News Blog

Benefits of a Technology Rollout System

concerttechnologies — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:32:54 +0000

A technology rollout system is a comprehensive, multi-technology, multi-service, multi-site system designed to meet varying project requirements in an ever-changing telecommunications industry. Utilizing a technology rollout system with a well-defined, structured process for your company’s technology rollout can help lower project time and costs.

An Overview of the Technology Rollout System of Methodologies for National
Rollouts & International Multi-Location Projects
Video Runtime: 3:43

Benefits of a Technology Rollout System:

Minimized Project Costs and Implementation Timeframe
- Multiple services in fewer truck rolls
- Rapid deployment timeframes ensure project completion deadlines
- Technician redundancy and proximity to nationwide and global site locations
Reduced customer project management responsibilities
Scalable and flexible to meet increasing industry and customer project demands
Equipment and technology independence ensures implementation of any solution rapidly and efficiently
Reduced risk by working with a company that uses a proven technology rollout system

For more information, read our white paper: “Lower Project Costs & Time of Technology Rollouts“

What are some issues to watch for before and after the deployment phase of a technology rollout?

concerttechnologies — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:11:34 +0000

While it is easy to look at the actual deployment of a technology solution as the main focal point for evaluating a technology rollout company, there are actually four rollout phases to be aware of. These are:

Planning
Scheduling
Deployment
Project Close-out

Video: An Overview of the Technology Rollout System of Methodologies for
National Rollouts & International Multi-Location Projects
Runtime: 3:43

In each of these phases, there are items to consider in order to fully evaluate a technology rollout company’s capabilities.

Additional Issues
Three primary issues to consider that come into play before or after the Deployment Phase of a technology rollout are listed below. While there are always additional items of consideration, these are some of the most critical that can have a devastating impact on your project deadline and budget.

1. Lack of Defined Scope of Work
A clear Scope of Work (SOW) is crucial to ensuring that all project requirements for the entire deployment are defined. It is a check-and-balance for all work that is performed as well as keeps everyone involved informed about what is both expected and required for a successful technology rollout. Not having a defined SOW, which should be spearheaded by the technology rollout company, is a warning sign that the rollout is headed for major problems.

2. Pricing
Pricing can be the subject of great dispute. All too often, a technology rollout company will price services through a “low bid”, but what the customer rarely finds until too late are the hidden costs associated with a technology rollout. Large scale rollouts require management, internal resources, partnerships, and many other aspects that must be considered by a technology rollout company before engaging in nationwide or global deployments. Thus, having a transparent pricing structure with all items listed and defined is necessary to ensure that the customer knows what the “real’ pricing will be.

3. Billing
One of the most often overlooked aspects of a technology rollout, Billing accounts for a large part of the partner relationship. A technology rollout company must have a Billing component as part of its Rollout Services Model in order to ensure that all parties are paid correctly and efficiently. Without this part, you may find (either as a customer or end user) that you must dedicate resources to rectify the issues associated with work performed at your (or your customer’s) site location.

From CNBC: Earthquake in DC Area Leads Concert Technologies to Announce Company-Wide Contingency Planning Strategies

concerttechnologies — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:00:32 +0000

DULLES, VA, July 16, 2010 – Following the minor 3.6 magnitude earthquake that awoke the DC area early Friday morning, Concert Technologies announces its company-wide contingency planning program. This program allows for the continuity of customer support and the security of both nationwide and global multi-site enterprise technology deployment projects.

Utilizing the Maestro Technology Rollout System, Concert Technologies has developed a dependable Enterprise Risk Management Program as part of a Business Continuity Plan. Employing a Unified Resource Rollout Delivery Team as part of the company’s internal resources allows for a maximized redundancy, scalability and a highly efficient communication flow. Concert Orchestrated Processing System (COPS) is a web-based software application that allows our rollout delivery team to telecommute and the seamless continuity of any enterprise technology deployment project during an event that closes our offices.

“This program, though always in place, is being defined at a time of much necessity. After a winter with multiple snow storms, a summer with record heat, the mild earthquake in the DC area this morning and in a time where a national security threat could cripple business, Concert Technologies recognizes the concerns of its technology rollout customers regarding the continuity of operations during a disaster,” Dennis Mazaris, Concert Technologies President and Founder commented. “Though lucky this earthquake was minor and caused no damage, we must be prepared for the reality of a disaster, such as a stronger earthquake, that carries the potential to affect business,” he added.

