The ISE Podcast: Recent Episodes
ISE Magazine
Listen to ISE magazine’s podcasts and get telecom insights from expert SMEs discussing the latest issues from transitioning into a 5G world to future proofing the network.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 4/25/25. The telcos report earnings for Q1. Any surprises? Plus other top stories for the week. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
On the BEAD/BABA Rundown this week, Justine Murphy explains the letter to Lutnick, a new bill in congess, plus more BEAD updates.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 4/18/25. Rip and replace, M&A news, and all the other top stories for the week. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 4/11/25. Microsoft delays construction in Ohio, cable subscriber drops, and more stories. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
On the BEAD/BABA Rundown this week, Justine Murphy explains what happened at Arielle Roth's confirmation hearing, plus more BEAD updates.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 4/4/25. What will the tariff news mean for telecom? Also, what's going on with Kuiper? Plus more stories. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 3/28/25. An overview of how Roth intends to lead the NTIA with questions over Musk, BEAD, and more. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
In addition to our regular Telecom Top 5, we are now also offering a biweekly roundup of the latest news in BEAD, adapted from our video series. In this new episode of the BEAD/BABA Rundown from ISE Magazine, Justine Murphy gives an update on Howard Evan Feinman's departure and the email he sent that was shared with the media, plus more top stories.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 3/21/25. Brendan Carr takes action, Evan Feinman speaks his mind, a stunning revenue drop in telecom equipmentand more top stories for the week. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 3/14/25. A company shuts its doors, telco stocks take a hit, and more top stories for the week. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
In addition to our regular Telecom Top 5, we are now also offering a biweekly roundup of the latest news in BEAD, adapted from our video series. In this new episode of the BEAD/BABA Rundown from ISE Magazine, Justine Murphy gives an update on Howard Lutnick's BEAD overhaul, and more top stories.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 3/7/25. Lutnick to overhaul BEAD, some new bills in the legislature, more Starlink news, and more. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 2/28/25. Strong reaction to Starlink's push into the FAA, a sustainability survey with interesting results, and more top stories. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
In addition to our regular Telecom Top 5, we are now also offering a biweekly roundup of the latest news in BEAD, adapted from our video series. in this new episode of the BEAD/BABA Rundown from ISE Magazine. Justine Murphy gives an update on Arielle Roth's nomination to the NTIA and more.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 2/21/25. Salt Typhoon update on what exactly happened, Nvidia reports on AI in telecom, and more top stories. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 2/14/24. Harsh words between lobbying groups, a BEAD update in one of the states, and more top stories. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 2/7/24. Roth to take over NTIA, quantum teleportation, and more top stories. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 1/31/24. Telco earnings rundown for Q4, plus DeepSeek and telecom, and more. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 1/24/24. Trump announces AI investment, an update on the Cox lawsuit, and all the major stories in telecom for you this week. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 1/17/24. TikTok ban is upheld in the Supreme Court, New York's broadband law goes into effect, plus all the other top telecom stories for the week. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 1/10/24. A look at telecom during the L.A. fires, plus all the other top telecom stories for the week. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 1/3/24. Net Neutrality neutralized, and Salt Typhoon update, plus all the other top telecom stories for the week. Happy New Year! Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 12/20/24. Rate caps for broadband, ripand replace, and other top telecom stories for the week. Happy holidays! Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 12/13/24. AT&T adds open RAN vendors, Verizon uses network slicing, and other telecom stories for the week. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 12/6/24. What is going on with cybersecurity? Plus an Iowa senator writes to DOGE and three other telecom stories for the week. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 11/29/24. Ted Cruz writes a letter, New Mexico has a broadband plan, and three other telecom stories for the week. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 11/22/24. Talking about what's going on with BEAD, and four other major telecom stories for the week. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 11/15/24. Updates on some major mergers and acquisitions, plus Starlink is growing, and BEAD updates you can't miss. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 11/8/24. Telecom in the Trump era plus other top stories in telecom. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 11/1/24. Find out what happened with AT&T and Corning, Comcast news, and other top stories. