CCI Systems

Gearing up for TelcoTV 2011

2011-10-17T09:23:00.001-05:00

CCI’s Engineers and Managers will be in attendance this year in booth #438, ready to provide you with a start-to-finish solution for any network. Be sure to check out the happenings at the CCI booth.
    •    20 minute, private, White Board Session with Engineering Experts
    •    Cisco Interactive Hardware
    •    Register to Win- Have your badge scanned for the $200 Visa gift card drawing

To schedule your White Board Session, or to meet with an Account Manager RSVP at: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/660076/Say-hi-to-CCI-and-enter-to-win-a-Visa-gift-card

Don’t forget to take advantage of all the jam packed sessions and workshops that include commentary from the industry experts that make video work. TelcoTV is the only major North American event designed to help telecom service providers explore all their options while remaining focused on the bottom line.

Free Expo Passes are available https://telcotv.reg.techweb.com/2011?_mc=016 . There’s no excuse not to stop and say hi to CCI.

Look forward to seeing you in New Orleans!

The Buzz from the NCTC 2011 Independent Show

2011-08-04T14:52:00.004-05:00

It was great to meet some new friends and reconnect with some familiar ones at the NCTC Independent Show in San Francisco, California.

Attendees were able to meet with our network specialists-VP of Technology Todd Gingrass, VP of Mapping and Design Rick Hurzeler, Director of Sales Kae McGuire, Senior Sales Engineer Gary Perry and Account Executive Frank Williams- to discuss any questions they had about technology and the cable industry.

Booth Recap

At CCI’s booth customers were able to try out Cisco’s Interactive Hardware. The demo allowed interested consumer to do a hands on tour of Cisco solutions for their upcoming projects. Also on display were Cisco’s Settop Box’s along with a slideshow presentation offering more knowledge about the product.

We encouraged many people to learn about our newly created partnership with Adara Technologies. At the booth were handouts explaining the relationship between CCI and Adara.

Did You Know?

CCI recently partnered with Adara Technologies to deliver the new managed switch-digital video (SDV) solution to operators in the United States. CCI Systems will bring consultative engineering, design, service and support services to the market.  

The Winner Is... Randy Lindsey, of Windjammer Communications, was the winner of our event giveaway. He won an iPod Touch for stopping by CCI’s booth and registering for a chance to win. Congrats, Randy!

Discover more about STBs, CMTS, Prisma II, routers, switches and much more at the NCTC Independent Show

2011-07-15T06:00:00.004-05:00

CCI Systems will once again be in attendance at the upcoming The Independent Show in San Francisco July 24^th through July 27^th.

Our network specialists- VP of Technology Todd Gingrass, VP of Mapping and Design Rick Hurzeler, Director of Sales Kae McGuire, Senior Sales Engineer Gary Perry and Account Executive Frank Williams- will be on hand to discuss technology challenges facing cable operators of today’s industry.

At the booth this year’s exhibit will feature an interactive Cisco hardware demonstration, which allows attendees to measure dimensions, view ports, power supplies, and internal components of Cisco gear, as well engage in product tours of different technologies and Cisco solutions. Stop by our booth # 316 and let the CCI engineers customize a solution specific to your needs and budget.

Did you know? One thing many people don’t realize about CCI Systems is that we’re a Cisco Service Provider Technology Partner (SPTP) and Silver Partner. In this video, Vic Northrup of Cisco, describes why Cisco chose to partner with CCI over 10 years ago and the value we bring as a partner.

To learn more about the NCTC TIS, click HERE.

CCI Systems Chosen to Build Reach-3MC

2011-07-12T15:35:00.000-05:00

CCI Systems was recently selected by Merit Networks Inc., as one of several qualified, Michigan-based contractors to perform outside plant (OSP) construction and engineering for two separate Reach-3MC broadband stimulus projects.

During the first round of the Reach-3MC project, CCI will help construct 1,017 miles of open-access, advanced fiber-optic infrastructure through rural communities in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The REACH-3MC fiber that CCI will be laying will help to improve education and the quality of life in the service areas, by connecting community anchor institutions to Merit's high-performance network.

CCI was also awarded a separate contract to perform engineering for Merit’s Round II Reach-3MC project. During the Round II portion of the project, CCI will construct 1,270 miles of fiber-optic infrastructure throughout the Upper Peninsula, with key interconnecting points in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Throughout the project, CCI’s engineering and construction divisions will be performing aerial and underground construction, as well as installing conduit and blowing fiber through various segments of the network build. By building and laying fiber for Merit’s high-speed network, the REACH-3MC will stimulate the demand for broadband, spur economic growth, and essentially create jobs throughout its service area.

The Reach-3MC Round I and II project will focus on improving education and increasing economic development in the rural communities of Michigan’s Northern Lower Peninsula, Upper Peninsula, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Reach-3MC will connect 44 community anchor institutions to Merit’s high-performance network and will pass 391 more in the future.

Click HERE, to read more about the Reach-3MC projects.

Visit CCI Systems at the OPASTCO Summer Convention July 23-27

2011-07-11T06:00:00.001-05:00

Join CCI Systems at the OPASTCO 2011 Summer Convention & Tradeshow being held July 23- 27 in Minneapolis, MN. This year’s convention has a promising lineup guaranteed to deliver advanced solutions for all your technology challenges.

Stop at the CCI Systems booth during the OPASTCO Summer Convention to speak to Senior Account Executive, Eric Hiatt about CCI’s IPTV Integration Solution. Senior Systems Engineer, Jeff Myers will also be on hand to help answer any questions you may have regarding DOCSIS 3.0, Optical Transport or CMTS Upgrades. Share your questions and get advice from a network expert.

Also at the booth, enter for a chance to win a FLIP Ultra HD video camcorder. To be entered, fill out a registration form at CCI’s exhibit. The winner will be announced at the end of the event and posted on the CCI blog.

To learn more about the OPASTCO Summer Convention & Trade Show, click HERE.

The Buzz from NCTC's Winter Educational Conference 2011

2011-03-15T15:52:00.000-05:00

It was great connecting with our customers and prospects at the NCTC Winter Educational Conference in Clearwater, Florida.

Our network specialists - VP of Access Networks Stu Lahti, CCIE engineer Cuyler McCoy, and account executives Sean McAndrews and Ted Shroyer - were there to discuss challenges attendees face.

The Buzz: CMTS and Bandwidth
Cable Modem Termination Systems (CMTS) was the most talked-about display at our booth. For more information about this product, visit Cisco's website. Other buzz at the conference was how to increase their network's capability to add more subs and bandwidth.

Did You Know?
One fact many attendees didn't realize about CCI was that we’re a certified Cisco Gold Partner. In this video, Vic Northrup of Cisco describes why Cisco partnered with CCI, and CCI's President John Jamar explains the excellence that Cisco provides. We’re proud to admit that many of our network engineers have obtained Cisco certifications, such as the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) SP Certification, a certificate that less than 1% of networking professionals hold.

Your Opinion Matters
At every conference we attend, we offer booth attendees the chance to win a door prize if they fill out a survey. The question was: "What topics would you like to see in a technical webinar: RF Bandwidth Reclamation Options; Video over DOSIS; Metro Ethernet; Net Neutrality; or Other."

