The telecoms industry - dead or just resting?

Martyn Cook, Director of Cable Telecommunications Training Services Ltd, gives his diagnosis

Many people believe that the telecoms revolution is over. However, rumblings on the seismograph, like the conversion of all McDonald's and petrol stations forecourt signs into telecoms masts, mean that underground transport fibre-optic networks will have to be installed and maintained. And developments like I-Mode - Internet-mode on handheld devices providing constant web access, which has over 66 million subscribers in Japan - are becoming reality.

This snoozing giant is ready to erupt with new bandwidth-hungry technologies never seen before, allowing us to do things we cannot even begin to imagine. For example Bluetooth will allow your refrigerator to give you a stock check by barcode use and tell you to pick up some milk and eggs on the way home by texting your phone or calling the local shop.

However, the telecoms industry can still appear to be in a downward spiral because vast numbers of companies bid for cable franchises across Great Britain, just like the more recent rush for 3G licences. Millions of pounds were invested in building underground networks, laying optical-fibre cables that would transform the way people and businesses would communicate and conduct their lives.

This explosion was, with hindsight, too rapid, with companies racing to buy each other out so that they could expand their franchise areas. But public take-up was too slow, resulting in huge debts for industry players. This was made worse by two other factors: the lack of education of the general public and companies trying to keep pace with rapidly advancing technology.

Before a product can be sold, it has to be understood in terms of how it can be used in day-to-day life or business, how can it improve life or business, its cost, and whether it actually works. It has to be proven, which can be difficult with a new product, and even more so a new operating concept.

Technology is advancing so rapidly that a system is out of date by the time it is adopted. Many teething problems were experienced with untried and untested systems; this resulted in frustrated customers and bad press. The public lost confidence in the telecoms revolution.

Current headlines are full of the 3G explosion:
'It's without doubt the biggest individual telecommunications project the world has ever seen. Third Generation (3G) Mobile will soon bring high quality multimedia services to people everywhere.' - 3G Newsletter, October 2002

Other headlines are about the broadband Internet explosion, with UK subscribers now over the one million mark and rising. Predictions say that:
'… the 8 per cent of British Internet users who have broadband at home is expected to grow by 15 per cent by August of 2003. The UK's broadband penetration levels look set to soar as the number of value-added applications available to businesses increase.' - Euromedia, October issue

Gigabit Ethernet and 10-Gigabit Ethernet are now common, using computer technologies with fibre-optic connectivity. Storage area networking has helped business continuity by constantly backing up computer systems at a remote site, using Fibre Channel Protocol (and others) over a metro-based system.

Expectations are changing. Nearly every household has at least one mobile phone, nearly all businesses have datacoms networks, and most households have Internet access, and cable or satellite TV. Homes and businesses have CCTV systems, and CCTV system infrastructures in cities and public areas are increasing. This is all telecoms and every application needs skilled engineers to design it install it, and service it.

People will not stop using the Internet and e-mail, mobile phones and text messaging. Businesses will not move away from datacoms networks. They will evolve and may even be replaced by other technologies, so forward-thinking engineers will keep pace with what is happening in the marketplace:
'The heady days of the skills shortage may soon return …' - Communications News, August 2002
There are many training courses available; ranging from vendor-specific training courses to City & Guilds and BTEC generic courses, and from one-day seminars to HNDs and degrees. The choice of training is down to individual preference and circumstances, but factors to consider include:
current level of experience in telecoms, if any
where do you want to be in five years' time, if known
amount of money and time available to spend on training
credibility and track record of the training provider
where skills shortages are at present.

However, the more skills people acquire, the better are their employment prospects and the chances of finding the field that is most suitable for them. The telecoms industry challenge is ideally suited to the Forces leaver's sense of adventure.

For more information contact Martyn Cook at Cable Telecommunications Training Services Ltd, 300 Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln LN6 0EX Tel: 01522 880900 Email: martyn.cook@cable-training.co.uk Website: www.cable-training.co.uk

Technology is advancing so rapidly that a system is out of date by the time it is adoptedEvery application needs skilled engineers to design it install it, and service itForward-thinking engineers will keep pace with what is happening in the marketplaceThe telecoms industry challenge is ideally suited to the Forces leaver's sense of adventure