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 10/25/24. Here's what happened at the telco Q3 earnings, plus click-to-cancel and other top stories. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 10/18/24. Crown Castle scaps some plans, a BABA annuncement, and three other top stories. Email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 10/11/24. Will we finally have wireless optical for last mile? Also, J.D. Power reports survey results, and three other top stories. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 10/4/24. DirecTV buys Dish for $1 (and some debt), some big telco executive shifts, and three other top stories. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 9/27/24. BEAD lawsuits, Meta and Deutsche Telekom are not happy with each other, an d three other top stories. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 9/20/24. Check out what NVIDIA is doing with AI-RAN, find out why astronomers are mad, quantum teleportation in space, plus more top stories. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 9/13/24. Like big numbers? How about 100 trillion? And a proposed new data center could be powered by nuclear reactors, plus more top stories. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 9/6/24. Verizon and Frontier, plus all the other top stories for the week. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 8/30/24. Happy Labor Day weekend! A lot of big news and some big speculation this week. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 8/23/24. A Saturday episode! Spacesuits with 4G? Iron Man would be proud. Plus all the major stories for the week. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 8/16/24. A Saturday episode! DDoS bad news for telecom, some 6G developments, and a lot more. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 8/9/24. AI News, telecom drones, DOCSIS 4.0, and so much more. Or at least a little more. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 8/2/24. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have all reported for Q2. So what can we learn? Plus other big telecom stories for the week. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 7/26/24. Charter and Comcast lose broadband subscribers, and all the other stories you need to know for the week. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 7/19/24. Big news in Big Tech causing grounded flights and four other must-know news items this week. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 7/12/24. Verizon news, a downer revenue projection, and all the stories you need to know for the week. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 7/5/24. On this Fourth of July week, Joe talks about record-breaking speeds, Starlink and T-Mobile pressing forward, ISE EXPO, and more. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 6/28/24. Joe talks about Verizon's new logo, all-photonics networks, and more. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
ISE Magazine's Sharon Vollman interviews Gary Johnson, CEO of Paul Bunyan Communications, about why the company’s GigaZone Gaming Championship & TechXpo annual event checks many boxes for his team and the community. Hear his realization that being transparent, available, and communicating better is the not-so-secret sauce to being a CEO today. And discover what keeps Gary up at night about PBC’s future.
This week on Telecom Top 5, editor Sharon Vollman from ISE talks to Kristi Westbrock from Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC).
Your telecom news update for the week ending 5/31/24. Joe talks about the big T-Mobile deal, telco space invasion, and three other news items for the week. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 5/24/24. Joe discusses Minnesota's omnibus bill, Dell and Ericsson's venture into cloud RAN for providers, and three other news items for the week. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com
Your telecom news update for the week ending 5/17/24. Joe discusses a quantum achievement, micro optics, big LEO move, and two other news items for the week. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com
Your telecom news update for the week ending 5/10/24. Last-minute legislation, Tesla news, a major 5G cloud move, and other news. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com
Your telecom news update for the week ending 5/3/24. Rip and Replace law, a new 6G innovation, and the LEO wars intensify. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com
Your telecom news update for the week ending 4/26/24. Earnings, earnings, earnings. Plus some eciting new tech and more. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com
Your telecom news update for the week ending 4/19/24. ISP "nutrition labels," hyperscale data center growth, and more. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 4/12/24. ACP funding update, private wireless revenue optimism, a big rural FWA project, and more. If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 4/5/24. Today we're talking about net neutrality, 5 years of 5G, ACP funding, and more If you have a news tip, or any other comments, email me at jgillard@endeavorb2b.com.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 3/29/24. Upcoming telco earnings, a possible Tesla private 5G move, a new data transfer speed record, and more.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 3/22/24. We're covering two different antitrust stories, a 6G simulation platform that Nvidia is rolling out, and more.
