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Archives
 August 1999 Issue
News & Opinion
SCTE Update
SCTE Seeks OSP Management Input
The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers Hybrid Management Sub-Layer Subcommittee is seeking feedback from interested parties on its draft documents outlining "Specifications for the Physical Layer" and "Specifications for the MAC/DLL Layer."
The document defines standards for the operation of hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) outside plant management systems. These draft documents are available through the SCTE Standards Department.
Interested hardware vendors also are invited to participate in the preliminary interoperability testing. Phase One will allow testing of a proposed standard power supply wire harness based on preliminary specifications as outlined and suggested by the HMS Subcommittee.
If this preliminary phase is a success, it will be a significant step forward to achieving true interoperability of outside plant management systems in the cable TV environment.
The HMS Subcommittee has set the week of Aug. 2-6 as the target date for initial hardware interoperability testing to be conducted at a site to be determined. Preliminary hardware testing will be done only on products built to specifications as outlined in the current draft documents.
Additional hardware test sessions will be scheduled for the remainder of 1999, with a goal of having deployable standards-based product early in 2000.
The HMS Certification Working Group, whose task is to define test procedures to guide initial interoperability test activities, also is inviting contributions from interested parties.
Anyone interested is invited to contribute to these activities as participants or observers.
Please submit responses, questions and comments regarding these activities by Aug. 30 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Contact Dr. Ted S. Woo, SCTE, 140 Philips Road, Exton, PA 19341-1318; ; fax ; or e-mail .
Training Pubs Aid Decision-Making
SCTE has introduced two new training publications, Making the Right Decision and Effective Decision-Making and Problem Resolution.
Both resources help decision makers address issues such as basics of successful businesses, working with others, use of resources, ethics and customer focus. All of these issues are critical to being a professional employed in todays complex work environments.
The books include a five-step plan for actual decision-making that provides a solid method for logical approaches to making effective business decisions in the workplace.
The first book, Making the Right Decision, provides training on decision-making for customer service representatives (CSRs) and field personnel.
Effective Decision-Making and Problem Resolution is a valuable tool intended for technicians and technical managers who are looking to sharpen their own techniques.
Practice in considering possibilities and outcomes is provided, and feedback is included to help guide those decisions. Information analysis and documenting that thinking also are key skills that are covered.
As products of SCTEs Knowledge Avenue brand, these materials can be used for self-study or classroom-style training. The programs also will support candidates enrolled in the Societys Broadband Communications Technician/Engineer (BCT/E) certification program as they prepare for Category VII exams.
The new publications, with a corresponding video, are available now from SCTE. For more information about these new publications, contact SCTE at , fax or e-mail . CT
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