100% of CCI booth attendees would like to see a technical webinar on Video over DOCSIS

If you have an opinion, please let us know in the comments section.

And the Winner Is…
The winner of the FLIP camera is Larry Schutz from Cobridge Communications. Congratulations, Larry!

Photo Gallery
Here are some more pictures from the conference.

To see all of them, become our Fan on Facebook and view the photo album: NCTC WEC 2011.

Find Out About DOCSIS 3.0, CMTS, Set Top Boxes at NCTC Winter Educational Conference

2011-02-22T17:28:00.000-06:00

Look for the CCI booth when you attend the NCTC Winter Educational Conference Feb. 28 - March 1 in Clearwater, Florida. Its exhibit at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort will feature demonstrations of DOCSIS 3.0, CMTS and Cisco’s latest Set Top Boxes.

Stop at the Technology Showcase for the demos and talk with CCI’s network specialists about the challenges you face:

•    Stu Lahti, CCI vice president of access networks
•    Andy Trempe, senior inside sales associate
•    Ted Shroyer, senior account manager
•    Cuyler McCoy, CCIE systems engineer

>> While you’re there, pick up the 2010 CCI/CISCO webinar series of seven presentations.

To learn more about the NCTC Winter educational Conference, click HERE.

View GIS Mapping at CCI’s Booth at North Central Cable Show

2011-02-22T17:14:00.000-06:00

You’ll see demos of GIS Mapping when you visit CCI’s booth at the North Central Cable Show Feb. 27 -March 1 in St. Paul, Minn. The show will be held at the Crowne Plaza St. Paul-Riverfront Hotel.

CCI representatives on hand will be:

Cory Heigl, regional operations manager, Central Division, and lead project engineer for community area networks

Mike Dellies, account manager, National Sales

Dan Plante, engineering operations manager

While you’re at the booth, pick up a copy of “Everything You Need to Know About DOCSIS 3.0.”

Find out more about CCI careers at Michigan Tech Career Fair

2011-02-15T09:13:00.001-06:00

Meet face-to-face with representatives from CCI Systems at the Michigan Tech Spring Career Fair 2011 to discuss full-time opportunities.

The event will be held from 12 — 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, at the university’s Student Development Complex. View the career fair guidebook.

CCI Systems, with more than 50 years of experience in the communications field, works for many top cable TV and phone providers. Stop at the booth to learn how you can be part of designing and implementing some of the most cutting-edge communication systems in the country.

Join the CC Systems team! View its careers page.

Visit CCI booth at NTCA Expo Feb. 15-16 in Dallas

2011-02-08T11:09:00.000-06:00

Stop at the CCI Systems booth to view demonstrations of Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), OpticalNetworks, and Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) solutions at the NTCA Expo ’11 Feb. 15 - 16 in Dallas.

Joe Smith, CCI vice president of networks and business development, will staff the booth with team members:

• Trevor Pankonien, systems engineer

• Kae McGuire, director of sales

• Frank Williams, senior account manager

• Sean McAndrews, senior account manager

• Ted Shroyer, senior account manager

• Shane Seidenstricker, senior account manager

Visitors to the CCI booth will receive “How to Make IPTV Integration Easy.”

Find Out About DOCSIS 3.0, CMTS, Set Top Boxes at SCTE Cactus Chapter Vendor Day

2011-01-31T08:31:00.000-06:00

Look for the CCI booth Feb. 8 at Cactus Chapter Vendor Day sponsored by the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. CCI will provide demonstrations of DOCSIS 3.0, a cable modem termination system (CMTS) and Cisco’s latest Set Top Boxes.

Frank William, CCI's Integrated Solutions manager, will be on hand to answer your questions and give the presentations. You also can register at the booth to receive a special DOCSIS series via e-mail.

To learn more about SCTE Cactus Chapter Vendor Day, click HERE.

Fiber Splicing Techniques Shown to the WSTA Plant Conference Attendees

2011-01-26T14:34:00.000-06:00

Those who attended this day-and-a-half conference explored issues related to Smart Grid, Over-the-Top, Bonding & Grounding, Mobile Backhaul, VDSL2 and Networking Fundamentals.

At CCI’s Booth
At CCI’s booth, CCI Fiber Splicing Technician Tony Higgins showed the attendees how to fiber splice, guiding the process and testing the splice to show how well participants did.

Now Available to the Public: How to Pin-Point the Best Fiber Splicing Contractor
Those who attended our booth were given the free guide, “How to Pin-Point the Best Fiber Splicing Contractor.” It is now available to the public for download.

Since fusion splicing has quickly become a necessity for many network projects, this e-book provides you with the guidelines to contract the best fiber splicing technician—one that keeps your project on time and budget.

Download the guide here.

Other content that might be of interest to you:

8 Ways to Lower Fiber Splicing Costs

FTTH Fiber Splicing: Slash the Price and Increase Speed

How to Capture Cellular Backhaul

CCI Teaches the Best Fiber Splicing Techniques at the WSTA Plant Conference

2011-01-10T08:56:00.001-06:00

At the WSTA Plant Conference, Jan. 12-13, 2011 in Stevens Point, Wis., CCI will show conference attendees how to fiber splice and provide them a guide describing how to select the best fiber splicing contractor.

Learn How to Fiber Splice
At CCI's booth, you can try your hand at fiber splicing. CCI Fiber Splicing Technician Tony Higgins will be there to help guide the process and test the splice to show how well you did.

>>Test your fiber splicing skills

Get a Free Guide: How to Pin-Point the Best Fiber Splicing Contractor

Fusion splicing has quickly become a necessity for many network projects. This e-book provides you with the guidelines to contract the best fiber splicing technician—one that keeps your project on time and budget.

Register to receive the guide at CCI's booth

Talk to a Network Specialist

CCI representatives at the booth will be:

Cory Heigl, Regional Operations Manager Central Division and Lead Project Engineer for community area networks
Tony Higgins, Fiber Splicing Technician
Mike Dellies, Account Executive National Sales

Share problems and get advice from a network expert

To learn more about the WSTA Plant Conference, click HERE.

How to Stay Competitive in a Bandwidth-Rich World

2010-12-30T16:45:00.000-06:00

Most consumers are no longer satisfied with surfing the Web, downloading a few songs, sending and receiving a few photographs, or watching streaming video at current picture quality levels. The Fiber to the Home (FTTH) Council explains it best: "The world is moving toward vastly higher bandwidth applications."
Here are some reasons why:

Companies such as Netflix, Amazon and Wal Mart offer feature-length movies for download
More people want to upload their home movies to e-mails or Web pages
Consumer electronics companies offer devices that connect TV to the Internet
High-definition video is fast becoming state-of-the-art
More companies are offering "software as service," which means consumers subscribe to applications on the Internet instead of installing them on their computer

Consumer bandwidth is projected to grow for years to come.

For network operators to stay competitive in this market, it is important to add fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). Where do you start? By comparing architectures. All FTTH architectures require an aggregation device in the CO (Optical Line Terminal or OLT) and an optical electric converter (Optical Network Terminal or ONT) at the home. The architectures differ in what is installed between the CO and the house.

