Oct, 2001 : Bechtel Telecoms Opens Network Engineering Lab

📅 October 5, 2001 - Bechtel Telecommunications (bechteltelecoms.com) todayofficially started operations at its new Training, Demonstration, andResearch (TDR) Laboratory, showcasing capabilities to simulate and evaluatestate-of-the-art network designs and to address engineering issues in thelab, or in the field. Bechtel Telecommunications is a unit of BechtelCorporation, one of the world's premier engineering, construction, andmanagement organizations.

The TDR Lab will help carriers and equipment vendors integrate quicklyevolving technologies into their networks, and reduce the cost of upgradesfor carriers.
"This lab is unique in our industry because network design and deploymentplanning can be integrated with our unrivaled engineering and constructionexperience," says Bechtel Telecoms president George Conniff. "We havecreated a world-class facility where operability issues can be identifiedand resolved before construction begins and throughout the constructionprocess."
Testing facilities cover wireless and wireline technologies including Voiceover Internet Protocol , Free Space Optical Networking, PSTN and high-speedEthernet, 2G/3G and CPE wireless network interfaces, voice and data trafficand link budget engineering, ATM switching, PTP and PNP microwave, LMDS,MMDS, UNII, and IEEE 802.11 A and B WANs.
"Decades of experience deploying every telecom technology across the globeshowed us that testing, training, and collaboration between carriers,vendors, and engineers are the essential components of cost-effectivedeployment," says Conniff. "Our lab is fully equipped to bring theseelements together and make them available to our customers." The TDR labprovides the first full-scale controlled testing environment for ThirdGeneration and other wireless networks through agreements with secure USgovernment facilities, including the 890 sq. mi. site of the Idaho NationalEngineering and Environmental Laboratory.
Observer network monitor and protocol analyzer is available to providemetrics and capture trends for both shared and switched networkenvironments. realtime network monitoring and troubleshooting as well ascomplete trending and baseline data collection can be analyzed usingpacket-level views of traffic.
TDR equipment also includes, among others, a REDCOM Class-5 Soft SwitchEmulator, Siemens fiber optics, Canon free space optics, Tektronix and Rohde& Schwartz RF signal generators and spectrum analyzers, Ecutel wireless LANsecurity, and Cisco routers.
TDR facilities include the laboratory, training facilities, and executiveconference facilities, all connected by state-of- the-art collaborationequipment. The TDR network and A/V equipment link field deployment teamsthrough Webcasting, videoconferencing, whiteboard, and PC connections.Wireless hand-held PC applications enable project reporting, tracking, andon-site training.
"The TDR Lab advances our ability to train our project staff and ourcustomers' personnel. Through our Webcasting and wireless communications wecan provide training in any technology, either at our lab or at networkdeployment sites," says Bechtel Telecoms CTO Jake MacLeod. "Training is oneof our most cost-effective services. Projects start up rapidly and will keepmoving at a fast pace when staff hit the ground equipped with the righttechnical knowledge."
MacLeod said current experience deploying the world's most comprehensivenetwork upgrade for AT&T Wireless is continuing to validate Bechtel'splanning, testing, and training approach.
"We view this lab as an investment in and a commitment tothetelecommunications industry," Conniff said. "We are excited by this newability to serve our customers and to help bring new services to consumersworldwide."