Wireless/wireline network design and build specialist creates new Technology Division
Increasingly complex and converged wireless and wireline networks are a key to operator’s ongoing investments in LTE and 5G. Deep fiber, small cell densification, the internet of things and macro-level enhancements are needed both indoors and outdoors to support insatiable consumer and enterprise demand for connectivity. And network lifecycle solutions specialist SQUAN has continually taken these needs into consideration as the company grows its business.
Since February 2019, the company has promoted Nick White to the role of wireless division president; promoted Dave Rundella to VP/GM of wireless, overseeing DAS and small cells; brought on financial industry expert Glenn Weber to serve as chief financial officer; cable industry veteran Jeff Eiseman to serve as general manager of fiber splicing and construction services; and elevated Keith Pennachio from his executive vice president role to also look after the company’s expansion as chief strategy officer. And now, SQUAN has created a new Technology Division to be overseen by Anand Gandhi in his role as chief technology officer.
Prior to joining SQUAN, Gandhi served as vice president of strategy of SmallCellSite.com and spent more than two decades with Verizon in various leadership roles within the network division.
In an interview with RCR Wireless News, Gandhi said his experience working for a Tier 1 operator gave him an understanding of “what the expectation is of the carriers, what are their pain points and how to get around them and what really needs to be worked on. Those were some of the major benefits of my years at Verizon.”
He gave the example of working to streamline small cell deployment timelines from 18 to 24 months down to six to eight months. “We created relationships with landlords and we made agreements…on fixed pricing to be able to deploy on the assets the landlords owned. What I love about SQUAN is now, if you look at it, the construction piece is at SQUAN, the engineering…SQUAN has, the actual fiber laying is with SQUAN and now the technology group, we are able to provide the design piece of it and the optimization and maintenance of the networks.”
Back in May, SQUAN Chief Strategy Officer Keith Pennachio said fiber is the company’s biggest growth area and, in an update, said that business “continues to surge. Without fiber there is no true densification.” With the addition of Gandhi to SQUAN’s leadership team, Pennachio said the company more effectively bridge the wireline and wireless businesses.
Gandhi laid out his short-term and long-term goals: “SQUAN has an existing…partner base which is looking to do more than what they have, what SQUAN’s been offering in the aspect of the design world, in the aspect of the integration world, as well as the maintenance world. The technology group is really going to focus on bringing that frontend to completion…And then also the back end of really taking the network that is built and really integrating it into the existing network. The focus is going to be on the internal partners. Long-term-wise, we will look at other avenues where we can grow the business. What SQUAN offers is the entire ecosystem for building a network.”
