce your OpEx in 2010?

Installation of fiber has significantly reduced OpEx in relation to plant maintenance, allowing staff to focus on services that produce revenue instead of routine maintenance. It is important to note that it may not make sense for every IOC to build FTTH at this time; just getting fiber closer to the customer can also provide significant benefits.

The greatest reduction in OpEx for the IOC comes from proper workforce training. With the deployment of IP services to the customer, the traditional roles have blurred between the Install and Repair, OSP, CO, and the ISP Data Technicians. In order to reduce the number of hands that must touch a trouble ticket or new installation, the on-site technician must have cross-training and the proper tools in all 4 areas in order to be able to perform a speedy and successful installation. Finally, the technician must be willing to take the time to check their work and to insure that the customer understands the services they have and how to use them, in order to reduce the number of call-backs.

Dean has been with Finley Engineering for more than 19 years. Dean is a BSEEE graduate of California State University and earned his Professional Engineer License in 1994, maintaining active licenses in 5 states where he provides consulting and engineering services. Dean is the Vice President and General Manager of Finley’s Wisconsin office. He has been active in designing fiber networks since his first project at Finley. In addition, Dean works in all aspects of central office, IP, and video implementation. For more information, email d.mischke@fecinc.com or info@fecinc.com.

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Mike Edl, Senior VP, Network Services, Hawaiian Telcom

In your opinion, what are the fundamental philosophy differences between the large LECs and more nimble IOCs? What is helping IOCs accelerate their networks and what is hindering them? Why will IOCs succeed in today’s marketplace?

I don’t think there are fundamental philosophy differences between large and small exchange carriers. I believe that the intent for exchange carriers is how to maximize the investments to the extent possible, create new products and services, and deliver what and when the customer requires the service. The only thing that helps the IOC is the fact that employees wear more than one hat due to their small size, while larger companies cope with silos because of multiple systems, processes, and organizations, which takes them longer to work through. Being nimble means being able to make decisions quickly and act on them, versus larger companies needing to typically work through each of the silos and then across the silos, which accounts for the difference and ability to deliver. I believe what hinders IOCs to some extent, is their ability to access capital funds coupled with the fact that most IOCs are challenged with fewer customers per service area than the typical LEC. This lack of density of subs creates a higher than normal cost-per-subscriber for next-generation services.

We see the large players looking into the home for ancillary revenue. How is that strategy similar or different to your company’s strategy? Since technicians are now interacting with end-users’ homes for longer periods of time and in a more intimate way, what is the key to making that technician-to-customer experience a stellar one?

With revenues declining from the traditional telephone service and the fact that the traditional demarcation point has become gray, I believe all companies are looking at other revenue opportunities, such as cabling, home networking, security, and other applications. Even today, with the advent of IP services, our traditional technicians need to be more astute to applications and more specifically IP (Layer 2/3) services which means that an understanding of a customer’s home network and applications are becoming more prevalent. The technicians already have customer skills and all that is needed is to provide next-generation service training to those technicians. The key to making the difference for technician-to-customer experience stellar is to provide superior training in both technology/applications and how to deliver a “white glove” experience to the customer. This will clearly become the differentiator between service providers.

How has the demand for mobile bandwidth changed your priorities in the OSP? How have mobile backhaul demands increased the need for high-bandwidth infrastructure efficiency?

This requirement has helped create a revenue stream to assist in making investments in areas which may not have been financially viable without a backhaul requirement or simply not on the top of the priority build list for a company. Wireless backhaul started out with a single DS1, then multiple DS1s, and over time has expanded into DS3 and OC level requirements. The transition toward Ethernet services will continue to enable higher bandwidth services in the future. This need for higher bandwidth allows the service provider the ability to serve the wireless providers while also enabling them to provide additional customers increased broadband services along the backhaul route. Clearly, as the wireless providers continue to push the envelope of wireless bandwidth, the landline provider needs to ensure they have the bandwidth to handle the demand. These opportunities have really created a win-win for both the wireless carrier and the backhaul provider.

As Senior Vice President of Network Services for Hawaiian Telcom, Mike Edl oversees Network Planning, Engineering and Operations. He joined the company in August 2008. Mr. Edl brings more than 30 years of experience in telecommunications operations to Hawaiian Telcom. Most recently he served as Senior Vice President of Network Operations at PAETEC, a New York-based telecommunications company that purchased McLeodUSA in February 2008. To contact Mike, email mike.edl@hawaiiantel.com. 

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Larry Boehm, Director - Network Implementations, TDS Telecommunications Corp.

In your opinion, what are the fundamental philosophy differences between the large LECs and more nimble IOCs? What is helping IOCs accelerate their networks and what is hindering them? Why will IOCs succeed in today’s marketplace?

