Written by Wendy Mushow

Managing telecommunications service installations is significantly more complex for organizations that are distributed geographically. Communication networks have become the backbone of their business operations. Whether an organization has just a few locations or hundreds of sites distributed nationally, precautions must be taken to ensure a smooth transition. Complications during service installation can result in wasted time, lost money, and aggravation.

At Cavalier, one of our biggest strengths is that we are large enough to command the strictest level of service from our technology partners while still being small enough to cut through the red tape that often binds our larger competitors. Everyone involved in our service installation process has quick access to executive level resources from all departments. Access to these resources means faster implementation times and proactive solutions for our customers.

I recently interviewed Henry Gonzalez, the head of Cavalier's Multi-site & Complex Service Installation Group. The purpose of the interview was to learn some of his best practice recommendations for IT management during service transition and what you should expect from a service provider with multi-location expertise. My Q & A session with Henry follows:

1) What are the most important qualities to look for in choosing a telecommunications service provider for a company with multiple locations?
Customers with multiple locations should make sure they understand the provider's policy for on-site visits. Many providers attempt to only make a single visit per customer location to install the service, verify the service is working and make the cutover. This is generally not a realistic strategy and typically leaves the customer in a situation where they need to transitions their services to a circuit that has not been verified that services are working. At Cavalier, we pre-plan to accommodate two visits per site. The first visit is to install and verify service and the second visit is made to make the final cutover. In the interim, we generally leave circuit monitoring equipment in place to ensure they are functioning properly.

An additional measure of quality you should take into account is how flexible and confident the provider is in their ability to step outside of their standard processes and customize their practices around the needs of each client.

2) How are the dates of service installation coordinated? What if the customer doesn't want all of their locations to be transitioned at the same time?

Cavalier's implementation processes are driven by the customer's preferred service activation timeline. At the beginning of each engagement, we schedule an installation kickoff with the customer to determine that all of the factors that will influence their service transition have been confirmed and accounted for in the process. Using this information we prepare an implementation plan specific to their needs and coordinate each of the steps throughout the project lifecycle up to the execution of services for each location.

3) Who should be involved in project coordination from the customer's side? When should they get a 3^rd party technology vendor involved?

Traditionally service providers work with the customer's data integrator and phone system vendors. Cavalier does this as well. We are unique in that we are prepared and willing to accommodate customers who may be facing challenges with these resources. We have a professional support staff, which specialize in voice and data services and are willing to assist customers in areas where a service provider may not be willing to engage with them. From extending demarcation points and moving jumper cables, to offering tier two support on router and/or firewall services, we are there for our customers when it matters most.

4) What measures are taken within your group to reduce down time during service installation?

Cavalier conducts pre-tests which are coordinated for the dates and times of service cutover. They are transparent to the customer. These steps help to proactively identify and defuse challenges, which would otherwise come to light on the day of the actual service installation. Another big step Cavalier has taken to reduce downtime and generally ease the transition is to handoff all services as Ethernet to the customer. Many service providers handoff MPLS and dedicated internet services at the T1 level, forcing many enterprise customers to deal with WAN protocols they may not be experienced with supporting. In contrast, we install circuit demarcation equipment for all of our products that convert the WAN handoff to Ethernet, which every IT department is familiar with as a native protocol. This dramatically decreases the complexity of the cutover. It also makes it very easy to either re-use existing equipment or cost-effectively deploy side-by-side equipment during the migration phase. Ethernet equipment tends to be less expensive than T1 or DS3 interfacing equipment.

5) How are the data circuits tested at the customer's location? During MPLS or VPLS installation how can you be sure the customer's private network is working the way it was designed?

As discussed earlier in the interview, Cavalier has a two phase approach on every installation. The first is dispatching technicians to the customer's location to pre-install premise equipment. During the second phase we conduct head- to- head testing of the actual circuits and ping connectivity of the MPLS/VPLS services to our core servers. We also dispatch our technicians on the coordinated date and time of actual installation and we provide a conference bridge with a technical support team, who are prepared to assess and address any potential obstacles. This approach enables us to proactively identify and alleviate any potential challenges to service activation outside of normal business hours. The result is a smooth and positive migration. Our customers' business operations are not interrupted and they are able to take advantage of their new services on the schedule that is best for them.