About Concert Technologies
Concert Technologies, founded in 1995, is a privately-held technology service company based in Dulles, VA. It is the leader in the accelerated delivery of national rollouts and global technology deployments for government, commercial and international organizations. Utilizing the Maestro Technology Rollout System of methodologies, it quickly implements, installs and manages multi-site, multi-service, multi-technology infrastructure projects. Visit Concert Technologies online: www.concerttech.com

From Forbes: Concert Technologies First to Announce Partners for GSA Connections II Contract

concerttechnologies — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:54:50 +0000

DULLES, VA, JUNE 21, 2010 – With the GSA Connections II RFP scheduled to be released on or about July 2, Concert Technologies will announce its strategic partnerships for the contract while exhibiting at booth # 428 during the 2010 GSA Network Services Conference. The conference is being held June 21-24 in Orlando, Florida with a theme of Power in Partnerships.

Concert Technologies will be bidding as a small business prime contractor for the $10 billion contract for obtaining telecommunications, network and communications solutions. Their well crafted team consists of:

Dell Perot Systems
CDW-G
Johnson Controls
Telcordia
Avaya
Aquilent
SuprTek

“Connections II approaches the government’s requirements through four categories of solutions: the engineering, software and hardware for communications and networking; the preparation of the building and campus sites to accommodate and support advanced networks; the operations and maintenance of communications systems and networks; and the customer service and technical support to ensure that the systems and networks work effectively for the government users. We believe our team of industry leaders will bring real expertise and value to each of these needs. The Concert Technologies team plans to work collaboratively with GSA to ensure both the program’s success and cost effectiveness,” said Dennis Mazaris, President and CEO of Concert Technologies.

“Concert Technologies has assembled a team of highly regarded companies for Connections II that will provide federal agency users with well-engineered, aggressively priced end-to-end communications and networking solutions,” said Warren Suss, President of Suss Consulting. “Federal agency communications and networking requirements will evolve over the ten-year life of the contract. The Concert Technologies team is strategically positioning their offerings on Connections II to serve the government’s requirements for the next decade.”

About GSA Connections II
Connections II (CNX 2), scheduled for late 2010, is a $10 billion, 10-year multiple award contract that will provide a comprehensive solution for all Federal agency telecommunications needs.
For additional information on GSA Connections II (CNX 2) procurement, visit the GSA Connections II website.

Original Article From Forbes

Concert Technologies Announces Sponsorship of the ACT/IAC Management of Change Conference

concerttechnologies — Fri, 21 May 2010 19:01:08 +0000

DULLES, VA, MAY 21, 2010 – Concert Technologies’ Vice President, Tom Suder, today announced the company’s sponsorship of the American Council for Technology and the Industry Advisory Council’s Management of Change Conference and Golf Tournament. The conference will be held May 23 through May 25 at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel in Philadelphia, PA.
“2010 marks the 30th anniversary of the Management of Change Conference. Concert Technologies views the mission of the conference–collaboration between government and industry professionals–as imperative to the IT community,” Vice President, Tom Suder, commented.
The ACT/IAC Management of Change Conference serves as a catalyst for collaboration across the government IT community. Tom Suder shares the responsibility of Conference Vice Chair with Ed O’Hare, Assistant Commissioner of the General Services Administration, holding a valuable role in the planning of this annual conference.
The Management of Change Planning Committee, overseen by Conference Chairs Gary Galloway, State Department, and Mary Souther, INDUS Corporation, has secured GSA Administrator Martha Johnson and Christopher Painter, Cybersecurity Special Assistant to the President to keynote the conference.

About ACT/IAC
The American Council for Technology (ACT) works with the Industry Advisory Council (IAC) to bring together federal, state and local government IT professionals together with IT industry executives to inspire innovation and facilitate the resolution of shared issues.

Concert Technologies Sponsors ITPA Golf Tournament

concerttechnologies — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:48:49 +0000

Many golfers were up for the challenge!

Concert Technologies sponsored Hole 5 on the blue course at the ITPA golf tournament held at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA yesterday. We hope everyone enjoyed the Concert Technologies bottled water we provided for the gift bags!

From Light Reading: BICSI White Paper Collection Premieres Concert Technologies’ Four-Part Enterprise Technology Deployment Series for Global Rollouts

Concert Technologies — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:46:16 +0000

DULLES, VA, MARCH 10, 2010 – Concert Technologies, the innovator for rapid technology infrastructure rollouts of global enterprise networks, today announced the selection of its entire four-part white paper series to be posted on the BICSI website. BICSI, the leading global information technology systems association, made the selection of the white paper series, as it is designed to educate the information technology market on how to select the right contractor for multi-site telecommunication infrastructure deployment projects at an accelerated rate, titles include:

Lower Project Costs & Time of Technology Rollouts
Increase Nationwide Rollout & Global Technology Deployment Service Efficiency
Nationwide Rollout and Global Technology Deployment Internal Resources Requirements
Collaborative Partnerships for Nationwide Rollouts & Global Technology Deployments White Paper

“The white papers were designed to aid in the understanding and selection of the most efficient technology rollout system of methodologies to employ, by which a contractor can accelerate deployments of multisite locations of information technology infrastructure on a national or global basis,” said Concert Technologies, President, Dennis Mazaris.

