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The VoIP industry is at the forefront of global communications, building new connections every day that link people and businesses effortlessly. However, there's a fascinating paradox at play: while this technology fosters connections, client engagement often feels impersonal and detached. GigTel, a leader in the VoIP, unified communications as a service (UCaaS) and call center as a service (CCaaS) space, is committed to redefining the industry's landscape, making those connections not just efficient but genuinely meaningful. The company delivers unmatched personal attention, ensuring a superior engagement experience in a market filled with impersonal robotic voices. Its white-glove service delivery ensures that customers can directly communicate with different facets of team GigTel—from sales and support to engineers and project managers—throughout their engagement lifecycle. The combination of hands-on service delivery and top-tier technology allows the company to act as a one-stop shop for businesses seeking a unified communication platform. Its penchant for delivering seamless integration, reliable service and exceptional customer care at every process stage has made the company a leading player in the market. “We provide a complete solution that simplifies our customers’ operations while maintaining the highest level of service they expect from a seasoned telecommunication provider,” says Brett Gilsinger, president. A key competitive advantage of GigTel is its ability to manage every service aspect from infrastructure to customer support in-house. This capability, derived from the 75-year experience of its parent company, Endeavor Communications, enables GigTel to be nimble and responsive to distinct client needs while delivering top-tier solutions. In a recent real-world display of its flexibility, the company helped a tax services provider that operated seasonally and needed a flexible communication solution to cope with the surging call volumes during tax season. GigTel devised a custom pricing plan for the company that aligned with the ebbs and flows of the client's call volumes, resulting in a successful implementation and a satisfied client. Today, Gigtel’s relationship with this client has expanded from managing just a handful of their franchises to over 20. The company has scripted many similar success stories, resulting in GigTel’s impressive net promoter score (NPS) of 71 for the year 2024. An exceptional client satisfaction score of 99.4 percent further underlines the quality of user experience and its level of support.
Distributed enterprises are in dire need of expanding their network infrastructure to support a growing suite of internet-based applications and services. As the number of endpoints and devices on networks grows, so does the attack surface — giving way to numerous security loopholes and leaving businesses vulnerable to cyber threats. The talent shortage further compounds the challenges, making organizations do more with less. In times like these, partnering with a managed service provider that can tailor the appropriate high-performance, cost-effective, and secure solution can help businesses focus on goals without worrying about network infrastructure. That’s where Hughes Network Systems (Hughes) brings value to enterprises. An an industry leader in providing high-availability and resilient solutions, Hughes specializes in building and managing smart, secure networks that meet distributed enterprise needs. Our flagship offerings include services for consumers in addition to enterprise and government systems, such as managed network services, satellite communications for internet access and emergency connectivity and digital signage for customer and employee engagement. With a portfolio of end-to-end managed services, including SD-WAN, cybersecurity, digital signage, Wi-Fi and VoIP solutions, Hughes tailors solutions that best align with enterprise business objectives. Hughes solutions blend long-standing industry experience and resources with networking innovations to provide expert support at every stage of deployment, including design, implementation, operation, and infrastructure management. A typical client engagement at Hughes begins with an assessment, where its team evaluates clients’ existing network. These insights are instrumental in choosing the ideal networking solution. “Because we’re carrier-agnostic, our team takes a holistic approach when suggesting solutions to help businesses operate better,” states Dan Rasmussen, SVP of the enterprise division at Hughes. “Based on the work environment, we recommend the optimal technology and connectivity solution for the customer’s business.” Hughes focuses on delivering solutions that helps drive customers’ business, not just technical networks that meet a set of requirements. By building relationships with customers at all levels and listening to their needs, Hughes employees can work together to solve customer problems.
