Protect Yourself from Counterfeit Products

I recently came across this article on http://www.andovercg.com/ and thought I would share it with you.

The relaxed attitude by China towards intellectual-property rights and often state-sanctioned piracy and counterfeiting facilities has become increasingly worrisome. The inability to discern between authentic and counterfeit products is a narrowing margin at best. Sophisticated counterfeit products have placed a real threat on the economy, specifically for secondary market electronic equipment dealers. 
A perfect example is counterfeit Cisco equipment, collectively referred to in the industry as "Chisco" (counterfeit Cisco equipment originating in China). These high-tech and high-priced networking appliances are being counterfeited through Chinese channels at an alarming rate. 
According to a white paper by AGMA and consulting company KPMG, counterfeit products account for nearly 10% of the overall IT products market. That's $100 billion in fake memory sticks, drives, monitors, networking gear and other IT products floating around. "The vast majority is still being purchased from gray market, uncertified resellers that unload their goods on eBay at extremely low prices," said Scott Augenbaum, supervisory special agent for the FBI Cybercrime Fraud unit in Washington, D.C. 
Network managers have grown aware of the "Chisco" problem and have grown fearful of acquiring counterfeit network hardware. Their company's networks cannot afford to fail on account of a faulty switch or router. Worse, their jobs could be compromised as a result of a poor purchasing decision. 
Here are several visual tips on how to spot fake Cisco products: 


How to protect yourself

Let's face it, some of us with budgetary constraints count on the secondary market to purchase our network hardware. With switches and routers costing upwards of $30,000 and often significantly more, we have no choice but to source through legit pre-owned product channels. Buying secondary network hardware is not a risky endeavor for the educated buyer. 
Purchase your Cisco from TelExpress, Inc. They know what they are doing.

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Adtran VDSL2 Total Access 1100 Series

What to know when buying Adtran TA600 & TA900 Series IAD’s

Buyer Beware!

Adtran TA600 & TA900 Series IAD's

Buyer Beware!

Two years ago we were all scrambling trying to find TA600 Series IAD's on the refurb or as some may call the "gray market". Everyone wants to save money! In this day and age typing in "600 Series IAD" in Google and you will find around 100 different suppliers. The market is pretty cut and dry as vendors are basically giving away Adtran 608, 616's and 624's. There is a catch...Many of us are being burned and receiving incomplete units, missing brackets or power cords, scratched up so badly you can't even read the part # and even suppliers that are not warranting their equipment. If the price seems "to good to be true".  Well, trust your instinct! I keep a check list when buying or being offered these refurb/gray market Adtran IAD's.

1. Make sure all necessary hardware, power cords and mounting brackets are included
2. What kind of condition are these in? Physical condition? I sometimes will even request a picture if I am still skeptical
3. Are the units tested prior to shipping?
4. Does the supplier offer at least a 2 year warranty or more? 
5. What is the replacement policy - hassle free?
6. Is this a credible supplier?

There is nothing worse then purchasing something from someone only to find out the unit doesn't work and the supplier is no longer in business!

Does anyone have any helpful hints on buying or overall maintenance on the TA600 or TA900 Series IAD's?

 

Economy Worries and Copper Prices DROP?

As the US dollar loses value, housing market slumps and prices are raised on gas and postage stamps, we are all asking ourselves when will this get better?  How could copper possibly drop in price?

 

I have some great news for you Wireless, EF&I’s and Utility companies….  The prices on copper did get better this week!  Analysts say this week copper was down 8 cents to $3.46 per pound. This decrease in price comes from a recent drop in demand.  Of course the Olympic Games may hold the key to this decrease in demand.  Nevertheless, consumers are being told to stock up on the power wire while the prices remain steady.When looking for a Cable Vendor, ask if the Vendor can provide same day shipping. Also ask if your Vendor offers a cutting and labeling program in house. Many Vendors will only ship standard size reels such as 5000 ft per reel. There are select Vendors who are willing to cut these down to size for you and re-label to fit your specific needs.

 

I am curious to know what power cable others are currently using and what kind of fluctuation in prices you are seeing.   AIW Wire seems to be constantly going up where as General Cable seems to stay steady.

 

Who do you see having the best prices on telecom and power cable ?

Buying Secondary Market Telecom Equipment A Smart Choice for Service Providers

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Who would have thought years ago that a Service Provider could buy used 5ESS or DMS switch at a fraction of what it would cost new? Well this has now certainly become a common reality in the Telecom Industry, as the Secondary Market equipment vendors have become big players with Service Providers and EF&I contractors. With an ever changing technology, these lower prices on used equipment allow providers to expand and upgrade their current operations more often, and also allow in many cases for immediate shipment on equipment that may have a two-four week lead time. In some cases, the discounted prices on used telecom equipment can be as much as 80% off the cost of the new purchase price.

Some things for Service Providers and Contractors to look out for when purchasing secondary market equipment. Make sure your Vendor is an established company with a good solid record, and one that has been in business for at least 5-10 years. It is very important to make sure your Vendor warranties the used equipment. Warranty periods should be valid for at least six months on used equipment. Also make sure the Vendor does good inspections and refurbishes the used equipment on site prior to shipping it out. Confirm that your Vendor has a stock program in place, and is not just "brokering" for your equipment needs. Ask if same day shipping is possible, this should be the case on all stock items. Also ask if your Vendor is willing to dokitting programs for you. This can make things much easier on your inbound shipments for various installation sites. In many cases, engineering services are also available through secondary market vendors.

