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1. Could you tell us a bit about your background and how you became involved in the telecom consulting industry?
I became involved in the telecom industry in 1986 while leaving Ohio just prior to turning 18 years old and joining the US Air Force. I entered the miliary knowing that my profession would be in the general field of electronics. My mother had been a hospital switchboard operator and so when given a choice of 5 job opportunities to select from in the electronics field, I chose Telecommunications Technical Control as my first choice, and it was assigned. The “Tech Control” position is the central office of the miliary communications facilities. While on active duty, I was stationed in both fixed and mobile combat communications units in California, Korea and Florida from 1986-1990. During this time the internet was just starting to take shape in the form of the Military. Educational and Research networks connecting to each other.
As a civilian, my first position was with Computer Science Corporation at Edwards AFB, CA. As a military spouse, I traveled to Japan for 5 years 1992-1997 where I worked for the University of Maryland, Asia Division and also Credit Suisse First Boston Investment bank supporting local and wide area network operations. I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Studies also while working for the University. With one more miliary move to Northern Virginia, I held a position with Visa the credit card company and all of these positions built a great foundation for my next journey.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 introduced the breakup of AT&T monopoly so it was an exciting time for competing companies to introduce change in the industry. I wanted to work for a major US telecommunications carrier to really understand the operations based on my weak customer experience in Asia. I was hired by LCI/Qwest in 1998 which became CenturyLink by the time I existed 20 years later in 2018. Around this time CenturyLink would also merge with Level 3 and is now known as Lumen. During my tenure with Lumen, I service in many roles mostly focused on building international carrier interconnections and managing wholesale carrier relationships.
My consulting business was created in 2018 with the understanding that I could apply my years of experience to represent all companies in the industry solving technology challenges for my clients. I registered with the master agency “Intelisys” which gives me unlimited access to global suppliers in the industry to package service for my clients needs.
2. What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?
In the telecommunications industry people on average are not communicating very efficiently with interpersonal relationships even though it is a service orientated business. I frequently have handled very complex and international service delivery escalations where the biggest challenge has been uncovering basic information and communicating the service delivery status effectively to the project stakeholders in all sizes of organizations. I learned to adapt my communication style to help articulate facts in a way that can resolve conflict and deliver the quality of customer service that is needed. I also try to set realistic expectations and communicate as clearly and often as I can. In many ways automation of the service delivery process can help to streamline and resolve the challenges for the future.
3. Can you describe a particularly successful project you’ve worked on at Global Telecom Consulting?
I was recently called on to design a network solution for the Indian Health Services (IHS) and the Northern Navajo main hospital along with two supporting clinics in the area. The current network service provides very minimal bandwidth that does not allow for the transfer of basic imagery considered routine for modern hospital operations. The proposed network provides fully redundant and high-performance internet service but it took 9 months to design.
The challenge was that the hospitals were extremely remote to the point that the address consisted of Latitude/Longitude GPS coordinates on a map. Utilizing my channel partner relationships and experience, I identified a way in which the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) and Lumen could work together and deliver a combination of fiber and microwave services to a set of existing fiber interconnects between the two companies. The ultimate solution leverages NTUA for local access keeping the service on the reservation and the Internet is a Tier-1 top quality Internet Service Provider (ISP) Lumen.
This project is now in the final stages of procurement for the customer and my hope is that the network will be operational by the end of 2024. Because the IHS hospitals are federally funded, we have some challenges navigating the purchasing process. I am confident that in the long run the relationships built between NTUA and Lumen will serve far more needs than just the hospital as well.
4. How do you see the future of the telecom industry evolving in the next five to ten years?
The telecom industry is evolving at an extremely fast pace. The main driver for growth is the generation of data coming from all sources of technology advances including Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet of Things (IoT), Quantum Computing, Crypto Currency and more. The current network infrastructure needs to be significantly enhanced to support the volume of data being transmitted and the low latency requirements for some applications.