In the race to deliver 5G services, mobile network operators (MNOs) are aggressively working to upgrade their networks. They need significant capacity and low latency for each tower and throughout the network to achieve this. This means increasing the bandwidth to towers that are served by fiber at present and converting towers from microwave to fiber backhaul. Midco, a provider of reliable private networking services and high-speed fiber internet and fixed wireless technology, has committed to a network upgrade path that enables the most aggressive timeline required to meet MNO demands. “We are actively investing in our fiber network, bringing it from 13,000 to 22,000 miles by 2030. This will allow mobile operators to bring strong, fiber-based connections to every end customer and enrich user experiences,” says Heather McNeive, VP of business sales at Midco. The initiative will also enhance network diversity and resiliency with access to more major hubs throughout the U.S., providing MNOs with the best network path. Midco owns its Fiber Network end-to-end, with 24/7, 365 monitoring. This allows for full control and diversity in network paths, minimal downtime and promised execution on service-level agreements and network expectations. Midco is continuously expanding its network infrastructure to help MNOs offer customers a superior experience.
Rob Roy, Chief Digital Officer, Sprint [NYSE: S]
Brian Rhoney, Director of Data Center Market Development, Corning [NYSE: GLW]
Ismael Hernandez, Vice President Information Technology, The Larson Group
Ken Paker, CTO, TDS Telecommunications LLC
Yasmina Elotmani, Senior Manager of Architecture and Product Management, CN
Greg Sharma, Director, IT Infrastructure, Maple Lodge Farms
Joe Zirilli, Parsons, VP for Artificial Intelligence, Parsons [NYSE: PSN]
The term "IIoT" describes a class of industrially used linked devices, sensors, and equipment that may connect to an internet network and communicate with an infinite number of other devices or systems. Even more advanced automation technology is needed to meet consumer needs in the increasingly complicated manufacturing scene. Industrial Internet of Things adoption by manufacturing companies has several benefits, including improved customer satisfaction, production efficiency, and overall corporate decision-making. Incorporating the Internet of Things into an industrial setting offers the following notable advantages: Automated Data Collection Employees use more manual data-gathering techniques in more conventional workplaces. Additionally, paper-based data gathering and storage methods frequently result in human error and compromise the integrity of the data as a whole. On the other hand, automatic, real-time data collection is made possible by connecting machines and gadge
Today, robust network security and optimal performance are paramount for any organization. One of the most effective strategies to achieve these twin goals is network segmentation. Key Network Segmentation Strategies Organizations can employ a range of strategies—often in combination—to implement effective network segmentation, enhancing security, performance, and manageability. One of the most widely used methods is VLAN-based segmentation (Virtual Local Area Networks). VLANs enable the logical grouping of devices into separate broadcast domains, irrespective of their physical locations. Network switches are configured to assign ports to specific VLANs, permitting communication within the same VLAN while requiring a router or Layer 3 switch for inter-VLAN communication. This method is relatively easy to implement, especially in small to medium-sized networks, and is cost-effective as it leverages existing switch infrastructure. Subnetting and IP addressing schemes provide
Diving Into the Iiot Driven Advancements
This results in improved productivity, reduced downtime and lower operating costs. IIoT also enables predictive maintenance, allowing businesses to identify potential equipment failures before they occur and avoid costly downtime. However, while IIoT offers many benefits, it also poses significant challenges. One of the key challenges is the need for robust cybersecurity measures. With the increasing connectivity of devices and sensors, the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches is higher than ever. Businesses need to implement strong security measures to protect their data and ensure the safety of their operations.
This edition of Network Infrastructure features thought leadership articles from industry experts, including Stacy Lacy, CTO at INVISTA, who discusses IoT Sensor Networking with LoraWAN. Brian Harrison, Enterprise IIoT Lead at, Fluke Corporation, shares insights into steps for jumpstarting a successful IIoT program.
With the ability to improve operational efficiency, create agile supply chains, and enable predictive maintenance, IIoT is transforming the way businesses operate. However, to reap the benefits of IIoT, businesses need to address the challenges of cybersecurity and implementation complexity. With the right strategy and partners, businesses can unlock the full potential of IIoT and achieve success in the digital age.