Another good thing to look for when deciding on a Secondary Market Vendor is to check their certifications. For example, you can find a Minority Woman Owned Business Vendor and thus have huge potential tax savings for your corporation. Also, many Secondary Market Vendors are qualified to sell to Government operations, thus making the transactions speedy for quick results.

So if you have not yet bought secondary market telecom equipment, give it a shot! I think you will be very pleased with the money you can save for your company.

Beware of "In Stock" Telecom Batteries

  In this time of "I need it yesterday" and "No Downtime", our networks have made battery back-up a complete necessity. A year ago it seemed there was no end in sight to how much lead would go up and the manufacturers couldn't keep up with demand. The idea for distributors was to stock up before it got too bad, but there in lies the problem.

When you stock up, you must ship out because batteries are not "patient" when they sit on the shelf, even in optimal conditions. One very important factor in deciding on a battery is the date code, or how long those have been sitting around since they actually left the factory. Recently, the lead times and prices for telecom batteries have slightly improved. Now that the lead times are more reasonable (4-5 weeks rather than 18-20), you can guarantee yourself a better battery by making sure yours comes straight from the assembly line.

There's nothing worse than counting on your batteries to keep you running for 8 hours until you can get back up and having them drop out after 10 minutes. Now, don't get me wrong, they can be brought back from storage damage IF they are not too far gone. According to Northstar Battery Company the storage life of most telecom batteries while in storage is 2 years at +25°C (+77°F). Most manufacturers recommend that batteries be stored in a cool dry place, away from an ignition source, and properly ventilated. However, many storage facilities are not climate controlled, and due to this, the storage life of a telecom battery may be significantly less than 2 years.

Graph  below shows that the storage life of a battery is reduced as the temperature is increased above +25°C (+77°F).

 

 

AT&T decreases spending

AT&T Inc. has reported that they plan to cut spending in the "hundreds of millions of dollars" for the second half of 2008 compared to the first two quarters.  In 2007, AT&T spent approximately $119 billion for new equipment.  I've been told they will continue to build out the U-verse (phone, data, and TV services) and third generation wireless.

Lot's of changes Max...Changes in the Telecom Industry

One of my favorite quotes is from the movie "Dirty Dancing", "Lots of changes though Max, lots of changes". Nowhere is that more true than in the Telecom industry. Telecom has gone through some amazing changes in the last 24 years. My career started in 1982 with a telecommunications distributor in North Carolina. A couple of years later the government "experiment" in dealing with a monopoly caused the great AT&T breakup. From where I'm sitting, that 1984 court-ordered breakup has been coming apart for years and with the wonderful advantage of hindsight, the competitive industry imposed by the enforced breakup can be seen as pretty much a failure. 

Then along comes the Telecommunications Act of 1996 where the regional Bell companies had to share their networks with competitors at discounted prices. This was an attempt to encourage more competition among telecom carriers. Then the FCC decided that the network-sharing rules weren't fair to the Bell companies because it discouraged them from investing in new technologies and discouraged competitors from investing in their own facilities.

Don't get me wrong; I think the 90's were the most prosperous of times in telecom, especially if you were in manufacturing or distribution, but as most of you know this "competition" lead to the onslaught of so many new networks across the country that the great telecom depression of 2001 was inevitable. 
But things are a little better, don't you think? With all the mergers and acquisitions going on we're pretty much right back where we started from in 1984. Everything eventually comes around full circle...especially in telecom. 
"Lots of changes though Max, lots of changes"

Telecom Links to Make Your Life Easier

Whether you are new to the telecom industry or a seasoned veteran, you'll have to agree that sorting through the tons of information that you are bombarded with throughout your day can be a daunting task. As someone working in sales of telecom equipment, I can assure you that I'm always looking for ways to make my life easier. I'm sure you are too. I hope the following list of links proves to be useful to you.

• List of Telecom Acronyms - Need to know what that weird abbreviation stands for? Here's a list from A/M to ZZK of Telecom Acronym definitions.

• Online Dictionary of Computing - Like the first link, this link is really helpful to the newbie. It's an online Dictionary of Computing. Don't let the word "computing" throw you. I entered a couple telecom terms and found it brought back accurate definitions.
  

• Telecom Encyclopedia - This is another good place to look up terms commonly used. I entered "fiber optic connectors" and it sent me to a page with a good definition and a chart with pictures of each type of connector. It also showed step-by step instructions -with pictures- on how to attach the connectors.
  

• Online Manuals - I use this site all the time-not just for work. It helped me fix my vacuum cleaner and to reprogram my DVR remote control. I'm the world's worst to lose the manuals that come with the stuff I buy. Well anyway, it's a great place to search for online manuals of all kinds. They also have a forum where you can ask for the manual if you don't see the one you need.

• Telecom News - One Stop telecom news of the day

• White Papers - Ever wonder if there is a central place that stores telecommunication White Papers...there is! (registration required)

• Telecom Events - Want to take a trip on the boss's dime? Here are some places you could go. For those of you too valuable to the company to be allowed out of the office, you can search the archive they have quite a few online webinars that look very informative and don't require an expense account.

Warning- Shameless Self-promotion ahead:

• Telecom Equipment - If you need to find new oem, used or refurbished telecom equipment at the lowest price this is the absolute best place to search for telecom equipment

If you know of some sites that have been useful to you please feel free to post them in the comments.


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