Each white paper in the industry’s first four-part series defines different fundamental components in the success of a technology rollout company. This groundbreaking white paper series by Concert Technologies can now be found in its entirety on the BICSI website under the outreach & news section.

“We are pleased that BICSI has selected our four-part series to premier on their website. With BICSI being the global association in information technology systems as well as the leader in educational and certification programs, we believe our content in the series holds true to the high quality standards BICSI bestows on educating professionals in our industry,” said Mazaris.

About BICSI

BICSI is a professional association supporting the information technology systems (ITS) industry. ITS is the spectrum of voice, data, electronic safety and security, as well as audio and video technologies. BICSI provides information, education and knowledge assessment for individuals and companies in the ITS industry, serving more than 23,000 ITS professionals including designers, installers and technicians.

About Concert Technologies

Concert Technologies, founded in 1995, is a privately-held technology service company based in Dulles, VA. It is the leader in the accelerated delivery of national rollouts and global technology deployments for government, commercial and international organizations. Utilizing the Maestro Technology Rollout System of methodologies, it quickly implements, installs and manages multi-site, multi-service, multi-technology infrastructure projects. Visit Concert Technologies online: www.concerttech.com

Original Article from Light Reading

From Forbes: Concert Technologies’ Podcast Introduces First Ever National Truck Roll Program to Reduce Carbon Footprint up to 70%

Concert Technologies — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:36:49 +0000

DULLES, VA, FEBRUARY 18, 2010 – Concert Technologies today announced the release of its new podcast, entitled “Concert Close: Maximize the Green Efficiency of Multi-Site National Rollouts of Technology.” The interview-style podcast acknowledges the concerns of the Information Technology Systems industry, lead by the international non-profit association, BICSI, to provide green iniatives for technology contractors across the globe. Concert Technologies’ Green IT Deployment Program, “Concert Close,” is providing the industry’s first methodology to reduce truck rolls and travel time to customers requiring nationwide and international deployments of technology infrastructure. As a result, fuel consumption and carbon emissions are significantly reduced. Discussing the initiative is Executive Vice President of Concert Technologies, Tom Suder.

About “Concert Close”
“Concert Technologies sets the example for Nationwide and International Technology Rollout companies and the Information Technology Systems (ITS) industry in general by demonstrating how our rollout methods can reduce the cost and consumption of fuel as well as harmful emissions on the environment,” explains Tom Suder.
The podcast addresses the positive impact of the domestic “Concert Close” program. The interview lays out the foundation of the initiative explaining how and why Concert Technologies has mastered multi-service deployments of different technologies using as few truck rolls as possible and staying within a 40-mile distance of rural customer sites. The “Concert Close” method eliminates fuel consumption and carbon monoxide emissions by up to 70%.

“By being in 91 countries, we are well on our way to increasing our global local workforce to be able to provide the same ‘Concert Close’ capabilities as domestically”, said Dennis Mazaris, Concert Technologies, president.

About Concert Technologies
Concert Technologies, founded in 1995, is a privately-held technology service company based in Dulles, VA. It is the leader in the accelerated delivery of nationwide rollouts and global technology deployments for government, commercial and international organizations. Utilizing the Maestro Technology Rollout System, it quickly implements, installs and manages multi-site, multi-service, multi-technology infrastructure projects. Visit Concert Technologies online: www.concerttech.com

From Cabling Installation & Maintenance Magazine: Until Now, Federal Law Mandated a Demarc Extension for Every Telecom Circuit Delivered in the U.S. Without Guidelines

Concert Technologies — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:01:32 +0000

DULLES, VA, JANUARY 15, 2010 – Concert Technologies, the nationwide installation and international rollout leader, today announced the launch of its Demarc Extension Nationwide brand and associated website which defines the previously non-existent standards for a demarc extension.

FCC part 68 regulation and federal law mandates every telecommunications circuit to have a demarc extension. This is the critical cabling and equipment that extends a circuit in the building from the local access provider’s demarcation point to the edge customer’s premises equipment. There are thousands of circuits delivered weekly to organizations across the country with each circuit requiring a demarc extension. Without the standardization of terms and installation practices, there is a high risk of negative impact to the delivery, performance and maintenance of critical telecommunications circuits and their access to the internet and other network connections outside of a facility.