TDS Telecommunications Corp. (TDS) operates both ILEC and CLEC properties in 30 states. Many of TDS Telecom’s ILEC exchanges are located in very rural areas in contrast to more urban areas served by TDS Metrocom (CLEC). We are a blended family which gives us great perspective on many issues. The bottom line is that all markets are competitive markets in today’s marketplace, no matter if you are a CLEC or ILEC. Competition is everywhere.

Nimbleness of IOCs still means you have to prove your technology concept and how the revenue will flow once deployed. Remember: those revenue streams are under attack for all companies no matter what size.

Higher demand by the large LECs drives technology development today, and with the current economy that leaves the rest to be served by niche players or small departments within the bigger vendors. As the economy stays tight, those small departments and niche companies are hit the hardest. Vendor delivery of a solid deployable technology product, like VDSL2, is the biggest hindrance in today’s economy.

Many rural areas would not have the advanced phone and data service they enjoy today without the focus and ingenuity of the IOCs.
 
How has the demand for mobile bandwidth changed your priorities in the OSP? How have mobile backhaul demands increased the need for high-bandwidth infrastructure efficiency?

The increased demand for mobile bandwidth today has not changed our priorities, but it certainly enhances the need for infrastructure. Demand for broadband Internet increases the need for transport and backhaul infrastructure; we need fiber deeper into our networks and Ethernet-based technologies to carry the traffic across the network. There is some promise coming with Ethernet-over-copper technologies, but fiber continues to be the primary focus at TDS.

Our OSP Engineers keep a very close eye on where the cell towers are when we deploy new fiber. The service requests coming from these carriers are moving quickly towards fiber-only based technologies. Those requests coming at the same time we are addressing broadband Internet requests help us address both needs effectively.

What are the best tools in your companies OSP tool bag that will help reduce your OpEx in 2010?

The best tool in the OSP tool bag today to reduce OpEx is higher bandwidth deployments utilizing our existing copper everywhere we can. VDSL2 is one of those technologies we are closely looking at (now that the chipset is ready for deployment) to meet our needs in rural geographic areas. Fiber deployments remain critical key, but  if we can reuse our currently deployed copper for the last transport hop to a smaller DLC then we can defer that capital to another time as revenue grows from those deployments.

Another tool is geospatial data. We use it to target product sales more effectively based on the technology available in each geographic segment. This information allows for quicker pricings, because we understand immediately where a customer location is in relation to our critical serving assets like fiber hand holes. Showing maps with customers by their proximity to our OSP assets allows Marketing to target those areas that will meet successful costing models, yet another plus to help reduce OpEx and increase revenue at the same time.

Larry Boehm leads a team of 94 employees and numerous professional contracted engineers in the Network Services department at TDS Telecommunications Corp. (TDS) in Madison, Wis. He started his 28-year career at TDS as a Technician and has worked his way up to a Director level position for the 8th largest telecom company in the U.S. For more information, visit www.tdstelecom.com.

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Jon Beckman, Dir. of Strategy for Test Instruments, JDSU Communications Test & Measurement

We see the large players looking into the home for ancillary revenue. (Example: AT&T’s ConnecTech). How is that strategy similar or different to your company’s strategy? Since technicians are now interacting with end-users’ homes for longer periods of time and in a more intimate way, what is the key to making that technician-to-customer experience a stellar one?

JDSU has been closely engaged on this subject with many of our service provider customers in recent years.  We’ve been privileged to spend a good deal of time in the home with technicians.  It has been impressive to see these knowledgeable, professional and courteous ambassadors of their companies in action. There is no question that this represents the primary foundation of a stellar experience – and is an aspect most all have mastered. The other core component is to have a well developed and systematic process in place for the efficient installation and troubleshooting of the in-home network. Achieving that elusive balance between minimizing the time a technician takes to perform tasks in the residence for an install and ensuring it is done right the first time and every time, possessing the capability to quickly identify, diagnose, locate and clear troubles or better yet, proactively detect and correct issues before they impact the customer where possible are all additional key attributes of a best-in-class experience.

How has the demand for mobile bandwidth changed your priorities in the OSP? How have mobile backhaul demands increased the need for high-bandwidth infrastructure efficiency?

The increasing demand for mobile bandwidth and evolving nature of the technology, services and network itself almost universally require an eventual migration to Ethernet mobile backhaul. From an infrastructure perspective, the flexible and scalable nature of Ethernet as a technology provides an efficient solution to these increased demands. For service and backhaul providers who are less familiar with Ethernet, we’ve observed that this migration can also present some challenges – challenges related to planning and testing during installation and maintenance of the network. One challenge is to ensure that the equipment, procedures, and processes required during installation and maintenance will ensure that service level agreements are met. Another is the evolving nature of Ethernet itself. Numerous changes and improvements were added in the past to evolve Ethernet to a carrier-grade technology and more changes to support applications such as timing and synchronization will likely be forthcoming. Simply recognizing these challenges exist and having a proactive plan to address them is an important component of the migration to Ethernet for mobile backhaul.

