DALLAS, Texas [April 24, 2008] – More than a year after the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)—responding to the Hurricane Katrina disaster—issued a mandate to improve backup power at telecommunications sites, telecom providers continue to confront challenges related to the major infrastructure overhaul.
That was the assessment of Dusty Becker, vice president of engineering, Emerson Network Powers Energy Systems business, as he addressed the continuing efforts of the telecommunications community to meet the FCCs requirements during a presentation today at the Emerson Communications Conference. Becker said in many cases, making the upgrades isnt as easy as adding traditional backup power sources.
“Some structures cant accommodate the added size and weight of additional batteries or generators,” Becker said. “The FCC mandate is forcing us to be creative in finding ways to meet the new requirements—changing industry thinking on everything from alternative power sources like fuel cells to the cabinets and enclosures we use to house those power sources.”
Katrina exposed flaws in the telecommunications infrastructure that led to a complete communications breakdown. The result was a mandate, issued in early 2007, directing telecommunications providers to ensure their sites maintain a minimum of 24 hours emergency backup power for assets inside central offices/switch sites and eight hours for Outside Plant (OSP) facilities such as cell sites, remote switches and digital loop carrier system remote terminals.
With about 200,000 cell sites in the United States, estimates for the cost of such backup power upgrades often approach hundreds of millions of dollars.
“Once the industry moved past the initial sticker shock, the focus turned to solutions,” Becker said, adding that Emerson Network Power is at the forefront of technological and product development to meet the backup power requirements.
“We provide a complete range of communications network infrastructure solutions and services, including NetXtend™ power protection cabinets and transfer switches, outdoor battery backup systems and enclosures, and fuel cell solutions that provide alternative power sources when batteries and generators aren’t an option,” Becker said.“The reality is we’ve been safeguarding telecommunications networks for years.”
The Emerson Communications Conference, being held April 23-24 at the Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West in Dallas, is showcasing the latest technologies and solutions for the telecommunications and IT industries and bringing together industry leaders to discuss issues facing telecommunications providers as they move ahead with widespread broadband deployment. For details, visit www.emerson.com/communicationsconference.