To make it easier for you, we've researched several architectures for you. This guide, "At-a-Glance Comparison of FTTH Architectures," provides a comparative analysis of FTTH solutions, including the advantages, disadvantages and costs of:

· Point-to-Point

· Active Ethernet

· PONs

· BPON

· GPON

· EPON

· WDM PON

· RFoG

Compare the technologies here.

CCI Welcomes Paula T. Meads as Chief Information Officer

2010-12-13T12:06:00.000-06:00

We are proud to welcome Paula Meads to our executive team!

As a seasoned financial executive, Paula will work with our senior team members to discover, analyze and define the best long-term strategies. She will oversee all organizational development, financial and accounting operations and provide financial planning for the organization.

John Jamar, CEO and President of CCI, anticipates the solutions she will provide to steer CCI. “She will be a valuable asset to CCI, ensuring we move into the future strong for those who depend on our products and services,” he said.

In addition to earning her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting at Michigan Tech and a Master’s degree in Accounting from Kaplan University, she has had much experience working for several prestigious companies, nationally and internationally. She has had experience in information technology management, organizational development, financial reporting, cash flow, budget administration, auditing tax management, contract management and all aspects of accounting. Some of her successes have been in motivating talented teams to streamline operations, increase efficiency and boost business effectiveness.

She is currently in the process of relocating to Iron Mountain, Michigan area with her husband Marty and son Mitchell. Their daughter Malory is a student at the University of Alabama.

MTA Annual Showcase Features Many Communications Industry Speakers

2010-12-13T11:57:00.000-06:00

Held in Billings, MT, the 29th MTA Annual Showcase featured speakers who spoke on many great and pressing topics including: investing in a fiber network, transitioning to IPv6, meeting the mobile backhaul service requirements with the most cost-efficient technology available, items to consider when planning the middle mile, and many more.

Our own Vice President of Network Technology Todd Gingrass spoke on qualifying and designing for tomorrow’s Next-Gen Networks.

Congratulations to Brian Wilson of Project Telephone in Billings, MT. He won the Flip camera by filling out a short survey at our booth. Here, he is seen here with CCI’s Frank Williams.

To see a list of upcoming events we’ll be attending, click HERE.

CCI to Exhibit Video and Broadband Network Solutions at the MTA Annual Showcase

2010-11-23T16:02:00.000-06:00

If you are planning to attend the MTA Annual Showcase in Billings, MT, Dec. 1-2, 2010, come visit us.

Our Exhibit

Learn more about video and broadband solutions for your networks with Frank Williams, CCI's Senior Account Executive.

Chance to Win

Enter for a chance to win a Flip Video Camera. To be entered, fill out a survey at CCI’s exhibit, asking you what your top fiber optic priorities will be in 2011. If you are the winner, your picture, the name of your company and a link to your company's Web site will be featured in our blog.

Attend a Presentation

CCI's VP of Network Technology Todd Gingrass will speak on DWDM testing, troubleshooting and qualifying fiber for DWDM. Attend this presentation on Thurs., Dec. 2 in Tent A. If you're looking for other presentations to attend, check out EXFO’s presentation on “Optical Fundamentals and Testing Procedures,” Wed., Dec. 1 in Tent B.

Follow this blog for more information on the MTA Annual Showcase.

CCI Presents the Critical Role of DWDM Testing at the MTA Annual Showcase

2010-11-18T16:35:00.003-06:00

Join us at the MTA Annual Showcase in Billings, MT Dec. 1-2, 2010.

CCI's VP of Network Technology Todd Gingrass to Speak

With the expectations of high-bandwidth networks, are you sure your existing fiber infrastructure will support the new designs of Next-Gen networks? Experience has shown that many networks have service impacting fiber characteristics that need to be remedied before implementing new designs. In this presentation, Gingrass will provide insight into:

o Fiber characterization, including chromatic and polarization mode dispersion

o How existing fiber can be tested, interpreted and have the Next-Gen networks designed over it

o Design advancements in technology to help achieve 40-100 Gbps speeds

To get deeper information on this subject, join Gingrass Thurs., Dec.2 in Tent A. To attend a presentation that compliments Gingrass’s, check out EXFO’s presentation on “Optical Fundamentals and Testing Procedures,” Wed., Dec. 1 in Tent B.

The MTA consists of Montana's independent, rural telephone companies who provide service covering 80% of the state's geography. Investing in over $70 million in network infrastructure, their customers enjoy state-of-the-art digital telephony, cable, video, wireless, Internet and other telecommunications products and services.

Follow this blog for continued updates of the MTA Annual Showcase and more.

TelcoTV 2010 Wrap-Up

2010-11-18T09:06:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to Russ Camp of Bledsoe Telephone, Winner of iPod Touch

Survey Results

We asked our booth attendees what their top fiber optic priorities will be in 2011. More than 50% said FTTx solutions.

Recap of conference speakers
Advertising's Role in IPTV
In a panel of speakers, Joe Ambeault of Verizon says advertising probably won't play a bigger role than it already is and all other TV subscription revenue streams aren't going away.

TelcoTV: A 1 Gbit/s Prdiction:
Russ Sharer, VP of Occam Networks, encourages service providers to build networks that are "traffic-aware" and foresees that network providers will need 1 Gbit in their networks by 2020.

The Inside Scoop
Entone about to Launch VUDU-Powered Cable Boxes
Entone Inc. plans to go after Tier 2 and 3 US MSOs in a big way using CableCARD-based media hubs and boxes that blend traditional cable TV services with over-the-top (OTT) apps and services from VUDU Inc. and other third-party partners.

Follow this blog for information that matters to you.

Future of Fiber Seminars by the FTTH Council

2010-11-09T16:40:00.000-06:00

Upcoming Webinar: Multi-Service Multi-Revenue Fiber

Wed., Nov. 10, 2010 at 2 p.m. EDT (11:00 am PDT)

If you've invested in a fiber network, this webinar will offer you ways to recoup your investment by offering revenue-generating services beyond the residential community.

The Fiber -to-the-Home (FTTH) Council, a national organization dedicated to expanding the deployment of high-speed, all-fiber networks is hosting a webinar. Telco Systems' Vice President of IP Product Line Management, Irit Gillath, will present. She has extensive experience in international marketing and technology product management. She is responsible for the management of Telco Systems' FTTH product lines and has extensive experience working with its customers on networking and FTTH deployment.

To register, click HERE.

Upcoming Workshop: Potential of All-Fiber Networks

"The Future of Video, Telco's and Smart Grid: Going for the Gigabit"

Wed., Dec. 8 in Phoenix, AZ

Arizona Biltmore Hotel

This all-day workshop will cover next-generation, all-fiber broadband and opportunities that exist for telecommunications service providers to help advance the nation's Smart Grid network. Here is a list of topics and sessions:

• Future of video services over all-fiber networks

•    Smart Grid networks
•    Perspective from representatives of Arizona municipalities that have applied to be part of Google's
       fiber-to-the-home pilot project
•    Legislative and regulatory outlook for all-fiber networks
•    Panel discussion of successful FTTH service providers in the southwestern U.S.

