Telecommunications has long been a “lifeline” for many people. From healthcare to education to banking to other facets of life, the connectivity enabled by all forms of telecommunications has been transformative. However, we have a long way to go when you consider that many people are on the wrong side of the digital divide. Connecting non-served and underserved populations is the responsibility of all stakeholders. Humanity certainly stands to benefit. For example, consider the ways in which telecommunications technologies can help inform and guide afflicted populations where the impact of climate change is the greatest. 

As in all systems and their ecosystems, whether it be telecom or IT, there have always been interoperability challenges. Proprietary software and hardware add layers of complexity and cost for data center operators and service providers as they strive to upgrade and enhance their performance. Having global standards certainly helps. But this doesn’t ensure a smooth path to the next generation of technology. Broader development and support for standards and wider adoption of open-source telecom solutions can further revolutionize the sector with increased flexibility, greater cost savings, and accelerated innovation. For example, greater flexibility enables operators to deploy new services and features faster to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Overall, higher levels of adoption of standards and open-source solutions in telecoms can lead to improved efficiency, reduced vendor lock-in, and enhanced customer experience. 

We believe that Ethernet has already had a tremendous impact, and it will continue to. It has enabled networks to carry virtually any type of traffic to any place, over any medium. Ethernet has enabled content creators to deliver content to consumers without boundaries. Service providers once had to construct specialized networks from sources to consumers. Now, they can use general-purpose networks made up of parts that they own, lease, or trade. Look at how the cable industry has changed since they no longer own most of the infrastructure required to get video from a studio to a home. It has certainly been transformative.

The primary value of PTC for BSP is two-fold. First, as a new member of the PTC community, we aim to establish and forge relationships with data center investors and operators who may need our technical due diligence services at some point – whether on the buyside or sellside. Next, there’s the educational value of PTC. With the data center market evolving so rapidly, we will rely on the educational resources of PTC to get smarter about the latest trends and developments.

As a relatively young company at seven years old, BSP will continue to grow by expanding into new and adjacent segments. For example, we have gained traction outside the U.S. since introducing ourselves to prospective clients in other countries. So far, we’ve completed projects in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, Holland, Denmark, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. At present, our main business development goal is to serve data center investors and operators with technical due diligence services. While we have started to achieve this, we have a long way to go and fully expect our PTC membership to help fuel this growth.

Our two primary pieces of advice are: 1) get and stay connected to the right people, and 2) keep learning. For #1, start by following thought leaders on LinkedIn and related platforms. Then look for opportunities to introduce yourself to them. Such professionals can be excellent sources of career advice and referrals when the time comes. Cultivate those relationships regularly over time. For #2, create a sector-specific news feed to keep abreast of what’s happening, join webinars, and attend events.

We started as “two guys in a garage.” Well, not exactly. But we did start as two guys … with a dream. Now, we are eight former telecom executives leveraging decades of operator experience for those buying and selling data centers and service providers. Our organization has benefited from world events both positive and negative. The insatiable demand for data continues to fuel the sector’s growth, related M&A, and the need for services such as ours. The pandemic accelerated work-from-home, school-from-home, health-from-home, and other developments … all enabled by telecom connectivity. 

Thanks to my dad, I enjoy opera and make sure to start every Sunday listening to one.