Hoffman Estates-based engineering, design and consulting firm WT Group is launching a new Outside Plant Engineering (OSP) practice to support 5G communication and networking needs for corporate clients across the U.S.
“We are excited about this development because 5G truly is the future of telecommunications,” said Troy N. Triphahn, chief operating officer of the WT Group. “The massive amount of texting, social media updates, streaming and other forms of communication people and businesses depend on today is constantly increasing. A 5G world will make high-capacity fiber-optic networks an absolute necessity for corporations.”
The design and implementation of OSP capabilities will also be increasingly prevalent as the business telecom industry shifts from primarily wireless distribution, such as macrocell towers, to smaller, denser, fiber-optic networks required for 5G service.
“We’ve had customers in the past ask us about this service, but have not had been able to accommodate them. With our telecommunication, surveying and civil experience, we just felt it was a natural fit,” said Kevin Cunnie, principal-in-charge overseeing the WT Group Telecommunication Practice. “We now have a dedicated team to help clients evaluate field conditions and review jurisdictional requirements to complete fiber optic installations quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.”
Brothers Scott and Stephen Shafer have joined the WT Group Telecommunications team to lead the OSP operation. Stephen will be based in the WT Group’s new Dallas headquarters focusing on production, while Scott will be based in the firm’s Vegas office leading business development. Both men bring extensive telecommunications design and engineering experience to their new roles supporting the WT Group’s OSP practice.
WT Group’s OSP capability is the newest practice area of the nearly 50-year-old firm’s expanding range of full-service civil, structural, survey, mechanical, electrical and related consulting and design services. According to Triphahn, this diversity of capabilities allows the firm to provide clients with a broader perspective to more effectively meet unique and challenging needs.
“Collectively, the WT attitude is extremely client-focused,” added Triphahn. “We have the strength and diversity of viewpoints enabling us to see opportunities that might otherwise be missed. We will bring that unique perspective to the new portfolio of services our Telecom team will deliver on OSP assignments.”
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