Spot the Cabling Nerd

It’s rare that during parties or get-togethers the topic “network infrastructure” is discussed. People might know about it, but they have no clue how important it is to their day-to-day lives. They do not know how important cabling is for network infrastructure, including the wireless industry. James Donovan explains how you can become a cabling evangelist with the help of the CommScope Infrastructure Academy.

Cabling_Tech

Sometime ago, one of my colleagues asked me, “James, what are the three most important things in life?” I responded with, “I do not know? What are they?”

My colleague told me the following:

  • Your family
  • Your faith
  • Your network infrastructure solution

As you can imagine I was taken aback; however in jest, it appears my colleague had a point. There is little business or activity that does not pass over some form of network infrastructure. Life as we know it would not be the same without it. Although we would probably get more sense from those digital natives we call our children (aka millennials).

SEE ALSO: New CommScope report compares the tech lifestyles of Millennials and Baby Boomers

At parties or on a night out, I am often asked what I do and who I work for. I proudly say CommScope and that we supply cabling or network infrastructure. As you can imagine, the usual response is that their eyes glaze over and they take the earliest opportunity to move on. I have realized after all these years, why I get left in the corner on my own.

Sometimes I might get the follow up question, “I never heard of them. Are they a big company?”

“A global company with multi-billion dollar revenues,” I tell them. You’d be surprised at their shock. People’s perceptions and reactions show that most do not realize or have ever thought about how big the infrastructure industry is or how much people rely on it in their everyday lives. It is little wonder when infrastructure products are almost always hidden from view or concealed within other objects.

One of the hottest topics today is wireless technology. To most the word “wireless” conjures up images of freedom from cabling or wiring.

With ever increasing bandwidth requirements and number of network connected devices (i.e., Internet of Things [IoT]), coupled with the need for more wireless coverage and capacity, the reality is that extensive cabling is required to support wireless networks, whether they be cellular or Wi-Fi. Now, that is music to my ears.

What a great thought for all us “cabling evangelists” out there - Wire More to Wireless!

You may well have come to the conclusion that I may be a little odd. I like to think of it as passionate about the infrastructure industry. All too often the software, electronics and equipment take center stage. Infrastructure choices are extremely important, if not critical for all forms of communication, whether it be in the home, at the office or on the go. We need to ensure those choices are not taken lightly. I’m proud to be a cabling nerd.

If you are interested in becoming a cabling nerd like me, then visit the CommScope Infrastructure Academy. We’ll teach you how.

Cabling nerds of the world—UNITE!