"America's fiber to the home providers are laying the groundwork for the next generation of super fast networks and the advanced video and Internet applications these networks will make possible," said Daniel O'Connell, President of the FTTH Council. "This workshop will be an outstanding opportunity for anyone interested in our broadband future to learn more about how fiber is transforming the nation's telecommunications networks and its electrical grid."

To learn more or to register for this event, click here.

CCI’s IPTV Expert, Matt Reath, Achieves CCIE SP Certification

2010-11-05T14:30:00.000-05:00

We are proud to announce that our own Matt Reath, Senior Systems Engineer has attained his Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) SP Certification.

Network Engineers holding an active Cisco CCIE certification are recognized for their expert network engineering skills and mastery of Cisco products and solutions. Reath is one of the less than 3% of all certified Cisco professionals and less than 1% of the networking professionals worldwide to hold this certification.

“Matt has expertise in all aspects of Service Provider technologies like Next Gen Optical networks, MPLS, IPTV, DSL/FTTx, and CMTS to name a few. This knowledge is what has always allowed him to be an extremely valuable consultative resource to our customers, partners and co-workers during both the design and integration phase of projects. He has already been working at this high level and this certification just validates his existing expertise,” said Todd Gingrass, Vice President of Network Technology of CCI Systems.

With this certification, Matt will continue to perform many of his previous duties, including consultation, design, training, integration and technical support services for CCI customers. He is also considered CCI’s subject matter expert for IPTV, optical and service provider routing and will serve as the technical leader on integration projects, while continuing to provide internal consulting and training for other divisions within CCI.

If you have a project that you’d like to talk about, contact CCI Systems and a subject matter expert like Matt will contact you.

To learn more about IPTV, visit our video downloads page.

Connected TV: What It Means for You

2010-11-05T14:06:00.002-05:00

Internet Protocol Television, aka "IPTV," is everywhere. You hear about it. You read about it. But why should you care? Two reasons: Your competitors are boarding that train and your customers expect it.

Just in April of this year, a report came out that the city of Salisbury, North Carolina bid out a contract to provide them with set-top boxes as part of their major rollout of IPTV services across a new Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network. The city-wide goal: "to compete in a global economy ...and provide the leading-edge capability, functionality and performance our customers expect."

The features IPTV offers are above and beyond what standard cable or satellite dish operators offer. Here's a short list.
o   Surfing the internet
o   Enhanced guides
o   Caller ID on the TV

To sum it up, it gives your customers a television experience, one where they get to interact with and choose what they want. When your customers are happy, you win.

To find out more features IPTV offers your customers, watch this short Web cast by CCI's VP of Network Technology Todd Gingrass, and decide for yourself if IPTV is a service worth your investment.

Going “Green” Can Save You Green

2010-11-05T13:59:00.001-05:00

"Green" is a widely used term these days. But why is it important for cable companies to go green? True, it helps your public image, but there are many monetary benefits to be achieved by implementing greener network technologies, such as reduced:

•    Energy bills by using less air conditioning
•    Truck rolls
•    Material costs
•    Operation costs with more automatic network components

Some providers have already worked with network integrators to implement greener, more efficient, network architectures. Some examples:

•    Passive Optical Network (PON) for FTTH projects uses no electronics in the access network, significantly reducing energy bills and maintenance costs.
•    Optical Transport Network (OTN) and Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) eliminate the need for expensive, power-hungry router parts.

If you've deployed these architectures, you still rely heavily upon equipment vendors to supply network components that reduce cost and energy, take up less space and provide more bandwidth and faster speeds.

To understand how your company can take advantage of these savings by going "green," check out a webinar we collaborated with Cisco on called, The New Green Cable Company.

What is your company doing to go green? Are you seeing the monetary savings that are promised? Let us know in the comment section below.

CCI’s Recap of the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2010

2010-11-03T12:25:00.003-05:00

Thanks to those who joined us at the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2010. Attendees learned first-hand about the latest in cable technology, products and services. We had a great time collaborating with everyone and giving SPATIALinfo software demonstrations. Here’s a visual recap of the show from our point of view.

The SCTE welcomes members just inside the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

New Orleans welcomes The SCTE Cable-1

CCI's booth after hours

James Pierce of Comcast Communications (left) with Rick Hurzeler, CCI's VP of Engineering Operations (right)

Rhonda Peterson, CCI's Director of Engineering Operations, gives a SPATIALinfo software demonstration to Bill Scheffler of SPATIALinfo and Wil Colin of Comcast Communications

To give our appreciation to those who visited our booth at each expo, CCI holds a raffle to win a hot electronic device. In order to win, participants fill out a short survey.

This survey is not about CCI and its products and services but about what types of network and service issues you are dealing within your company. We do this because we are dedicated to giving you the best information possible that addresses your cable and telecommunications needs. Below is the winner from this expo.

Congratulations to Jason Hansen, Manager of Broadband and Video for Conway Corporation, winner of the iPod Touch. Jeff Meyers, CCI's Sales Engineer, presents the prize.

To see if you are attending an event CCI will be participating in, check out our Events Page.

Follow this blog for information on how to be competitive within cable and telecommunications.

Save Money and Enhance IPTV QoE

2010-11-03T11:20:00.000-05:00

Recent studies indicate that IPTV service quality and reliability problems are major factors impacting customer acceptance, cost and profitability of IPTV Services. As providers, surely you have felt the pressures of current and projected migrations to HD capable TV sets and HD content to enhance reliability and quality. With quality, you also struggle to keep costs from sky-rocketing while maintaining the service.

So how do you combat this? By employing the traditional fault management technologies, the number of customer complaints about picture quality never end. You can send your best field repair personnel to the site and employ your best help desk personnel to take their calls, and customer complaints still continue to roll in.

The solution: Mariner's xVu. Mariner’s xVu solution pin-points and isolates problems before they destroy your customer's experiences. You will avoid high churn rates and high costs of unnecessary truck rolls. In a past blog, we wrote about a communication provider, SaskTel, who has been using this solution and the excellent results they have had, especially in increasing Quality of Experience and reducing those unnecessary truck rolls.

If you want to get deep information on this product, we recommend reading Mariner's whitepaper, Enhancing the Reliability of IPTV, written by the CEO and VP of Product Management of Mariner. It describes design goals for a new solution that helps IPTV service providers meet their objectives for reliability, picture and service quality, while improving customer service and reducing costs.

Leverage Your Network Assets and Become Competitive

2010-10-28T09:51:00.000-05:00

To stay competitive, you look to offer better services, improve current services, increase bandwidth and quality--all without tremendous upfront costs. If you leverage your assets, your network, you can do this.

According to Rick Hurzeler, CCI's Vice President of Engineering Operations, "As networks become more fiber-rich, it is extremely important to be able to document these assets in order to efficiently use them."

Fortunately, there are tools capable of documentation without huge upfront costs. SPATIALinfo specializes in offering network-management software solutions: the spatialNET suite. It is a network design and management tool that helps network engineers design and manage fiber, coax, copper and power networks. The suite consists of seven key features.