Your telecom news update for the week ending 3/15/24. Lots of news this week, including another undersea cable outage. Listen in!
Telecom Top 5, hosted by Joe Gillard, offers a weekly, concise update on the latest developments in broadband, fiber optic, wireless, 5G, network engineering, cloud, virtual networks, legislation, and more, aiming to save telecom professionals time by delivering essential news in a digestible format.
As fiber is the foundation of 5G networks, it is important to get fiber infrastructure up and running right the first time. This blog will take a quick look at some new technologies being deployed across fiber networks, the role of testing to keep those connections running right and the increased responsibilities of multitasking fiber technicians out in the field.
Strict, accurate testing is a necessity for 5G
Mobile network operators (MNOs) will be offering new 5G services grouped into one of three main types: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communications (mMTC) and ultra-reliable low-latency communications (urLLC). Each requires its own mix of bandwidth, latency thresholds, guaranteed QoS and automation. To deliver on these new 5G services, networks must transform. An increase in bandwidth and capacity (i.e., 25G, 100G), scaling to a smarter network (e.g. NFV/virtualization, slicing), use of new technologies (e.g., eCPRI), small cell densification (10-20x more cells) within urban environments and pushing the data plane to the edge are all necessary transformations. Another key transformation will be the need to add more fiber and run it deeper into the network. Due to the nature of these transformations, more detailed and highly accurate testing is necessary to ensure everything’s working right. In addition, having the latest and most efficient testing processes in place will be imperative for speeding up the entire process.
Where 4G networks were quick to forgive bad splices or bad connections, 5G networks can’t and won’t. Unless thorough 5G testing practices are strictly followed, failure rates on new 5G deployments will increase. Back in the day, dropping a call was not a deal breaker, but now it is as the expectations for bandwidth, reliability and delay are very high. The “plug and pray” era is definitively a thing of the past. So what can operators due to improve quality of service and reliability? First, in any network—and particularly in outside plant networks—connectors and connections will always be the weakest points. In the vast majority of troubleshooting cases, the culprit is found to be a dirty connector. So, cleaning and inspection are key to providing better network quality.
What to test and how to test it
When a fiber link is deployed, two tests will typically be performed to validate the quality of the install. The first test is end-to-end loss measurement using a loss test set or an optical multimeter. The second test is a distributed measurement using an OTDR or more advanced reflectometry technology like EXFO’s iOLM. Once the optical link has been validated and qualified, technicians install transceivers connecting the different network elements. At that stage, various tests should be performed such as a spectral measurement on systems where multiple wavelengths or signals are carried into the same fiber. This validates that levels are within tolerances and that transceivers are tuned to the proper frequencies. Note that transceivers are considered as consumables with a very low price point and sometimes quality is an issue. That said, transceivers can be validated and tuned before installation by using a network tester. Some transceivers might have specific requirements in term of dispersion and fiber type and full fiber characterization might be required. That same network tester can be used for end-to-end testing and to validate that services are being properly transmitted and compliant with industry standards. At the network level, tests such as synchronization PTP1588, packet loss and jitter are usually performed to guarantee quality of service. Troubleshooting cell sites also involve RF-over-the-air testing, which is an entire subject onto itself.
Doing more and doing it quicker than ever
In addition to 5G, technicians in the field need to continue to support 4G LTE infrastructure for years to come. Being able to do more in the midst of new, emerging technologies means a rethink of current processes, with automation—one-button, intelligent testing—being vital to the ability to deliver accurate and ultra-fast fiber connections.
With the deployment of 5G—and soon 6G—test solutions need to do more, be more connected, smarter in every way. In terms of smarter testing, test equipment solutions need to do more than enable technicians to collect raw measurement data. Diagnosis information, advice on measurement and other guidance are valuable insights. For example, causes of failure—specifically a dirty connection or a stressor on a fiber—is important information that would be very helpful to include alongside readings collected using an OTDR. Through the power of the cloud, information can flow back and forth between cloud solutions (providing statistics and batch processing) and the test instrument (providing measurements and diagnosis). This enables technicians and engineers in the field to get that much-needed context and guidance.