There is also a need to automate the service delivery process and inventory management to reduce the time to deliver services and human error. I recently consulted for the company “Qarbon Technologies” who is working to improve the workflows within Data Centers today and also report on environmental factors to create sustainable business operations by reporting on power consumption.
The Telecom industry today is still fragmented in many ways with private networks needing to be further interconnected to allow for the easy flow of internet traffic. One key initiative that I am supporting is Connected Nations working with Newby Ventures and DE-CIX to create neutral internet exchange points that will also bring major content providers close to the communities they serve.
Another significant change from the Telecom Act of 1996 to today is that the FCC is less effective in producing policies that can regulate the industry. A concern in this area for me is Internet Security. The complexities of new applications are creating environments that are difficult to monitor and introduce some new risk factors.
Lastly, I would say that the environmental factors play an even more important role in the next 10 years of the telecommunications industry as electricity and water requirements are driving more innovation. These utilities are coming together as thermo/nuclear energy research is being conducted by hyperscale data storage suppliers like Google, Microsoft and Amazon. Datacenters today are being built off the public utility grid as they can generate their own power from renewable sources.
5. What advice would you give to young professionals who are just starting their careers in telecom consulting?
The field of telecommunications is extremely critical as seen by our everyday need for internet connectivity. Something I have always done in my career is ask questions and seek answers while driving for collaboration in problem solving. The services are clearly needed so please join the profession. There are several great mentor programs available to support young professionals. One organization where I know the founders is Nomad Futurists.
6. How do you maintain a work-life balance, given the demanding nature of your profession?
I have always enjoyed the privilege of being a part of this powerful profession. While the work can be time consuming, it’s also very rewarding to build networks and solve problems with teams. I never really considered my work to be overly demanding. In the service industry, I am always eager to solve problems and provide quality services for clients/customers.
While working on my bachelor’s degree I wrote a paper in 1995 about “Telecommuting” and the concept of working from home that was very new at the time. As fate would have it by 2002 when my second daughter was born, I would be granted the opportunity to be a pioneer of working from home full time. I was fortunate to attend almost all the school events and delivery the forgotten lunch boxes, missing uniforms and sports gear! In 2013 I also was able to complete my Masters Degree in International Business taking advantage of my flexible home/work/life schedule. I haven’t been to an office ever since this started and now 22 years later!
I also very much enjoy attending industry leading events where I stay connected with team members and social times. Recently I joined the San Luis Obispo and Atascadero chamber of commerce groups that offer social mixers and networking opportunities. I even check out their offices for a change in my routines besides occasional library and coffee shop visits.
This flexibility of working from home has allowed for a great balance and habits that I have continued even as my children became adults. My hours include increments of 2-3 hours on and then a 1-hour break between a window of 8am-6pm. This schedule means I can have enough longer breaks to fit in exercise, shopping, meal preparation and relaxation. I also have an important habit of shutting down electronics by 8pm and they don’t come back on until 8am. Exercise and healthy eating is a very important aspect to my self-care. I am not of much use helping others if I don’t take care of myself.
7. What role do innovation and technology play in the services offered by Global Telecom Consulting, and how do you stay ahead of industry trends?
Innovation in the technology space is evolving at a very rapid pace with new companies and services emerging often. To stay ahead of the trends, I do a lot of product research and attend top industry conference events participating in lectures and visiting supplier exhibits. I also participate in on-line training for suppliers that I find interesting and develop close channel sales partner relationships with the companies I represent.
There are many companies today that offer very similar products and services. The key differentiator for me is the personal relationships with suppliers I represent so I can guarantee the service quality. As a sales agent in the channel partner program, some of the key solutions I am offering today for SMB size clients include redundant internet for more reliable service and security, Plain Old Telephone Line Service (POTS) replacement for cost savings, and Star Link Satellite service for remote areas.
I also don’t have to be an expert in everything. I just need to listen to my client and understand their business challenge to then narrow the scope of solutions. I am supported by a network of channel partner community members that can make recommendations for the solutions and engage directly with my client as appropriate. Ultimately, I leave the final choices up to my client after evaluating the options that I have presented.