Fiber Design: models the modern network elements used in telecommunication and cable TV networks. It has many features, including the ability to group outside and inside plant network elements together into a Master Circuit,representing the logical, end-to-end service you sell to your customer.

Inside Plant: allows your network designs to transfer seamlessly from outside plant to inside plant.

Coaxial Network Design: allows you to design and extend your coaxial networks in order to cope with high-bandwidth data services, telephony, video-on-demand and HD video.

Copper Management: tracks the details and locations of cables, splice cases, terminal blocks, cross-connects and in-line equipment.

Job Management: allows two or more users to work in the same physical area at the same time.

Land Base and Address Management: provides tools for managing your address, parcel and street centerline data, including the ability to model single-dwelling units and multi-dwelling units.

Open Access and Integration: uses Autodesk's AutoCAD Map 3D as its rendering engine and front end.

SpatialNET tightly integrates with AutoCAD Map and uses many of the functions available in this product.

CCI became SPATIALinfo's first Platinum partner in June 2010. In order to receive this achievement, our engineers have received 20 licenses and completed intensive spatialNET training.

To utilize the assets in your network, check out SPATIALinfo's Web site or contact us to speak with a trained spatialNET engineer.

CCI Systems to Offer Mariner xVu Demo at Telco TV 2010

2010-10-27T15:53:00.000-05:00

CCI Systems will demonstrate Mariner's service assurance suite, xVu, at booth #743 at Telco TV 2010 in Las Vegas, Nov. 9-11, 2010. CCI Systems is a preferred partner for Mariner's end-to-end IPTV quality of experience (QoE) monitoring and diagnostic capabilities.

As telcos work to compete with cable providers, the inclusion of IPTV in their service packages has become increasingly important. Proactive network monitoring must be included in the IPTV package to ensure a positive experience for the end user and allow the service to become profitable. xVu is Mariner’s flagship service, providing highly effective network monitoring and diagnostics to operators running IPTV.

xVu brings complete network monitoring and insight to CCI's range of engineering, construction, support and maintenance services, allowing providers to identify and fix network issues before they negatively affect the end user, reducing costly truck rolls and customer churn.

"IPTV deployments are more efficient in both time and money when a service provider selects a vendor that can do all parts," said Todd Gingrass, Vice President of Network Technology. "By partnering with Mariner, we are able to provide a complete end-to-end IPTV solution, including: network engineering, construction and support and maintenance."

"Mariner is extremely pleased to be partnering with CCI Systems," said Curtis Howe, President and CEO of Mariner. "CCI has a strong reputation in the IPTV market; this is very complimentary to Mariner's innovative QoE solutions. Together we will bring significant value to the customers we serve."

CCI's Vice President of Networks Business Development Joe Smith and his team will be in the booth discussing IPTV and Optical Transport. Networks Group experts at the booth will include: Vice President of Network Technology Todd Gingrass; Senior Account Executive Frank Williams; Systems Engineer Trevor Pankonien; and Director of Network Engineering Rob Norr.

Reduce IPTV Truck Rolls: Increase Quality of Experience

2010-10-19T12:47:00.001-05:00

SaskTel has found a way to keep their customers happy with their IPTV service. In an interview with www.v-net.tv, John Hill, Chief Information Officer of SaskTel, and Curtis Howe, CEO of Mariner, speak about the customer satisfaction innovations SaskTel has implemented and the results.

Customer Satisfaction Innovations:

Started Service Assurance Program: uses new tools, including Mariner’s xVu product line which allows them to focus the correct dispatchers to the right resource on the right issue to the right location

Created processes: pre-installation which verifies activities to make sure the order is correct and post-installation testing where the installer uses a checklist to ensure the customer has everything they need to get started

Conducted training

Offered bundling to customers for convenient billing

Treated IPTV as a premier service: the customer receives extra attention, such as a single point-of-contact for recovery and trouble handling from their assurance team

Results:

Customer churn rate dropped from 5.5% to about 2% within a 3-year period

Reduction of “dumb” truck rolls by 22%

Lowered percentage of rework by 10%, greatly impacting operating expense

Competitive with channel line-up

To see the full webcast, Click HERE.

Choose Your Own SpatialInfo Demo at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2010

2010-10-19T12:33:00.000-05:00

If you are going to the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2010 this week, take a walk to CCI's booth #1921.

Live Demonstrations of SpatialInfo Software

Interact with four on-demand demonstrations of SpatialInfo software going on each day of the show. Choose which demo you want to experience:

Support Structure Tools

Fiber Drafting Tools

Fiber Tracing

RF Drafting

Learn more about SpatialInfo software here>>>

Talk to a Network Expert

GIS Mapping & Design Group

CCI’s Director of Engineering Operations, Rhonda Peterson, will be at the booth throughout the show giving the demonstrations. Joining her will be Vice President of Engineering Operations Rick Hurzeler and Dan Plante, Engineering Account Manager.

Access Networks Group

You also have the opportunity to speak with members of our Access Networks Group:

Stu Lahti, Vice President of Access Networks, and Rob Mikowski, Fiber Optic Manager.

Networks Group

If it's Networks you are interested in, CCI’s Vice President of Network Technology Todd Gingrass; Kae McGuire, Director of Sales and Fulfillment; Todd Dean, Senior Project Manager; and Jeff Myers, Senior Systems Engineer will also be available to talk to.

Register to Win an iPod Touch

Before you leave the booth, remember to fill out a survey, asking what your current cable modem speed challenges are, for a chance to win an iPod Touch.

Follow this blog for updates of the show and survey results.

The Latest in TelePresence

2010-10-18T12:52:00.001-05:00

CCI Systems, a Cisco Gold Partner, is proud to announce that Cisco has recently revealed the latest of its human-network, consumer product: Umi. Called a webcam on steroids by Ad Age, Umi is a high-definition, high-bandwidth video-teleconferencing device. This set-top box connects to the TV’s cable receiver and the Internet via a broadband box. With the set-top box comes a camera that clamps to the top of an HD TV. It is

currently compatible with Google video chat and possibly soon with Skype. The price retails at $599 with a $24.99 monthly service fee but requires a companion to get the full HD effect.

In an interview with Ad Age, Sue Bostrom, Cisco’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, talks about Cisco’s mission to expand into the consumer market with the human-networking campaign. She explains that the lines between the business world and the consumer world are blurring and the consumer drives today’s innovation. She goes on to say that video will become a pervasive part of people’s everyday lives and that Cisco’s TelePresence products will allow people to use video for real-life scenarios, such as doctor’s visits or insurance interviews. Click here to read the entire interview.

To find out more about this product, visit Cisco’s Web site.

Getting Onboard the IPTV Train

2010-10-15T11:03:00.000-05:00

Worldwide, the deployment of IPTV and customer's acceptance of this service is growing. Portugal Telecom, in a year, saw a 300,000+ increase of subscribers as they have deployed IPTV gaming services directed at children and adults. The NTCA's blog just announced that telecom service providers lead in TV satisfaction, according to the JD Power and Associates' 2009 Residential Television Service Satisfaction Study.