Conclusion
Improving field-technician efficiency—by using the right tools and processes to identify and troubleshoot from day one—can represent a time savings of 90%, a necessary improvement in today’s 5G world. In turn, operators can continue maintaining 4G infrastructure while turning up 5G right the first time and begin monetizing their 5G investment sooner than later.
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave is the first company that brought the Air Blown Fiber (ABF) technology to the United States over 30 years ago and since then, we are the market’s leading company to provide the best ABF solution. For an environment where operation downtime must be minimal, Air Blown Solution brings a great advantage. Sumitomo’s Future FLEX Air Blown Fiber provides innovative way to create a network path with easy 3 steps by using 5 components.
FutureFLEX’s 5 components are
- Tube Cable
- Fiber Bundle
- Tube Distribution Equipment
- Fiber Termination Equipment
- Blowing Equipment
Step 1: Create an End-to-End Tube Cable Pathway
Tube Cables have its own ratings to use in appropriate spaces such as Plenum, riser and regular outdoor. ABF tube cables contain inner tubes of up to 24 tubes and all or some inner tubes will be filled with fiber bundles.
Tube Distribution Equipment is the switch point to change tube cable type or re-route fiber bundle to different path so that the blown fiber bundle travels to the designed direction.
The beauty of FutureFLEX ABF is when an environment changes like outdoor to indoor or riser to plenum, the tube distribution unit (TDU) becomes a tube cable splice point to create one continuous pathway that covers multiple environments.
Step 2: Install Fiber Bundle
ABF Fiber Bundles are available up to 72f and all strands of fiber bundles fit to any Future FLEX tube cables and they are all removable even installed once. By having an ABF system with removable fiber bundle and able to replace with any fiber strands, the network owner can save money for not purchasing dark fiber and upgrade or add more fibers to existing tube cable in the future.
Our blowing equipment is portable and electricity free design that allows blowing activity hassle free especially where hard to bring generator to obtain power. Even without using electricity, the blowing pressure is powerful enough to install 3000ft. of fiber bundle in 30 minutes. In addition to the short installation time, the FutureFLEX ABF only requires 2 installers, at the start of blowing and the end of blowing point to catch the fiber. With FutureFLEX, fiber installation in the high security area or highly sanitized area with restricted access can be accomplished without interrupting the space and obtaining security clearance.
The advantage of FutureFLEX ABF is not only the minimum labor and fast installation. FutureFLEX’s rating system is based on tube cable rating. FutureFLEX fiber bundle has no rating unless it blow in our rated tube cable. The fiber bundle travel inside outdoor tube cable carries outdoor rating, and fiber bundle travel inside plenum cable carries plenum rating. Because of this unique rating, a fiber bundle can travel through multiple environments without fusion splicing and also carries multiple ratings in one blow. Of course, fiber installation can be done without disrupting ongoing business.
Step 3: Terminate the Fiber Bundles at Fiber Termination Units
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave provides variety of fiber termination products such as Lynx2 connectors, FOX cassetts, Fusion splicers and many kind of termination boxes to provide end to end solution to our customers.
Broadband has become an essential utility for people around the world. It powers the digital economy; it makes applications such as remote learning and telemedicine possible; and it sets the stage for a future where virtual reality, augmented reality, and the metaverse are commonplace. However, 22.5% of US households do not have access to broadband. Closing the digital divide comes with many challenges including competition for resources, time to build, and many different considerations around technology. In this podcast CommScope’s Craig Culwell discusses how to overcome these challenges. You will learn how choosing the right technology can ease the impact of the skilled labor shortage, understanding and accessing government funds, technology considerations for your unique build, and finding key efficienciencies in your network rollout.
