David Fortenberry, a network services analyst at NATCO, recently attended a four-day training session in South Carolina concerning operation and provisioning of a broadband loop carrier, the BLC 6000, produced by Occam Networks®, Inc.

Fortenberry’s training is in conjunction with an ongoing NATCO project to improve high speed Internet service as well as other telecommunications/data services. A NATCO spokesman said by using the Occam Networks loop carrier system, NATCO can take fiber optic cable to each customer’s premise. NATCO has announced that a multimillion-dollar Fiber To the Home - FTTH - project is to begin this spring in Bull Shoals.

The analyst’s training included both instruction and hands-on labs. Among the topics were the BLC 6000 series blade features and capabilities, configuration of the system for central offices and remote locations, DSL, and video services. Fortenberry also studied use of the multi-service access platform to manage telecom functions like IP services, DSL subscriber access, and active or passive fiber subscriber access, plus setting alarms, scheduler, and downloads.

“We are glad to be training employees on the equipment from Occam Networks, a company providing true IP over Ethernet with end-to-end connectivity,” said Steven G. Sanders Jr., NATCO president and general manager. “NATCO is committed to rapidly upgrading our networks to provide the increased bandwidth consumers and businesses want for social and business networking, video, and other content,” Sanders said.

Fortenberry has nearly 20 years of experience in the telecom industry. He has been with NATCO since 2008, relocating from northwest Arkansas and employment with another telephone company and networks supplier. He and his family live in Mountain Home.

NATCO is an independent, family-owned and operated telecommunications company, since 1951, serving six telephone exchanges: Bull Shoals, Flippin, Diamond City, Lead Hill, Omaha, and Pyatt. NATCO Technologies is the Internet division serving the Twin Lakes area. For more information, call 453-8800 in Flippin or 1-800-775-6682.