But before deploying IPTV, you need to incorporate a lot of components that can consume your time, produce problems and devour a great deal of money. Here are some components to think about:

o Reception of signal

o Processing that signal, deciding how to put all the signals together into unified feeds and streams

o Encrypting the signal, making sure the feed relays to the paying customer and doesn’t get pirated

o Bandwidth and ensuring it’s in the proper format

o Integrating new equipment with your existing equipment

In order to stay viable and competitive with other communications providers, IPTV needs to be part of your future, but how do you prove to the powers that be that IPTV will be viable and sustainable for your company, being that upfront costs can be enormous? It can be done. To find out how, download How to Save Time and Money When Adding IPTV. This guide will help you find a vendor that won’t nickel and dime you so you can deploy your new service fast and start reaping the revenue.

CCI Systems to Offer a SpatialInfo Demonstration at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2010

2010-10-14T20:26:00.000-05:00

CCI Systems, a single-source integrator featuring end-to-end cable and telco network services and products, will offer a demonstration of SpatialInfo software at booth #1921 at the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2010 in New Orleans, LA, Oct. 20-22, 2010.

CCI’s Director of Engineering Operations Rhonda Peterson will be demonstrating three new SpatialInfo software products each day during the show. CCI Systems is a SpatialInfo Platinum Certified Partner with more than 20 spatialNET licenses. SpatialInfo specializes in developing network management software solutions for the cable and telecommunications industries.

CCI’s booth will feature a large representation from CCI’s unique end-to-end services including: Vice President of Engineering Operations Rick Hurzeler; Vice President of Access Networks Stu Lahti; Fiber Optic Manager Rob Mikowski; Vice President of Network Technology Todd Gingrass; Director of Sales and Fulfillment Kae McGuire; Senior Project Manager Todd Dean; Senior Systems Engineer Jeff Myers; Engineering Account Manager Dan Plante; and Director of Engineering Operations Rhonda Peterson.

Learn more about the show here.

SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2010: Get a FREE Pass

2010-10-04T14:03:00.000-05:00

CCI Systems invites you to join them for free at the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2010 in New Orleans, Oct. 20-22. Click here to receive a complimentary guest pass. This pass can be used at the door, or can be used during pre-registration online to avoid long waiting lines at the event.

CCI Systems will be exhibiting at booth #1921. CCI’s Director of Engineering Operations Rhonda Peterson, will be demonstrating three new SpatialInfo software products each day during the show. CCI Systems is a SpatialInfo Platinum Certified Partner with more than 20 spatialNET licenses. SpatialInfo specializes in developing network management software solutions for the cable and telecommunications industries.

CCI’s booth will feature a large representation from CCI’s unique end-to-end services including: Vice President of Access Networks Stu Lahti; Fiber Optic Manager Rob Mikowski; Vice President of Network Technology Todd Gingrass; Director of Sales and Fulfillment Kae McGuire; Senior Project Manager Todd Dean; Senior Systems Engineer Jeff Myers; Engineering Account Manager Dan Plante; and Vice President of Engineering Operations Rick Hurzeler.

Exhibit hall will be open:

Wed., Oct. 20        2-6 p.m.
Thurs., Oct. 21      11 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 22           9 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Get a complimentary exhibit guest pass here:
http://www.ccisystems.com/assets/downloads/guest_pass.pdf

The 3 Challenges Facing Metaswitch Forum 2010 Attendees

2010-09-30T09:31:00.004-05:00

At the Metaswitch Forum 2010, CCI surveyed attendees who visited their booth and asked them what are the three most important challenges facing them now and next year. According to CCI booth attendees, the three challenges include:

1. Competitive threats from alternate providers

2. Subscriber retention

3. Economic pressure on subscriber's discretionary spending

Metaswitch Forum attendees who took the survey were entered to win a free iPod Touch. The winner was drawn the last day of the event: Wesley Dancy of Wilkes Telecommunications took home the prize.

See where you can talk to a CCI network expert; visit CCI's event page. Upcoming industry events include:

• SCTE Cable Tec Expo, Oct. 20-22 in New Orleans
• TelcoTV 2010, Nov. 9-11 in Las Vegas

GPON: A Big Technology at 2010 FTTH Conference

2010-09-24T09:44:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Ken Wagner of Heberly & Associates. Ken was the winner of the iPod Touch at the 2010 FTTH Conference and Expo. In the photo, CCI’s Frank Williams presents Ken with the iPod Touch.

At the industry event, visitors to the CCI booth were able to fill out a quick survey, asking them what FTTH technologies they are using or are planning to use, in order to register to win the iPod Touch.

According to the survey respondents, nearly 65% said they were using GPON. This is not a surprise. CCI asked the same question at several industry events throughout the country this past year: GPON was the highest selected FTTH technology at most of those tradeshows.

GPON leverages PON technology's reduced costs, while also providing the highest bandwidth, reaching to 1.25 Gbps upstream and 2.5 Gbps downstream. The bandwidth GPON provides will future proof a network, as CED Magazine projects the amount of bandwidth needed per home in the next 2-3 years to be somewhere between 59-85 Mbps.

To get more survey results from the industry events CCI attends, follow this blog.

TTA Winner Announcement: Joey Anderson

2010-09-20T11:52:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Joey Anderson of Nortex. He won the iPod Touch at CCI's booth at the 2010 Texas Telephone Association's Convention and Showcase.

Also at the event, CCI polled visitors at their booth and asked them what technologies they are planning to use for their FTTH projects. 75% replied saying they are considering GPON, with 25% using RFoG.

For more survey results from other industry events CCI is attending, stay tuned to this blog.

FTTH Conference and Expo: All-Fiber Networks Pass 20 M Homes

2010-09-15T11:49:00.000-05:00

At the 2010 FTTH Conference and Expo, the FTTH Council announced that all-fiber networks are available to 20 M North American homes. Also, the number of homes receiving Internet, voice services or television over FTTH networks increased by 650,000 subscribers from six months ago, representing nearly 17.4 percent of the population. This is thanks to the near 750 small-and medium-sized service providers that have either upgraded to FTTH or are planning to.

If you would like to learn more about the state of FTTH in North America, RVA LLC has released its latest research results, North American FTTH/FTTP Status. Stats included in the document are:

o    Number of homes passed by FTTH
o    Number of homes marketed to FTTH networks
o    Number of homes connected to FTTH networks
o    Percent of FTTH penetration
o    Percent of FTTH penetration by state
o    Number of FTTH service providers by state

The 2010 FTTH Conference and Expo wraps up today. To get solutions that make FTTH cost-effective for the small to mid-size service providers, visit CCI at booth #452. Also at the booth, sign up to receive a free iPod Touch. Just let us know what technologies you are using or thinking about using for your FTTH project to be eligible to win.

Stay tuned to this blog to find out who the winner is and what FTTH technologies were the most popular at the conference.

See a Live IPTV Demonstration at the Metaswitch Forum 2010

2010-09-02T08:53:00.001-05:00

CCI will present live IPTV demonstrations at the Metaswitch Forum 2010. CCI will attend and exhibit at the event held in Orlando, Fla., Sept. 21-24, 2010. At booth #30, CCI's Trevor Pankonien, Systems Engineer, and Todd Gingrass, Vice President of Network Technology, will be at the CCI booth to provide attendees solutions that make IPTV and VoIP easy and cost-effective for service providers looking to "define their decade."

