Forum Discussion
The HughesNet National Network Operations Center - Information Page and Video
From another Topic:
When I was at the Annual HughesNet Dealer summit a few years ago, they treated us all to a view of the HughesNet Central Command "Network Operations Center" at their National headquarters in Germantown Maryland.
It was truly impressive - like I had always imagined places like NORAD or NASA would look. Huge color LED data displays covering walls from floor to ceiling. System and sub-system graphs on some, weather maps and CNN Headline running on others. About 20 to 30 technicians manning consoles and terminals.
We didn't get to go inside, but we viewed operations from a meeting room gallery above and behind it.
(I would show you a photo but this big guy in a dark suit with an earpiece confiscated my smart phone and smashed it :)
Nonetheless, I found an information page and a video tour of the "NOC" from about six years ago. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did being there:
http://www.hughes.com/company/newsletters/spring-2009/a-walk-through-the-national-noc
- Sometimes I wish I could go through and see the NOC as well as the rest of the facility... ><
- I'm sure if you told them you were coming, Amanda or someone could get you in. :)
Also, the manufacturing plant there was a must see. A lot of folks don't realize it but HughesNet gear is proudly assembled in the US. We toured the facility where they actually build, test and ship the modems and radios.
We also toured the repair facility where they receive returned modems and radios, determine failures and causes, recondition and update them, and send them back out.
While we were there, the repairs director happened to mention that an unusually high percentage of radios were being returned because the installers were stripping the hex-head screws that hold the feed throat onto the radio body when changing the radio's polarity setting (adjacent beams have opposite polarities and the radio throat needs to be flipped 90°).
This was happening because the screws could not be easily removed or inserted using a standard, straight-on hex key.
We discussed solutions with the director and, within a day, HughesNet had already sent out a tech bulletin advising all their installers where they could acquire a hex key with a ball end that works at an angle, the same tool they were using in the repair facility. They hadn't realized that install techs weren't carrying that tool already.
Now, THAT was impressive... - Oh, I am almost positive I could get a nice tour, but even my contacts have their limitations at Hughes. :)
- Hey Alan
I have taken several tours of this place and gone to a lot of meetings in the "fishbowl" (did they use the automatic curtain opening thing?? that feature rocks). It makes you feel like you're at NASA or some type of Presidential control room.. Really neat. Glad you got to experience it!
Amanda - Yes, the Fishbowl. I had forgotten the name. And, yes, they did do the automatic curtain thing, which we weren't expecting. That really rocked us!
- Hey... we *still* haven't toured the factory. ._.
- It was the drama of the whole thing. One, entire conference room side-wall is glass, overlooking the NOC. The room lights lower, and the curtains roll back, Stupendous!
- Star Wars theme playing in the background? Now that would be cool. Is it still cool to say cool? OK, stupendous! :)
- So... the question is, can I play Skyrim on that large screen? :D
