¿Sabe ustéd ecualización sobre DOCSIS? Savez-vous utiliser IPv6?
It hasn’t gotten to the point where we’ve struck a partnership deal with Berlitz yet, but over the past couple of years there’s been a dramatic increase in interest from the international community in SCTE’s products and services.
Those of you who are attending Cable-Tec Expo would do well to keep your Google Translate apps handy. Like our sizable contingent of visitors from outside of the U.S., our roster of international exhibitors continues to trend upward. As of this writing, we have 57 exhibitors from abroad, 10 more than last year’s total, with the potential of more to come. In addition, we’ll have discussion of the landscape abroad at our annual International Breakfast, as well as an agreement with the ANGA Cable Show that will continue SCTE’s expansion into a worldwide source of technical expertise and training. Not to mention the official launch of our SCTE-Central Europe Chapter.
Whether it’s Paris, France, or Paris, Ky., there is a growing need among cable system operators, vendors and programmers for industry-approved training, certification and objective analysis of new technologies. While SCTE’s most notable accomplishments over the past 24 months primarily have been focused on the U.S. cable market, they have not escaped the notice of our brethren in Europe, the CALA market and, most recently, China. The launch of SEMI, increased activity in the international standards arena and the development of a robust Professional Development program have all been springboards to increased international activity, including:
- An announcement that SCTE and the ANGA Cable Show have reached an agreement to act as “International Cable Show Partners,” mutually enhancing learning opportunities through such activities as providing moderators and speakers for the two organizations’ respective technical conference sessions.
- The official launch of our SCTE-Central Europe Chapter, based in Frankfurt, Germany.
- Participation by Claus Adams, president of SCTE-Central Europe; Carsten Engelke of ANGA; German Iaryczower, vice president of sales for CALA at Arris; and Hiroshi Asami, executive vice president of JCTEA, at the International Breakfast.
- Entry of SCTE into the Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T), with an eye toward shepherding international adoption of our SCTE 130 standard for advanced advertising.
- A growing presence in the CALA market, including the development of Spanish-language SCTE training materials by a Spanish-language translation working group led by Rolando Barja, an SCTE member in Bolivia, as well as an upcoming Spanish version of the new SCTE installer manual and an enhanced relationship with the Jornadas International conference and exposition.
So what do QAMs in Cologne have to do with quality of service in Columbus? In today’s competitive environment, it comes down to this: The need for cable to use all of the global tools at its disposal to improve service delivery, reduce costs and increase customer satisfaction. Many of the same challenges cable faces in the United States – including the migration to IPv6, the development of new IP-based business and residential services, and energy management and power availability – are or will soon be on the radar of the industry around the world.
From an SCTE perspective, a global presence that includes activity in these areas and others offers clear advantages to all parties. In most cases, the same field-proven resources that have already been developed and embraced in a given market can be adopted or adapted to accelerate the deployment of new services that will enhance the bottom lines of operators around the globe. Equally important, the involvement of SCTE in international events can provide new opportunities for visibility into trends and technologies that are emerging overseas, enabling operators, vendors and programmers in the country to get a head start on the implementation of new technology.
For example, the impact of our SEMI program, the work of SCTE’s Sustainability Management Subcommittee (SMS) on energy and environmental standards for facilities and critical systems, and the development of an Adaptive Power System Interface Standard (APSIS) for hardware coming to market in 2013 and beyond are geared toward operators in the U.S.
In reality, the impact will be felt well beyond our borders, with vendors creating products for the U.S. cable market and overseas operators purchasing new equipment needing to factor APSIS into design and decision-making. In addition, it is likely that energy expertise from abroad could help to maximize the value of our standards, not only to U.S. operators, but to the global market.
Ultimately, the problems, solutions and opportunities of cable transcend national borders. It’s by assuring the rapid transfer of fundamental knowledge, expertise and innovation that the engineering community can drive the continued global growth of our industry. In the months to come, look for more news about how SCTE is working with our peers around the world to ensure that the engineering workforce in the United States and globally is prepared for the challenges ahead.
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Filed Under: Industry regulations