The telecommunications power grid has evolved from centralized to distributed architecture, which means more elements spanning greater distances from central offices. While this has expanded the grid and network coverage, the challenge of powering these far-flung elements has created headaches. Conventional power solutions (i.e. local power) are capital intensive and cause lags in deployment, but what solutions exist on the market today?
Hybrid cables that contain both fiber optic strands for data transmission and copper wires to run power through them. These cables provide a streamlined, versatile and sustainable solution to line powering for the current telecom power grid and future evolution. In this episode, Tony Wilson, President and Owner of Telecom and Industrial Marketing Solutions, and Keith Hoover, broadband product line manager for Superior Essex Communications, explain how combining these two delivery methods into a single cable can Enhance the Performance of the Telecom Power Grid.
We all know about the critical need to upgrade aging networks. The internet of things is here and technological advances like telemedicine, precision ag, distance learning, remote work, autonomous vehicles, and 5G and beyond all require huge amounts of bandwidth with lower latency. But this is a massive infrastructure undertaking, so how do you properly plan for this transition, especially when it comes to upgrading the current fiber optic closures within your embedded base?
As service providers transform their businesses to become agile and responsive and support configurable digital services, the question of network modernization is more and more urgent. Legacy networks are not only struggling to keep up with customer demands, they are increasingly difficult to maintain and costly in terms of real estate and power consumption, as well as contributing to an increased carbon footprint.
While an up-to-date, efficient network is the aspirational vision for any service provider, it’s easy to hesitate in the face of modernization’s daunting challenges and risks. Network digital transformation needs a broad range of technical, business, and planning expertise that few operators have available.
In this podcast, we’ll explore a vendor-agnostic, three phase approach to modernizing legacy TDM networks.
Topics of discussion:
- The phased approach to Network Modernization and how it benefits the service provider
- The importance of a partner’s personnel in the Network Modernization process
- Types of projects available for modernizing legacy networks
- The role of Circuit Emulation (CEM) in modernizing networks
- The need for advanced tools and automation to speed the process while increasing accuracy
In this podcast, we’ll discuss the steps and considerations that service providers can take to ensure the network is not only ready for today’s subscriber needs and demands but also for the future of broadband demand. We’ll look at the many options available, particularly focusing on the options that claim to make upgrades very simple.
Join us for this podcast to hear about PON technologies and upgrading from GPON to the next PON. Also, learn more about access network architectures and how smart choices made at the time of every upgrade can significantly improve your ability to simplify the network and your next upgrade.
Topics of discussion:
- 10G PON, 25G PON and 50G PON, are they ready for deployment?
- Should service providers be focused on a multi-protocol module, or combi-PON, to upgrade from GPON to XGS-PON? What impact does it have on PON deployments?
- Aggregation is the key area that has been affected by the increased bandwidth, but are there other areas in the network architecture that service providers should focus on to simplify their network architecture or ensure it’s ready for the future?
To learn more about Calix and PON Solutions, visit Calix’s website: calix.com/solutions/technologies/10g-pon-solutions
The approach to real-time data management had dramatic implications for faster network deployment, service activation and reparation, and better reporting. But what did it cost to change? Not surprising, there were hard and soft costs.
Although it seems self-evident that accurate and real-time data can provide the best operational and strategic value, it came at the expense of letting go of familiar methods and integration into existing environments. These insights are shared to help guide the costs to make the change.
Topics of discussion:
- Why has it taken so long for telecommunications to adopt a geospatial approach to building and managing their assets?
- What is the return on investment for leveraging GIS-based technology?
- How would we start down this path?
- What are some tangible approaches to consider?
- What are the motivating factors for this change to leverage GIS-based technology in telecommunications?
