A Few Hot Spots for Telecom Conversations

As social media and online conversations grow, it becomes increasingly difficult to separate the quality from the noise. Knowing where the conversations are taking place is key to keeping up to date with the latest industry trends and best practices.  

Below are a few of my favorite resources for listening to industry conversations quickly and effectively. Please share your favorite resources in the comments section below.

LinkedIn- (Structured Cabling Professionals Group) This is the best I've found so far. This industry specific group has over 1,000 members who regularly participate in discussions and comment on each other's posts. This group is extremely knowledgeable and is constantly kicking out excellent information. I was particularly impressed with a recent discussion detailing the practical uses of Cat 6. This one topic had over 37 unique and insightful comments, each packed with information and years of industry wisdom. While there are many structured cabling groups on Linkedin, including Accu-Tech Corporation, the Structured Cable Professionals Group is the most active. 

Delicious is a bookmarking site, similar to the one found in your internet browser, but you can access it from any computer. Search what other users are bookmarking by using keywords such as structured cabling, voice and data cabling, fiber optic cabling or any other industry related topic you may be interested in. Searching by any of these 'tags' will return all related bookmarks. It's a great way to discover new content or find large lists of best practices. Once comfortable, sign up and begin creating your own bookmark list.

Twitter- (search #telecom) Love it or hate it, Twitter is growing at an alarming rate. While the telecom industry isn't represented as strongly on Twitter as it is on Linkedin, it's only a matter of time. Twitter is a great platform to get your message heard, as well as, stay abreast with news and events. For example, the Fall BICSI and ASIS events were a particularly hot topic among industry professionals on Twitter. By following these conversation, anyone who couldn't make the shows was still able to be involved. Twitter also utilizes a fairly powerful search function. By searching by industry specific term, you can quickly see what's being said about your products or your company in the 'Twitterverse'. Twitter is also a great way to meet industry professionals.

These are the current hot spots for voice and data industry related conversations. As we know, things are always changing. By next month, the conversations may have moved elsewhere. In that event, we'll be right here helping you track it down. Finally, just remember the key to all of this is participation-- contribute freely and often.

If I missed something or if you have found similar conversations, please let me know in the comments section.