Nex-Tech Blog | Technology Tips and Tricks | Industry News

Monitoring Generator Fuel Usage Results in Savings for Nex-Tech

Nex-Tech is no different than most Telcos, and performs generator run tests on a regular basis. This practice ensures generators are within operational standards in the event of a power outage. During these tests, we have seen our share of generators fail. Common failures are not starting as scheduled, not turning off after the run test, or even running low on fuel. These can result in network downtime in the event of a power outage.

Documenting generator information has become a regular practice for us over the years and the data can often lead to the detection of issues.

What an Intelligent Driver Assistance System and Network Monitoring Have in Common.

Right before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, I traveled to Portland, Oregon to attend the ITA Showcase Northwest Telecommunications Trade Show. I arrived during the weekend so I could schedule meetings first thing Monday morning with clients in the Portland area. With this being my first time to Oregon, I was excited about being able to explore the area on Sunday before I would have to go to work.

It was a beautiful Monday morning and I was setting up my booth at the TechAdvantage Conference and Expo in Orlando, FL.  I had just sent my wife a text bragging about the temperature being in the 80s, as I knew it was cold back in Kansas.  Little did I know “The Perfect Storm” was brewing.

With my job, I am blessed to be able to travel the country and tour some impressive facilities.  Facilities such as large central offices, carrier hotels and recently, an underground data center.  I had a preconceived notion of what to expect in an underground data center as I have toured several above ground.  I assumed we would enter a building above ground and an elevator would take us below.  After receiving driving directions to the facilities and being told “Once you enter the cave”, I had to ask for clarification.  After confirming that I would be driving into the cave, I still assumed we would park just inside the entrance and take an elevator down.  Was I ever wrong.

Often, when I ask telecommunication providers who they use for their CALEA compliancy, I usually get that deer in the headlights look. Most remember hearing the acronym CALEA, but aren’t familiar with what it stands for, or they say, “I remember approving the bills, but not sure with who or why.”

On May 18, 2018, the small town of Quinter, KS, which my wife and I call home, weathered a storm like none I have seen before.  Being a Kansas native all my life, we always talk about our extreme weather.  We often say if you don’t like the weather, wait 20 minutes it will change.

In Februrary 2018, Nex-Tech was featured in an article from NTCA, the rural broadband association, for acting as a trusted third party (TPP) that assists telecommunication companies with compliance in the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA).

My latest adventure in home automation was the addition of a couple of outdoor cameras.  I had been toying with adding cameras to my home for a while, and was leaning towards Ring’s floodlight camera, which would be an easy install. I would simply be replacing the floodlight in my front yard and a porch light in my backyard.  My hesitation in purchasing the Ring was my attraction to all the other great products Nest offers.  As of right now, my Chamberlain garage door, AcuRite Weather Station and Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller all “Work with Nest”.  After spending some quality time with a Home Automation Consultant, I was sold and walked out with two Nest outdoor cameras under my arm and a wish list of add-on products.

If you haven’t been shopping for a new vehicle lately, you will be impressed with all the technology that has been added in the way of driver-assist features. Are these advanced features making us better drivers or allowing us to become distracted as our cars are doing the driving for us?

 If you're reading this and have never heard of MATSS, you might have missed out on the Midwest’s premier telecommunications showcase and seminar, hosted by Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma Telecommunications Associations. This year’s Mid-America Telecom Showcase and Seminar (MATSS) took place October 16-18 at the Sheraton Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri. As in years past, the MATSS organizers did a fantastic job bringing in quality vendors and speakers covering a wide range of products, services and topics.