Join us as we discuss the unique challenges faced by service providers when designing and installing rural networks. Rural networks are more challenging on many fronts, including density, network reach, labor availability, operation, and maintenance. But with great challenges come great opportunities, and here you will learn about leveraging the network you build for revenue-generating opportunities as well as strategies to simplify and address some of these challenges.
Topics of discussion:
- Why is there such a large focus on rural deployment?
- Why do rural deployments pose a challenge for service providers?
- What are the strategies that can be employed to simplify and address some of these challenges?
- Deploying just an FTTH network in such low-density environments may challenge the business case. Is there any other revenue-generating opportunities the network can be leveraged for?
- What is CommScope doing to help solve the challenge of deploying a rural network?
There’s simply no doubt that the world of data centers and enterprise networks are extremely critical to our current way of life and for the foreseeable future. Can one even imagine where we would have been the last year and a half with the Covid-19 pandemic and the inability to work remotely, communicate via video, and supply ourselves with essentials without ever leaving our homes?
Of course demand changes like this most always drive an increased need for flexibility. And that’s no different in Data Centers and Enterprise Networks where increased amounts of fiber, changes in density and changes in technology regularly require changes to the hardware holding the network together.
Of course, all of this drives massive growth in those things that data centers and enterprise networks provide, and with that growth is the inevitable change… and change of course inherently drives the need for flexibility.
On this podcast we will explore a variety of common products that are available in the marketplace that provide a greater level of flexibility – and therefore lower costs and more efficiency – when that inevitable need to change comes.
Topics of discussion:
- Is it possible to change genders on MPO or MTP connectors?
- What about polarity?
- What are some advantages to look for in fiber splice cassettes that make them more flexible for installation?
- Explain pliable type ribbons, such as free form, and what makes them more flexible for use in the data center environment.
- Are there large fiber count cabinets available that can perform multiple fiber handling functions?
Service providers are facing an incredible challenge, which is also a tremendous opportunity. Today, the demand for 5G deployment and the promise that it can bring to communities is at an all-time high.
Companies who find innovative ways to adapt will be the ones to claim the lion’s share of the emerging market. However, getting there requires change. In this podcast, John Sciarabba, CEO of Alden Systems, explains exactly what changes your company can make now to capture more business in the future — even beyond broadband deployment. “It’s really about being positioned for what’s next,” Sciarabba says.
Our current climate is unique because we haven’t seen this kind of volume of work involving so many areas of a company at once, while also requiring coordination among multiple companies within the industry. If any one area can’t keep up with demand, it can bottleneck the whole process.
In this podcast, we discuss:
- Project to Process — How this crucial mindset shift will position your company to gain efficiencies without adding more resources
- How the data you capture can affect processes downstream
- How to use your data to drive better decisions and reduce unnecessary trips to the field
- The most impactful way to utilize “human capital” through automation
As the work of 5G deployment and collaboration becomes exponentially more complex, the gains for companies who implement process improvement now grows immensely. Learn how you can reap the benefits by tuning in to this podcast.
Service providers are facing an incredible challenge, which is also a tremendous opportunity. Today, the demand for 5G deployment and the promise that it can bring to communities is at an all-time high.
Companies who find innovative ways to adapt will be the ones to claim the lion’s share of the emerging market. However, getting there requires change. In this podcast, John Sciarabba, CEO of Alden Systems, explains exactly what changes your company can make now to capture more business in the future — even beyond broadband deployment. “It’s really about being positioned for what’s next,” Sciarabba says.
Our current climate is unique because we haven’t seen this kind of volume of work involving so many areas of a company at once, while also requiring coordination among multiple companies within the industry. If any one area can’t keep up with demand, it can bottleneck the whole process.
