May 20, 2024 - May 24, 2024 | Event

2024 UTC Telecom & Technology Conference

West Monroe is a proud exhibitor, sponsor, and presenter at UTC

When:

Monday, May 20, 2024

- Friday, May 24, 2024

Where:

Mobile Convention Center 1 South Water Street Mobile, Alabama 36602

The West Monroe telecom team look forward to joining thousands of utility professionals and technology partners at the upcoming UTC Annual Conference in Mobile, AL.

West Monroe is also a proud exhibitor, sponsor, and presenter at UTC. Be sure to stop by the West Monroe booth #812 and one or all of our featured speaking sessions on Thursday, May 23. Full session details can be found below.

Speaking session 1: Through the Jungle: Enabling SONET-like Protection of Teleprotection within IP/MPLS Transport

Session title:

Through the Jungle: Enabling SONET-like Protection of Teleprotection within IP/MPLS Transport

Session date & time:

Thursday, May 23 l 10:20 - 10:50 AM

Session overview:

As AES Ohio completed their microwave-focused Nokia IP/MPLS deployment in 2012, they expanded into their metro fiber network, adding Ethernet capability to complement the existing SONET system that was supporting RTU and teleprotection circuits. By mid-2016, these were upgraded to units with T1 ports to cross-connect TDM traffic physically terminated on SONET. The SONET network could not yet be decommissioned due to one major collection of circuits that remained there: teleprotection. Teleprotection requires low-latency, highly reliable communication to avoid damage to power delivery equipment; SONET not only met these requirements, but also provided assured delivery with active-active path protection, something MPLS could not do. However, the utility’s converged MPLS network was supporting all other communication needs across fiber and microwave assets, a strong case for consolidation. Surely a solution existed that enabled SONET-like protection within IP/MPLS that would enable migrating teleprotection circuits and decommissioning SONET? Come hear AES Ohio share their story and lessons learned from migrating teleprotection to IP/MPLS.

Session speakers:

Speaking session 2: Breaking Broadband Access Boundaries: Harnessing Utility-Owned Fiber to Bridge the Digital Divide

Session title:

Breaking Broadband Access Boundaries: Harnessing Utility-Owned Fiber to Bridge the Digital Divide

Session date & time:

Thursday, May 23 l 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Session overview:

In June 2023, ComEd was notified of a $14.5 million grant award through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Middle Mile Grant. The federal funds will supplement ComEd’s operational fiber deployment to support the expansion of equitable, affordable broadband access in partnership with last-mile broadband service providers for ComEd’s for most vulnerable communities. This presentation will explore the genesis of ComEd’s Digital Divide Program, the key considerations made in structuring its offering, the broad spectrum of partnerships sought and organizations with which ComEd engaged, and the various benefits that are expected to arise for unserved and underserved households within ComEd’s footprint.

Session speakers:

Speaking session 3: Microwave Communications: 6GHz Interference Mitigation

Session title:

Microwave Communications: 6GHz Interference Mitigation

Session date & time:

Thursday, May 23 l 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Session overview:

As utilities invest in Technology to further advance Grid Modernization the importance of reliable communications becomes more apparent. Utilities utilize several types of private communication systems such as licensed microwave radio. Microwave radio has been used for decades as a backhaul transport solution and will continue to be utilized for decades to come. Microwave radio systems have proven to be very reliable in the past, but the future will be more challenging due to the unlicensed use of the 6Ghz spectrum. As utilities become more aware of this issue there is a need to develop a strategy to mitigate the interference caused by the unlicensed use of this spectrum. In this presentation we will discuss how AEP developed a strategy to prioritize mitigation steps based on the priority of the data transported and the likelihood of where interference will occur first; what solutions and where to deploy based on cost and availability and how to measure the performance before and after mitigation steps have been implemented.