By Doug Junkins — As networks have grown more complex, it’s become a huge challenge for communications service providers (CSPs) to continue to operate their networks more efficiently.
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By Kevin Hart — Cox’s Kevin Hart is serving as Program Chair of SCTE•ISBE Cable-Tec Expo for the second time this decade. Broadband Library caught up with him for an inside view on what to expect in Atlanta.
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Courtesy The Cable Center — On December 11th, The Cable Center celebrated the official ribbon cutting of the “Edward D. Breen Technical Archives” and the “Breen Room” meeting lounge. The ribbon cutting was commemorated with a reception and celebration of the many improvements made possible through a generous donation from Ed Breen.
Read MoreBy Ray Thomas – The time has come for the use of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) to maintain the outside coaxial cable network. Robotics technology has developed well beyond what would be required for a product that is specialized for cable outside plant (OSP) maintenance. Artificial intelligence is also well advanced and capable of guiding an autonomous robotic unit, which we shall refer to as the “OSP-bot.”
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By Chris Bastian – The Fall Technical Forum at SCTE•ISBE Cable-Tec Expo 2017 promises to be the technical exchange event of the year. We are very excited to team with CableLabs and NCTA — The Internet & Television Association — to plan and offer this event. Planning started early for this forum: Back in March the Expo program committee, comprising more than 20 executives
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By Ray Thomas – As test equipment has gotten “smarter” through the addition of automated measurement routines, does the flip side of the coin mean that techs’ understanding of basic electronics theory is being negatively affected? An executive at a large search engine company has speculated in public that the ability to search online for easy answers to life’s questions was dumbing people down.
Read MoreBy Tom Williams – One of the tough decisions facing line technicians is deciding if suspected line damage is severe enough to warrant taking cable service down to shoot the line with a time domain reflectometer (TDR). This decision is no longer necessary as it is now possible to measure a standing wave on a block of digital signals, and accurately range the distance to a fault on in-service plant using live digital traffic as test signals.
Read MoreBy Ray Thomas – take a look at ANSI/SCTE 158 2016 — Recommended Environmental Condition Ranges for Broadband Communications Equipment. If this standard was a bottle of wine, it would be described as “approachable.” ANSI/SCTE 158 2016 is free to download at scte.org.
Read MoreReni Gorman, vice president, learning and development, SCTE•ISBE, with Karl Kapp, Ed.D., professor at Bloomsburg University, learning industry author and thought leader.
Read MoreBy Daniel Howard – I’ve been writing a lot lately about how the Energy 2020 program and the associated SCTE Energy Management Subcommittee (EMS) of the SCTE standards program are game changers, helping the cable industry monitor, manage and reduce energy consumption across the entire cable footprint.
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