In this podcast, we discuss:
- Project to Process — How this crucial mindset shift will position your company to gain efficiencies without adding more resources
- How the data you capture can affect processes downstream
- How to use your data to drive better decisions and reduce unnecessary trips to the field
- The most impactful way to utilize “human capital” through automation
As the work of 5G deployment and collaboration becomes exponentially more complex, the gains for companies who implement process improvement now grows immensely. Learn how you can reap the benefits by tuning in to this podcast.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced populations to make an immediate shift to working and schooling from home full-time, driving all of us to connect via the Internet. At Telia Carrier, we saw a 56% year-on-year traffic growth which remains high. The pandemic highlighted the Internet’s essential role. By providing the critical foundation of the Internet and enabling the core services that facilitate ubiquitous conferencing and e-learning, backbone networks have enabled us to stay in touch.
Our reliance on the Internet also exposed the lack of reliable broadband, especially in rural areas of America. According to the FCC, it is estimated that at least 6.3 million households in electric co-op service areas lack reliable, high-speed internet access, which can lead to a loss of $68 billion over 20 years. Electric cooperatives in the US are addressing this deficit by building broadband communications to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural populations. Service providers connecting to these rural consumers need more diversity in routes between major markets. Telia Carrier is continually expanding across the US to build a more scalable network.
From a technology perspective building and operating a multi-layer architecture requires a transition to more open optical and packet networking allowing the use of technologies like 400ZR pluggables, lowering the cost of entry, creating a more cost-effective solution for service providers and leading to greater network expansion. Telia Carrier was the first to test 400ZR coherent connections between Cisco’s NCS 5700 and Cisco 8000 platforms over a third-party open line system and plans to rollout these solutions in the coming months.
Telia Carrier is also trailblazing a path in the 4G subsea market by evolving its networks to support the explosive traffic growth and high-bandwidth services driven by the cloud and video streaming. Telia Carrier and Aqua Comms recently completed a successful trial of a 400 Gigabit Ethernet service the two plan to offer between New York and Frankfurt, Germany.
In June, Telia Carrier officially became a standalone company with a new owner, Polhem Infra – which is focused on long-term infrastructure investment – allowing Telia Carrier to accelerate the network growth. This podcast will share fresh perspective from Telia Carrier’s CEO about the future of the company, the role of empowerment in building a culture of excellence, thoughts on the Digital Divide, and this unique time we are living in to reimagine and rearchitect the Internet backbone.
Topics of focus:
- The impact of COVID-19 on our business and on the network
- How we are rearchitecting the Internet backbone
- Our recent 400G trans-Atlantic trial
- Telia Carrier’s network expansion in the Americas
- Staffan’s vision for the next five years
How are Broadband Service Providers (BSPs) leveraging technology tools and field-proven processes to improve operational workflows, collaboration and documentation during the installation process? How can this help reduce repeat install visits and ensure you deliver quality, speed, and lower your costs?
Join us in this podcast discussion to learn:
- Innovative and modern approaches to improve installation processes.
- Best practices and standardization techniques that will help improve your installation quality to deliver services faster, at lower cost, and without sacrificing quality.
- The technology tools available to help your installation process be easily repeatable and more efficient for contractors and technicians.
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave was the first company to bring Air-Blown Fiber (ABF) technology to the United States over 30 years ago, and since then is the market’s leading company to provide the best ABF solution. Sumitomo’s FutureFLEX® Air-Blown Fiber® provides innovative ways to create a network path with 3 easy steps using 5 components.
Topics of discussion:
- What are the 5 components of Air-Blown Fiber (ABF) technology? (Also see below for the list.)
- What are the 3 steps to creating a network path with FutureFLEX? (Also see below for more details.)
- How is Freeform Ribbon used in ABF?
- How has ABF been helpful in generating fiber optic technology for businesses/organizations?
- What is the process of installing ABF technology?
- Why should people be looking into having ABF installed into their everyday technology use?
- How do you think ABF is going to change the future of technology?
As we all know, there are a ton of buzzwords and hot topics being thrown around the industry these days; 5G, IoT, Future Proofing, etc. However, there’s one topic that seems to be on everyone’s minds but, for some reason, doesn’t get quite as much attention: ADSS (All-Dielectric Self-Supporting).