At the CCI booth, attendees can participate in a survey asking them which technology they are considering for their fiber-to-the-home installation and be entered for a chance to win a free iPod Touch. Todd Gingrass will give live IPTV demonstrations during the expo.

Survey results and the winner of the iPod Touch will be announced on this blog following the show.

Learn more about the show here.

Learn How to Reduce Fiber-to-the-Home Costs at the 2010 FTTH Conference and Expo

2010-09-01T13:56:00.001-05:00

At the 2010 FTTH Conference and Expo, CCI Systems will present FTTH solutions that drive down the costs and rollout time of fiber-to-the-home. Luckily within the past five years, deployment costs have decreased nearly 30 percent. But cost still lingers around $1000 per home passed. With smart planning, done on the front end of the project, providers can trim the cost per home.

CCI will be exhibiting during expo hours in booth #452. CCI's Regional Western Manager, Jason Goudreau, and Mark Riutta, Marketing Production Team Leader, will be at the CCI booth. The conference will be held September 12-16, 2010, at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas.

At CCI's booth, visitors can register to win a free iPod Touch by filling out a survey asking which technology they are considering for their fiber-to-the-home project. The winner of the iPod Touch, as well as the survey results, will be posted on CCI's blog following the conference.

To learn more about the show, click here.

Follow this blog for conference updates.

Join CCI at the 2010 TTA Convention and Product Showcase

2010-08-30T14:35:00.003-05:00

Join CCI at the 2010 Texas Telephone Association's Convention and Product Showcase. The convention will be held Sept. 7-10 at the Marriott Horseshoe Bay Resort in Horseshoe Bay, Tex. Frank Williams, CCI's Integrated Solutions Manager, will be at the CCI booth during the product showcase to provide attendees IPTV and FTTH solutions that fit the needs of providers, both large and small.

Also at the CCI booth, attendees will be given an opportunity to win a free iPod Touch. To be eligible, convention attendees can fill out a survey at the CCI booth asking them which technology they are considering for their fiber-to-the-home project. The survey results, as well as the winner of the iPod Touch, will be announced on the CCI blog following the show.

The TTA 2010 Convention and Product Showcase kicks off with the Chairman's Welcome Reception on Tuesday evening. The following days include a golf tournament and vineyard tour, 2010 Product Showcase, Annual TTA Awards Banquet and a Panel Discussion on the Future of USF. Learn more about the convention here.

GPON Is the Most Popular FTTH Technology at OPASTCO's 2010 Summer Convention

2010-08-04T10:42:00.000-05:00

CCI would like to thank all who visited their booth at OPASTCO's 2010 Summer Convention and Tradeshow in Seattle, WA. During the tradeshow, CCI surveyed attendees to ask them what technology they are planning to use for their FTTH deployments.

•    GPON: 82%    •    RFoG: 9%
•    Bright Path: 0%    •    Other: 9%
•    Motorola: 9%

GPON gives operators the biggest bang for their buck when deploying FTTH. This architecture provides the highest amount of bandwidth in the PON category, with 1.25 Gbps upstream and 2.5 Gbps downstream. Adding to the value of GPON and other PON architectures, because no active equipment is required in the field, operation costs and initial upfront investment are dramatically reduced.

If you would like to know more about FTTH technologies, follow this blog.

A Lucky Day For Royce Aslakson at OPASTCO's Summer Convention

2010-07-27T16:34:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Royce Aslakson, from Reservation Telephone Cooperative, won the iPod Touch at CCI's booth. In addition to this, while signing up for the iPod touch, CCI's Frank Williams signed his eligibility form for the event giveaway. Needless to say, Royce also won $150 in the event drawing. It
was his lucky day!

CCI’s Frank Williams signs Royce Aslakson’s event prize entry form.


Royce receives the iPod Touch from CCI.

Visit CCI's Facebook page to see the photo albums from the summer convention.

CCI will be at OPASTCO's 47th Annual Summer Convention until tomorrow. Visit the CCI booth to speak with a network expert. CCI's Frank Williams, Integrated Solutions Manager, and Jim Lippert, CCIE Systems Manager, will be at the CCI booth to provide attendees solutions that make IPTV easy and cost-effective for rural communication providers.

OPASTCO Summer Convention Day 1: Family Time

2010-07-26T15:33:00.001-05:00

CCI had a great turn out on the first day of OPASTCO’s 47th Annual Summer Convention and Tradeshow. A lot of attendees stopped by the CCI booth with their families. Many kids were hoping their dads would be the one to win the iPod Touch.

CCI will be exhibiting at the tradeshow through Wednesday, July 28. At CCI’s booth, attendees can take a quick survey asking them about FTTH technology and be entered for a chance to win a free iPod Touch. Stay tuned to this blog after the show for the winner announcement.

Here are some pictures from yesterday:

Frank Williams, CCI, and Kelly Wells, PCTI

CCI’s Frank Williams and Jim Lippert with Bill Otis, New Ulm Telecom

Visit CCI Systems, Inc. at OPASTCO’s 47th Annual Summer Convention and Tradeshow

2010-07-21T16:14:00.000-05:00

CCI will attend and exhibit at OPASTCO's 47th Annual Summer Convention and Tradeshow, July 24-28 in Seattle, WA. CCI's Frank Williams, Integrated Solutions Manager, and Jim Lippert, CCIE Systems Engineer, will be at the CCI booth to provide solutions that make IPTV easy and cost-effective for rural communication providers.

“Telephone operators, especially rural providers, have experienced many barriers when implementing IPTV- both financial and technical. At the tradeshow, we will give operators the time they need to get their questions answered in order to get the triple-play that keeps them competitive,” said Williams.

At the CCI booth, attendees can participate in a quick survey about fiber-to-the-home technology and be entered for a chance to win a free iPod Touch. Results of the survey will be posted on CCI's blog after the event.

Join CCI Systems, Inc. at The 2010 Independent Show

2010-07-20T16:57:00.000-05:00

CCI Systems, Inc., a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, will attend and exhibit at The 2010 Independent Show and Technology Showcase, hosted by the NCTC and the American Cable Association (ACA). The conference will take place July 25-28, in
Baltimore, MD.

CCI’s Dale Jarvis, Network Support Manager; Stu Lahti, Vice President of Access Networks; Todd Gingrass, Vice President of Network Technology; and Kae McGuire, Director of Marketing, will be in the CCI booth to provide cost-effective network operational center (NOC), DOCSIS 3.0 and fiber solutions for the independent cable operator.

At the CCI booth, directly adjacent to Cisco’s, attendees can participate in a quick survey about fiber-to-the-home technology for a chance to win a free iPod Touch. Results of the survey will be posted on CCI's blog.

Discover How to Make IPTV Integration Easy

2010-07-20T16:45:00.001-05:00

A successful IPTV deployment depends on the seamless integration of several critical pieces. In this 60-minute webinar, you'll learn how to make it easy to integrate IPTV into your network. This webinar will feature three presenters providing insight on the right equipment choices, the smart way to integrate it into your network and innovative ways to keep maintenance costs low with monitoring. Presenters will be experts from Cisco, CCI Systems, Inc. and Mariner. The webinar will take place Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 1 p.m. EST.

