In the Spotlight: Communications Electricians Ensure Critical Information Flow
By Albert Rodriguez
Imagine not being able to log on to the internet, make a phone call, access LADWP facilities or monitor the flow of information needed for water and power operations. Without a modern communications network, LADWP employees would be hard pressed to carry out their duties of providing reliable service to our customers. All of LADWP’s facilities need to be wired or linked via seemingly magical, invisible signals in order for employees to communicate, coordinate and execute on a wide variety of activities in real time.
These signals are not magic, but rather the product of high-tech and complex communications systems that must be expertly and consistently maintained in order to function optimally. That’s where the largely unsung and often times unnoticed, but very critical services of Communications Electricians (CE’s) come into play.
What does a Communications Electrician do?
CE’s are part of LADWP’s Information Technology Services (ITS), Network and Enterprise Systems Telecommunications group. They are not electricians in the traditional sense of wiring facilities for electricity. CE’s are technicians responsible for building, installing, maintaining and repairing wired and wireless communications systems voice, data, fiber optic equipment, Time-Division Multiplexing (or TDM, which sends multiple data streams through a single communication path), microwave radio and other radio or camera signals. In short, they help maintain all aspects of the instant communications that make our daily work that much more convenient, effective and efficient.
Whether you send out emails, use a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) desk phone, operate something remotely, talk on a radio or monitor systems in the L.A. Water System Data Acquisition and Control (LAWSDAC) center, Energy Control Center (ECC) or Supervisory Control Data Acquisition (SCADA), chances are a hard-working CE is working diligently to ensure you can get your work done.
CE’s work in all types of weather and environments, including cramped spaces in office, utility or Telecom room environments sorting out wires; vehicles; and even from remote mountain tops, where you’ll find LADWP antenna towers. They’re on call 24/7, ensuring that there are no breakdowns in our networks stretching out from the L.A. basin all the way out to Utah and Oregon.
Most CE’s come to the Department with training from technical schools or out of the military with four years of prior experience, and have a strong background in data networking, electronics, radio and microwave systems. You can learn more and check for current, upcoming, and all job opportunities at www.joinladwp.com.
While most Communications Electricians will rarely be seen as they go about their duties, you can rest assured they’re working in the background, doing their job and allowing us to effortlessly collaborate, stay connected, informed and most of all productive. CE’s work within two different sections at LADWP: the Transport Services Group and Network & Communications Services (NCS).
Transport Services Group
The Transport Service Group section consists of four Telecom shops located within the geographical areas they serve. The shops include Metro Telecom, Valley Telecom, Bishop Telecom and Boulder/Ely Telecom. Each shop consists of a Communications Electrician Supervisor, Senior Communications Electricians and Communications Electricians, who are responsible for the installation, maintenance, repair and operations support of LADWP’s wired and wireless communication systems and infrastructure.
This includes the microwave radio transport network systems that deliver power to SCADA communications from Oregon to Los Angeles via the Pacific Intertie, and from Intermountain Power Project (IPP) in Utah through Northern and Southern redundant paths into the L.A. Basin. The Northern system supports Water System’s SCADA that reports depth and flow of water run-off (snow melt) and multiple turbidity reads along the Owens Valley area. Many of these facilities are in very remote locations, including mountaintops.
“Our CE’s are extremely dedicated to the services they provide and always go above and beyond their duties to make sure our communications networks are running smoothly. When the system fails, they will always be there day or night. One of the reasons you don’t often hear about CE’s is because they do their job so well.”
Ron Murray, Senior Communications Electrician Supervisor
This past winter’s record rain and snowfall created very difficult working conditions for CE’s in the Transport Service Group, as some of them had to respond to remote areas that had communications problems or had lost power, severing vital communications links along the system. In mountaintop locations like Burnt Peak and other remote sites, CE’s had to venture up in freezing winter conditions to deliver fuel to keep on-site power generators running or make repairs to the systems. Due to the accumulation of snow, the only way they could get there was via helicopter or in tracked vehicles known as snowcats.
For more information, visit the Transport Services MyDWP page.
View members of the Transport Services Group below, click on any thumbnail to see a full-size image:
Network & Communications Services
The Network & Communications Services (NCS) section supports all LADWP facilities and communications locations in California, Nevada and Utah as needed. NCS works closely with Fiber Optic Enterprise (FOE), Network Engineering & Security (NE&S) and Physical Security engineering in the design and implementation of various network and communications systems. They also maintain, repair, configure, and install Corporate and SCADA network equipment as well as fiber optic equipment, voice network systems (desk phones), physical security systems (badge readers and security cameras), and mobile/portable radios.
“Our CE’s are proactive and adaptable, constantly working in ever changing environments and trouble shooting issues all across our systems. They have the talent of being knowledgeable in their technical fields while also managing all aspects of customer service as they cooperate and work with many different groups within the Department. They really take care of all the things that have become a way of life for us, from access readers, to remotely operated security cameras, VoIP phones, vehicle mounted two-way radios and the mass amount of data and information we use on a daily basis.”
Victor Coronel, Senior Communications Electrician Supervisor
NCS is composed of three Telecom shops and one information support group working mainly in the L.A. basin. They include Data Network Services, Network Operation Center (NOC), Voice Network Services (VNS), Mobile Radio Shop and the Voice Operations Center (VOC). NCS also provides 24/7 proactive network device monitoring and LADWP’s own 24/7 operator information assistance.
For more information, visit the Network & Communications Services MyDWP page.
View members of Network & Communications Services below, click on any thumbnail to see a full-size image:
Photos by Chris Corsmeier and courtesy of Information Technology Services.
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This publication is written and published by the Communications and Corporate Strategy Division. For other 2022-23 issues, click the three horizontal lines icon next to the Contact logo at the top left of the document. Then click the “Editions” tab. For issues from 2000-2021, see Intranet page MyDWP/.