So today, we’re going to dive into all things ADSS: what makes it unique, why it’s a hot topic, and most of all, why you should care. And who better to accompany us on this exploration than one of the foremost authorities on ADSS, PLP (Preformed Line Products).
Topics of discussion:
- What exactly is ADSS, what makes it unique, and how does it differ from lashed messenger?
- What are some of the use cases for ADSS?
- How does ADSS impact the make-ready process? Do reduced labor costs outweigh higher materials costs?
- What are some critical things that listeners should be aware of regarding the installation of ADSS?
- What applications do you see for ADSS in the next few years?
- How has PLP supported the growth and adoption of ADSS, and how have you been able to maintain this kind of leadership position?
- What are the first steps you recommend when tackling a new ADSS project?
5G transport deployment uncovers new challenges within every element of the network – core, transport, and radio access network (RAN) – when transitioning from 4G to 5G. It will also change the fiber optic technology that serves as the backbone connecting it all. Service providers, data center management, and technicians responsible for the deployment, installation, and maintenance of these networks will need to consider synchronization and performance issues and solutions.
Testing capabilities to meet 5G standards and performance metrics need to be efficient, easy to use, and versatile enough to address maintenance of existing 4G infrastructure and achieve 5G network KPIs with optimal deployment, installation, and operation. The importance of fiber will continue to grow in mobile fronthaul, as expanding 5G use cases require greater network speed.
To achieve faster data speeds and higher bandwidth associated with 5G, millimeter-wave (mmWave) bands will be utilized. The consensus is to distribute timing via the RAN using Precise Timing Protocol (PTP) as defined by IEEE. PTP is utilized for synchronization of frequency and phase.
In this podcast, we will discuss the 5G RAN drivers that have an impact on transport test requirements such as network timing and synchronization, timing methods that are used for 5G RAN, and PTP synchronization failures and how to prevent them.
Maintaining synchronization quality will help ensure your network meets 5G latency requirement.
Topics of discussion:
- 5G time and synchronization challenges
- Network timing and synchronization impact on 5G NR
- New LTE-A and 5G features dependent on tight time and phase synchronization
- 5G’s wide use of TDD spectrum
- What new timing protocols are required
- New standards and solutions that are evolving for 5G transport
- How operators implement these requirements within new RAN architecture
2020 has seen a surge in demand for data – greater bandwidth and ultra-fast download speeds coupled with a new definition of network reliability. What’s next in 2021?
With this demand, the question of scalability becomes increasingly critical as we explore emerging broadband network infrastructures and the essentials in a fiber optic installer’s toolkit for navigating a 5G-ready world.
"The Perfect Union: 5G and Small Cells” podcast will touch on why small cell deployment is so critical to a 5G network. Discover how utilizing Radio Access Networks (RAN) ultra-densification, large unused BW of millimeter-Wave (mmWave), Citizens Broadband Radio Services (CBRS) and advanced technologies such as beamforming will enable a successful 5G rollout.
Today’s broadband networks are an ever-changing work in progress, but the manner in which they are deployed doesn’t have to be. In this informative podcast from Preformed Line Products (PLP), you’ll hear tips on how to future proof your network and learn firsthand how PLP’s product design teams focus on adaptability throughout the product life cycle.
Understanding the challenges from modeling, to design and build are critical to a successful RDOF award and deployment. Having the right partner to help navigate will make the difference. Join Larry Hamilton, Congruex Vice President Sales – Central Region, as he discusses the key considerations and solutions.
5G will bring about significant change in the way fiber-based fronthaul and radio access networks are built and operated. Managing change without impacting mobile network performance while keeping OPEX in check will be key to a successful transformation. In this podcast, we will delve into some of the challenges service providers may face and discuss how testing will support the 4G to 5G RAN evolution.
A conversation exploring how design decisions affect the overall project life-cycle in the ICT industry.