“This has been a problem in the industry for over three decades,” said Dennis Mazaris, developer of Demarc Extension Nationwide and President of Concert Technologies. “The lack of industry standards and terms has caused confusion, delayed communication flow and finger pointing, as well as issues in overall service delivery. With a decade and a half of experience deploying technology nationwide and globally, we have taken the initiative in defining and standardizing a demarc extension, the single most critical cabling component within a facility.”

Benefits to the Industry
The Demarc Extension Nationwide initiative standardizes the previous confusion within the telecommunications and technology industry. The Demarc Extension Nationwide brand was developed for the following purposes:

To deliver an accelerated and exceptional level of nationwide service, including international capabilities, for the installation and maintenance of demarc extensions.
Eliminate management needs and effort by providing all demarc extension services from a single nationwide provider.
To provide clear and concise information to the telecommunications market and facilitate the understanding of specifications and installation practices for the demarc extension.

In addition to information to help solution providers, end users and the industry at large understand and properly identify what a demarc extension is, the website also includes the following:

Defined Demarc Extension and Associated Terms
Diagrams and Configuration Options
Standardized Naming Conventions and Definitions
Demarc Extensions History and FAQs
Demarc Extension Nationwide Services
Manufacture specifications for cabling and equipment for demarc extensions based on circuit type

About Demarc Extension Nationwide
Demarc Extension Nationwide is a brand of Concert Technologies and was developed as the telecommunications industry leader of nationwide installation services and education of the demarc extension. In addition to providing these nationwide installation and maintenance services, the brand sets the standards and supplies the necessary information to facilitate the understanding of specifications and installation practices for demarc extensions. Visit Demarc Extension Nationwide online at www.demarcextension.com

About Concert Technologies
Concert Technologies, founded in 1995, is a privately-held technology service company based in Dulles, VA. It is the leader in the rapid delivery of nationwide rollouts and global technology deployments for government, commercial and international organizations. Utilizing the Maestro Technology Rollout System®, it quickly implements, installs and manages multi-site, multi-service, multi-technology infrastructure projects. Visit Concert Technologies online: www.concerttech.com

Original Article from Cabling Installation & Maintenance Magazine

From CNBC: Demarc Extension Seminar Selected for National ITS BICSI Conference; Presented by Rollout Services Company Concert Technologies

Concert Technologies — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:49:21 +0000

BICSI, an international association and leader for education in the information transport systems industry, has selected Concert Technologies, the authority on national rollouts and international deployments, to present its Demarc Extension Seminar at the National 2010 BICSI Winter Conference & Exhibition in Orlando. The seminar titled “Understanding the Demarc Extension – A Facility’s Most Critical Cabling Channel” will be presented on Wednesday, January 20 from 2:00-3:00 p.m.

The Demarc Extension Seminar will be presented by Dennis Mazaris, RCDD and President and Founder of Concert Technologies. It will explain the importance of the demarc extension, which is the critical cabling that extends a circuit in the building from the local access provider’s demarcation point to the customer’s premises equipment. By federal law all circuits delivered in the United States are required to have a demarc extension installed to complete the transmission path of the circuit in a premise.

About the Demarc Extension Seminar
The Demarc Extension Seminar will cover important topics such as how extending the cabling and services beyond the demarcation point has been a point of contention for many years as well as the many drawbacks that exist since the deregulation efforts. Included in the seminar is how there has been a loss of the standardization that was previously maintained prior to the deregulations as well as confusion over responsibility, service, warranties and congested pathways for the extension of this critical part of a facility and business network communications.

“Concert Technologies is proud to once again present new industry information to BICSI’s Information Transport Systems (ITS) audience,” said Mazaris. “As we explain the importance of the demarc extension in this seminar, it is our goal to then continue to help educate the industry about this often forgotten, but essential piece of cabling of which a circuit must have in order to provide optimum performance for the transmission of information outside of a building.”

About BICSI
BICSI is a professional association supporting the information transport systems (ITS) industry. ITS covers the spectrum of voice, data, electronic safety & security, and audio & video technologies. BICSI provides information, education and knowledge assessment for individuals and companies in the ITS industry, serving more than 23,000 ITS professionals, including designers, installers and technicians.

About the 2010 BICSI Winter Conference & Exhibition
The 2010 BICSI Winter Conference & Exhibition will be held January 17-21, 2010 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida. The conference schedule includes technology topics such as:

Electronic Safety and Security
Data Centers
Optical Fiber