Wireless

Behind the Scenes: The Fiber Provider’s Struggle is Real

Dark fiber is poised as “the answer” to the issues that many carriers, schools, enterprises, and governments face in the confines of their current network infrastructure. The high demand provides great opportunity, but it comes with its fair share of challenges. The biggest hurdle that fiber providers are faced with overcoming today: the escalation to deliver faster to meet the carrier’s goals.

 

Vertex Innovations, a program management service provider for telecom, has about 2,000 live projects at any given time that are all part of complex infrastructure programs. As the evolution of the wireless landscape progresses, they have a first-hand view of which players need help in what areas.

“The reallocation of resources is a constant struggle for the fiber provider as they attempt to stay focused,” explained Wayne Smith, president of Vertex Innovations. “The consumer demand for data and quest for improved coverage shrinks the delivery timeline.”

To prevent this issue, appropriate tools need to be applied that will turn the process into a more automated engineering environment. This will cut days off the program, most visibly in the final weeks to fiber handoff. Additionally, the personnel in leadership roles need to be capable, competent and motivated.

In a new video released by Vertex Innovations, a character that hints to the Zayo Group teams up with a superhero Program Manager, representing Vertex Innovations. The storyline follows a dark fiber deployment program which is set in the Flatirons of Boulder, Colorado.

“Zayo is a pioneer,” said Smith. “They set a new standard for fiber providers, and we think they provide an excellent example for others to follow.”

The storyline takes the viewer through the journey of dark fiber deployment with the help of a Program Manager – from the beginning stages all the way through to program completion. Critical program milestones are highlighted along the way, including site acquisition, circuit designs, site walks, drawing reviews, RFP creation, permit verification and approval, construction, testing and so on.

Vertex created this video to show fiber providers that they are here, willing able and ready to help. “We know the process inside-out, and we are committed to quality,” said Smith.

The struggle of program management is real, and it is not limited to dark fiber providers.

Smith explained: “Most network infrastructure projects today follow the same program structure. Whereas Vertex is seeing an increase in telecom activity– from fiber to small cell and macro cell site, and so forth– the utility and energy infrastructure industries are currently going through a similar experience.”

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