2010 Buyers Guide - Broadband Properties

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Standardizing Infrastructure To provide successful next-generation Internet service in their properties, owners must start in the procurement phase. By David Daugherty ■ Korcett Holdings This month, we discuss the need for standardizing the logical and physical design of premises infrastructure. Remember that standardization allows you to apply the basic problem-resolution technique you learned in high school: to make problem resolution less complex, hold steady as many variables as possible. Once you establish standards, the installation, configuration and cutover of new services becomes a predictably reliable process. Standardization also facilitates design maturity. As you identify and eliminate problems, the overall stability of the design improves. Developing a Request for Quote As a property owner or manager, your first and perhaps most important step in deploying next-generation solutions is the request for quote, or RFQ. The RFQ is where you begin to educate would-be service providers about the services you want and how you want them to be deployed and supported. Take as much ambiguity out of the RFQ as possible, and certainly don’t ask service providers for proposals. If you ask any five network engineers how to build a network, you’ll be lucky to get only five different designs. Requests for proposals (RFPs) and RFQs are not the same. If you are unfamiliar with the process of assembling an RFQ, find a reputable engineering firm to help you develop your in-house design, deployment and support standards. Byproducts of these standards include the RFQ, network design, service-level agreement (SLA terms and conditions) and requirements for ongoing support. Once you have developed standards, you can issue new RFQs quickly, and service providers will eventually learn what to expect from you. Each time you issue an RFQ, your template will mature, vendors will understand better how to respond, and you will become better at judging how realistic vendor responses are. The advantages of a well-executed RFQ include • Less time required to assemble the next RFQ • Less time required for service providers to respond • Apples-to-apples comparisons of competing service providers • Clear, predictable responses from service providers • Much better chances of getting acceptable service • A repeatable business case from one property to the next • Economies of scale in purchasing equipment • Better chances of differentiating your properties from your competitors’ • Establishment of maintenance and support standards. Of course, standards take you only so far. Network physical attributes change from one installation to the next: how fiber is routed to the property, the location of the main and intermediate distribution frames, the condition of the existing infrastructure, the local wiring codes and labor laws. Most competent construction companies can easily manage these common construction issues. However, because builders are comfortable with these issues, they tend to treat low-voltage infrastructure just like any electrical wiring job – which is how they run into problems. Because low-voltage infrastructure is a specialized field of expertise, be sure to get referrals from people you trust before hiring a low-voltage contractor. Management and Support Most RFQs emphasize products rather than services. Builders or their consultants focus on a project’s physical aspects with little or no attention to long-term management and support. That’s a mistake. Your design, and therefore your RFQ, must address questions such as these: How is the network monitored? What happens when a problem occurs? How is the problem escalated if not resolved? What information is collected, and how is it used to manage operations and support? What are the metrics for success? Specifying these requirements is how you and your vendors establish and manage expectations, and how the RFQ will become the foundation for your managed-service agreement with your service provider. In the next issue, we will discuss the site survey. From a metrics perspective, this is where you set the baseline for performance measurement. We will also begin to explore various performance measurements and how they relate to resident satisfaction and ultimately to the property’s ROI. BBP See a sample RFQ at www.bbpmag.com About the Author David Daugherty is the CEO and founder of Korcett Holdings. He can be reached at david@korcett.com. Korcett Holdings is dedicated to the development and deployment of next-generation service solutions. 12 | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | www.broadbandproperties.com | November/December 2009
Putting the FTTx puzzle pieces together. Maximize your <strong>Broadband</strong> Stimulus Opportunity AFL and Tellabs understand the FTTx puzzle and know how to put the pieces together for your network deployment. With over two decades of experience and products that deliver the desired result, this collaborative effort provides adaptive solutions great for: Municipalities • Telecommunications Providers • Cable Service Providers Our combined offerings are available to assist you in the process of implementing your end-to-end network, including passive fiber plant products, electronics, services, and content. For more information, contact AFL at: 800.235.3423 or AFLtele.com/go/Stimulus
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2010 Buyers Guide - Broadband Properties

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