What are the best tools in your companies OSP tool bag that will help reduce your OpEx in 2010?

What a GREAT question for a company that provides communications test and measurement solutions (tools)!  What we’ve seen over the past few years will likely carry into 2010 and beyond: providers are employing an array of different technologies and approaches to accelerate their networks and deliver new and cutting edge services and applications. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

The same holds true for the selection and employment of test tools and solutions across the network and its lifecycle to maximize quality of service and minimize OpEx. The technology and architecture of the network and service offerings as well as the nature of workgroups responsible for each phase of the network lifecycle (construction, installation, operation/maintenance) should dictate the tools and procedures employed. Universally, they should support quick segmentation of troubles between different segments of the network, proactive identification of potential issues, and the rapid diagnosis and location of problems, and thereby help enable increased efficiency in the deployment, operation, and maintenance of the network.

Jon Beckman is director of strategy for test instruments, JDSU Communications Test & Measurement. With more than 10 years in the communications test and measurements industry, Jon has served in product management and marketing roles with a focus on access network and broadband technologies and applications. JDSU enables broadband and optical innovation in communications, commercial, and consumer markets, and is a provider of communications test and measurement solutions and optical products for telecommunications service providers, cable operators, and network equipment manufacturers. For more information, email jon.beckman@jdsu.com.

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Kenneth W. Trawick, President -- Telecommunications and Cable Television Operations, Quanta Services, Inc. 

In your opinion, what are the fundamental philosophy differences between the large LECs and more nimble IOCs? What is helping IOCs accelerate their networks and what is hindering them? Why will IOCs succeed in today’s marketplace?

The IOCs have been implementing strategies that position their organizations for long-term, sustainable revenue growth. Because they are private companies, IOCs are not under the scrutiny of investors seeking short-term returns and dividends. Therefore, independents are able to take on greater risks in the near term and allocate significant capital to deploy new technologies. While it may negatively impact profits temporarily, the new networks establish a long-lasting foundation for new services and, therefore, revenue growth.

For example, RUS borrowers have been deploying fiber deeper into their networks to support delivery of broadband services. While it took a significant, upfront investment, they -- unlike their larger, publicly held counterparts -- are in a position to meet the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth. As the people who make up the service territories of telecom service providers adopt new technologies and rely more heavily on broadband services, the ability to deliver equally innovative services becomes more crucial for success.

We see the large players looking into the home for ancillary revenue. (Example: AT&T’s ConnecTech). How is that strategy similar or different to your company’s strategy? Since technicians are now interacting with end-users’ homes for longer periods of time and in a more intimate way, what is the key to making that technician-to-customer experience a stellar one?

As technologies evolve, so should a company’s approach to customer service. Deployment of broadband services is spreading well beyond early adopters. These new consumers often require expanded support services. A well-trained technician can increase consumer comfort levels and, in turn, positively impact the bottom line.

In response to a customer request, Quanta built on its core expertise of network installation and maintenance outside the home, to develop a turnkey solution that would better address the need for strong technicians. By tapping into Quanta’s broad expertise and all-encompassing services, telecom service providers are able to focus on their strengths while successfully increasing subscriber acquisition rates and customer satisfaction.

Through this turnkey service offering, Quanta learned that the key to success is combining a well-trained, knowledgeable technician workforce with strong communications and problem-solving skills with your core service offering.

How has the demand for mobile bandwidth changed your priorities in the OSP? How have mobile backhaul demands increased the need for high-bandwidth infrastructure efficiency?

There is no end to the gadget revolution. New devices are being unveiled daily, and are increasingly intelligent and multi-functional. As more data is being transmitted, there is a significant increase in mobile bandwidth requirements. To support this growth, the Ethernet and radio technologies required to support backhaul demand must be expanded and upgraded.

Fiber-to-the-cell sites are the ultimate solution to support high bandwidth backhaul requirements. Quanta has developed the most efficient process for fiber deployment. The company’s patent-pending micro-trenching process utilizes a custom micro-trencher to cleanly cut and vacuum a trench less than 1 inch wide and 1 foot deep in one pass. The result is a faster, more cost-efficient fiber installation. The backfill material (also exclusive to Quanta) is unique in that it fully protects the fiber while being immune to traditional backfill challenges such as weathering, shrinkage, and erosion.

Building on the success of this micro-trenching process in residential and urban communities, Quanta believes it is the most effective tool for service providers to ensure that they continue to meet the increased mobile backhaul demands.

President of Quanta Services’ Telecommunications and Cable Television Operations, Kenneth W. Trawick oversees telecommunications and cable television operations. Prior to being named to his current position in June 2004, Trawick served as president of Trawick Construction Company, Inc., a telecommunications specialty contractor and a subsidiary of Quanta. Trawick joined Trawick Construction in 1974, and served as its executive vice president from January 2000 until May 2001. For more information, email ktrawick@quantaservices.com. 

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