Acterna launches VoIP training

Acterna will launch a raft of training courses in February designed to tap into an increased demand for VoIP skills. Other courses planned will cover fibre, transport, IP/VPN and access technologies.

The courses are delivered by Acterna engineers and are designed to aid faster system deployment by network operators.

"Another reason for the training is that operators often get the training from vendors whose equipment they are installing," Acterna's general manager for Australasia, Jason Grace, said. "That's not necessarily the most unbiased training available as you are being told how to install their kit rather than how the technology is supposed to work."

The non vendor-specific courses aimed at network operators will be available in all state capitals with extra resources dedicated to Sydney and Melbourne, according to Acterna business development manager, Paul Taylor.

"The courses are being marketed to everyone but especially telcos, manufacturers such as Nortel, IBM, Cisco and utilities such as power companies," Taylor said.

Course durations vary from one to three days and sessions can be delivered on-site at customer locations, or in training rooms. They could also be customised, he said.

US-headquartered Acterna claims the mantle of being the world's largest provider of test solutions for telecommunications and cable network operators. It lists most of the big local telcos as customers as well as manufacturers including Alcatel.

Acterna worked with its channel distributor, Covertel, to market to tier-two customers and targets tier-one companies directly, Grace said.

He is new to his role after being promoted from within the company last month to replace Paul Antolli, who moved to take up a global role in the company's European headquarters in Germany.