To register for the live webinar or to receive a recording after the event CLICK HERE>>>
To talk about this event, the Twitter hashtag is #EasyIPTV.

CCI Systems, Inc. Exhibits at the 2010 Tri-State Telecommunications Conference

2010-07-16T09:57:00.001-05:00

Visit CCI Systems, Inc., a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, at the 2010 Tri-State Telecommunications Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 20-22. CCI's Frank Williams, Integrated Solutions Manager, will be at the CCI booth to provide rural, independent telecommunications providers IPTV and FTTH solutions that fit their needs.

Also at the CCI booth, attendees can fill out a quick survey about fiber-to-the-home technology for a chance to win a free iPod Touch. The winner will be announced on CCI's blog after the event.

The 2010 Tri-State Telecommunications Conference serves independent telcos in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. The conference will offer informative presentations, state break-out sessions, and tradeshow and public service commission presentations.

Learn How to Add IPTV the Smart Way

2010-07-15T13:54:00.001-05:00

As a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, CCI will attend and exhibit at OPASTCO's 47th Annual Summer Convention and Tradeshow, July 24-28 in Seattle, WA. CCI's Frank Williams, Integrated Solutions Manager, and Jim Lippert, CCIE Systems Engineer, will be at the CCI booth to provide solutions that make IPTV easy and cost-effective for rural communication providers.

At the CCI booth, attendees can participate in a quick survey about fiber-to-the-home technology and be entered for a chance to win a free iPod Touch.

OPASTCO's 47th Annual Summer Convention and Tradeshow will be held at The Westin Seattle. The convention will provide several guest speakers on topics both business and technical oriented. Breakout sessions will feature topics to enhance the management, marketing and technical aspects of the business.

Follow CCI's blog for convention updates.

Discover Cost-Effective Network Solutions at The 2010 Independent Show

2010-07-15T13:47:00.001-05:00

Visit CCI Systems, Inc., a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, at The 2010 Independent Show and Technology Showcase, hosted by the NCTC and the American Cable Association (ACA), July 25-28, in Baltimore, MD. Dale Jarvis, Network Support Manager; Stu Lahti, Vice President of Access Networks; Todd Gingrass, Vice President of Network Technology; and Kae McGuire, Director of Marketing, will be in the CCI booth to provide cost-effective network operational center (NOC), DOCSIS 3.0 and fiber solutions for the independent cable operator.

At the CCI booth, directly adjacent to Cisco’s, attendees can participate in a quick survey about fiber-to-the-home technology for a chance to win a free iPod Touch.

The 2010 Independent Show and Technology Showcase will be held at the Hilton Baltimore. The conference provides two and one half days of educational panels, more than 5 hours of exhibit time, networking with peers and industry professionals, and evening events.

Follow CCI's blog for conference updates.

SPATIALinfo User Conference Day 2 in Review: June 22

2010-06-23T16:39:00.002-05:00

Day 2 of the SPATIALinfo User Conference was another great day. Everyone had a great time at the Colorado Rockies game, which was preceded by a group dinner, sponsored by CCI Systems.

The Rockies won, which of course just added to the fun and excitement.

Congratulations to Ted Harrison from Prestige Telecom, the winner of the iPod Touch.

The conference wraps up tomorrow with sessions in the morning and a golf outing at Fossil Trace in Golden, Colo., in the afternoon.

CCI’s Rhonda Peterson, Director of Engineering Operations

CCI’s Rick Hurzeler presents Ted Harrison, Prestige Telecom, with iPod Touch

CCI sponsored the group dinner and tickets to the Colorado Rockies vs. Red Sox game Tuesday evening

Check out our blog tomorrow for more on the conference.

SPATIALinfo User Conference Day 1 in Review: June 21

2010-06-22T16:09:00.006-05:00

Day 1 of the SPATIALinfo User Conference was a huge success. Keynote speaker, Mark Dzuban (right), President and CEO of SCTE, provided insight into the status of the SCTE and what the society has planned for the future.

Today, CCI will host conference attendees at Coors Field for the evening Colorado Rockies vs. Boston Red Sox game.

Check out our blog tomorrow for more on the conference. Find more pictures on our Facebook Page.

SPATIALinfo Announces Partner Certification Program at SPATIALinfo User Conference 2010

2010-06-17T13:39:00.007-05:00

SPATIALinfo recently announced CCI Systems, Inc. as its first Platinum Certified Partner. Since 2003, CCI has been providing fiber, FTTx, RF, Route and Administrator services to SPATIALinfo customers. CCI has:

• More than 20 licenses
• More than 13 trained fiber users
• More than 13 trained FTTx users
• More than 13 trained RF users
• More than 13 trained route users
• 2 trained administrators

Nearly 50 percent of North American cable operators are already using spatialNET and more companies are steadily transferring their legacy network data into spatialNET. With this, SPATIALinfo believes that adding more Certified Partners is critical to both an engineering firm’s ability to compete within the industry and in providing their customers best-in-class service. The certification program will be formally announced at the SPATIALinfo User Conference 2010 next week, June 21 to 23.

Certified Partners are listed on the SPATIALinfo Web site along with their certified specialties and the year in which they became certified.

For more information about the certification program or about the SPATIALinfo User Conference 2010, visit SPATIALinfo’s Web site: www.spatialinfo.com.

ITS Division: Bridge and Tunnel Fiber Spanning

2010-06-14T17:20:00.000-05:00

In 2001, CCI was asked to assist with fiber network construction for a number of bridge and tunnel projects. Since then, CCI Systems has created a business unit dedicated to this work.

The ITS Division provides complete solutions that integrate fiber network design, engineering, construction and technology. Bridge and tunnel fiber construction capabilities include:

o CCTV Systems
o Highway DMS and Electronic Signage
o RWIS Weather Stations
o Bridge Security Systems
o Fiber Optic Communication and Networking
o EZ Pass Message Signs
o Over Height Vehicle Detention
o Tunnel Lighting
o Lane Use Control and Signage
o Traffic Counter Systems

Projects to-date include:

o Spring Common Bridge, Atlanta, GA
o Francis Scott Key Bridge: Baltimore, MD
o Harry Nice Bridge: Newburg, MD
o Curtis Creek Draw Bridge: Baltimore, MD
o Mid Point Memorial Bridge: Fort Myers, FL
o Goodland Pass Bridge: Marco Island, FL
o Chattanooga, TN
o Tappahannock, VA.
o Intercoastal Waterway Bridge: Myrtle Beach, SC
o Hot Metal Bridge: Pittsburgh, PA
o Turtle River Bridge: Brunswick, GA
o Ambassador Bridge: Detroit, MI/ Windsor, Ontario

In addition to bridge work, the division provides the Bridge Access Unit for rent. The under-bridge access rental equipment allows workers to reach bridge deck and under-bridge deck areas safely by entering the platform from the truck's stowed position and allowing an operator to deploy a crew and equipment to the desired work area. Click HERE for more information about the Snooper.