September 19, 2006

Letters to the Editor

Laptops for Techs

By Ed Misicka

Last week's Soapbox question on whether techs need laptop computers apparently struck a chord. Here follow two of the replies we received.

My maintenance techs have had laptops since 2001. We have our system maps for outages and system problems. We look up modems and ping them on DOCSIS and use What's Up Gold to look at modem performance history. Techs email work logs, timesheets, cable replacement, complaint responses and so many other things I can't remember them all. We use wireless where we have it in our system and can always plug into the tap at the job we are at. We are moving to GPS directions and TOA work order transmissions to the techs, and they will, in turn, code them out on our billing computer when done. Can you say "paperless"? We are about there. And new things are added almost weekly.

As far as the laptops, in 2001 I contacted many manufacturers, and Micron gave me more than I could have possibly asked for. Besides being the most inexpensive, they gave me a three-year warranty, free overnight replacement of the case and most anything else that failed. Drinks on the keyboard? Replaced. Keyboard melted by a spotlight hanging from the cab ceiling? Replaced. Sticky buttons, broken monitor hinges and I could go on. At the end of the three-year warranty period, they were willing to sell me another one or two years. Our division engineering opted out and went with Panasonic ToughBooks for twice the money initially. The price has since come down, and we are still using them today. I heard from the start that the inside truck temperature would case internal laptop failures. I never had it happen.

A couple of important issues had to be addressed: a laptop mount flexible enough that it wouldn't sit in front of the passenger airbag. You can't shut them off in vans. I had to investigate the deployment pattern of the airbag and make sure the mount was out of the way. The mount also had to hold the laptop securely without a wire or strap that would cause the hinge to break if the screen was closed. I also obtained from the manufacturer a visor to block the glare of the sun and to provide concealment of the laptop. I don't necessarily like to promote a vendor, but Micron laptops and the Xtreme Desk from Mobile Desk are two exceptions at the top of my list.

Ed Misicka
Bright House

We at Time Warner Albany Division use the Panasonic ToughBooks, which is an industrial laptop that "takes a licking and keeps on ticking." It's used for techs to access the Internet for troubleshooting high-speed data and digital converter problems using various tools such as iglass and DOCSIS tools as well as workforce management, billing system, etc.

They work out really well and make the techs lives easier, more productive, and eliminate work orders.

Joe Gregory
Time Warner