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Telecommunications |
Telecommunications Division
Telecommunications is a division of the Department of Administration. This division's operations and functions are intricately meshed with those of several other divisions within the department, which include: the Information Systems Division, the Public Safety Division and, the Records Management Division. These divisions both comprise and deliver the information technology and telecom (ITT) group of services for the City. Additionally, there are other units within our city government that are closely intertwined and dependent upon the ITT group, such as it's Geographical Information Systems GIS) unit.
The Telecommunications Division's mission, by working collectively with its ITT group counterparts, is to lead the City in the utilization of existing and emerging voice, video and data technologies to increase productivity and achieve cost savings and the use of these technologies to stimulate and/or create new sources of revenue for the City. This division is responsible for the development and deployment of technology and telecommunications in the City's delivery of its services to the public as well. The ITT group collaboratively develops the citywide information technology (IT) architecture that promotes the strategic deployment of systems and information services.
In partnership with City departments, City public educational institutions, and other designated governmental jurisdictions in the area, this division develops new technology products and services which facilitate the continuous improvement of citizenry involvement and of City business processes to help create a favorable climate for the people and businesses of Jackson.
The division also solicits, evaluates, negotiates, and administers the City's telecommunications and cable franchise agreements, towers/wireless providers and high-capacity telecommunications networks and network services.
The Telecommunications Division is currently made up of the following four service units:
Telecommunications Services
This unit analyzes telecommunications needs and prepares plans for voice and data telecommunications systems and use. It monitors the City fiber optics and communications tower infrastructures and cable TV system feedlinks and implements and maintains the transmission 'component of the transport backbone of the City's institutional network for its communications users and joint public/private ventures in such areas as data transmission, training and public information.
This unit manages the City's 800 MHz trunked radio system and 450 MHz data radio network. Additional duties include, citywide long distance, paging and cellular telecommunications services, installation and maintenance of PBX systems and competitive local telephone service.
This unit also delivers information technology application interface facilities, certain software services, and telecommunications support to all clients throughout the City. It designs, installs, configures and resolves problems in network communications (voice and data) systems, network software and hardware. It provides a stable computing environment for all users by monitoring and managing system resources to include networks and network servers. It provides installation and maintenance for various wide area network and telephone equipment and assistance to users of these systems resources in City Departments.
Services and platforms sustained through this unit include strategic design, planning, installation, and maintenance of all network hardware (and some software) components inclusive of voice, data, radio, emerging multi-media facilities and imaging/document transport, as well as, communications equipment warehousing, data security, and switching/network control facilities. This unit of the Telecommunications Division provides design, implementation and maintenance support for the City's networking and data flow processes.
It provides the core technical proficiencies that support the infrastructure backbone of video, voice and data applications throughout the City.
Facilities/Physical Plant Services
This unit ensures quality delivery of communications facilities, including institutional network interfacing and all forms of cabling, to end users in the City at all levels with requisite professionalism, timeliness, and accountability, while engaged in the optimization of existing technology facilities/plant resources.
The unit implements and maintains the transport component of the backbone of the City's institutional network for its communications users and joint public/private ventures in such areas as data and voice transmission, training and public information.
The unit's function includes citywide maintenance of fiber and other city-owned communications infrastructure, telecomm provider plant environment oversight, and the role to ensure the reliability of the various electronic systems to support all technology-based City's operations while providing City departments a wide variety of cost effective communications capabilities.
Facilities/Physical Plant Services works hand-in-hand with Buildings and Grounds and various other divisions who validate and monitor the performance of critical facility environmental support systems as well as in the careful planning and implementation of IT hardware installations and changes. The unit oversees the activities of all communications systems in City buildings and to the extent necessary, oversight of the operation, maintenance and testing of all systems.
The Facilities/Physical Plant Services Unit is moving forward to:
* Manage deployment and maintenance of an optimized institutional network and tower grid for the City.
* Manage deployment and maintenance of all City-owned fiber and coaxial, underground and aerial, cable plant in the local loop.
* In conjunction with B&G, to develop and implement City network-based energy conservation and indoor environmental quality guidelines, systems and methods;
* Streamline supply and reprographic fulfillment activities associated with City I-Net and other transport infrastructure maintenance;
* Become active as representatives for the division in various City business improvement initiatives;
* Develop facilities quality assurance standards and provide support to other City departments in the area of high reliability infrastructure design.
FRANCHISE ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATION SERVICES
This unit monitors and directs the regulation and enforcement of cable and telecommunications franchises and permits which entails monitoring compliance with applicable laws and ordinances, auditing franchise payments, negotiating terms of the franchises, setting policy and reviewing system operations. The unit's mandate is to ensure protection of consumer interest and to maximize compensation to the City from users of its public ways, including cable operators. The unit serves to assist in the resolution of all concerns and complaints of Jackson citizens regarding cable complaints with Time Warner Cable and other cable operators in the City; oversees Public Access and Educational Access in Jackson; and assists in preparing the Department Heads to advise the Mayor of Jackson on cable and telecommunications issues. The unit assists in the development and implementation of effective and cost efficient uses for telecommunications networks by City agencies and departments involving different media such as data communications, telephone and cable. The unit further participates and helps facilitate the development of the City's strategic master plan as it relates to cable system and I-Net programming services.
This unit is responsible for all City intranet initiatives and projects to reach citizens electronically, including Jackson's dissemination of information to citizens on its video bulletin board cable channel CityGUIDE) and its planned BBS and I-Net public terminal/kiosk system (CityLINK). This unit is also actively involved in the facilitation of citywide internet access initiatives.
The unit goal is to reach three audiences:
* Our city employees and local citizens and businesses
* Regional, state and international governments
* Tourists and businesses external to the region that are interested in visiting or locating in Jackson
The unit stands available to actively work with the Mayor's Business Development Office and regional agencies and businesses that are interested in similar goals. In a region as diverse as Jackson, an electronic City Hall is an effective way to reach our community. In fact, through aggressive coordination with providing agencies, we can foster a sense of community between our diverse citizens and the many governments (especially the state of Mississippi) in the Metro area. Here's to a more livable, friendly and responsive Jackson!
MULTI-MEDIA SERVICES
This unit facilitates a wide array of much needed video-based and/or broadband City services including: citywide CBT/video training, government access (production), video arraignment services and linkage, video conferencing and networking services and facilities management, public and educational access oversight, community shows, public ways media oversight and various City information dissemination to citizens and businesses.
In this unit, the training element alone sets an objective that will carry City efficiency forward exponentially. For in this fast paced technological world, the design of information technology systems must be linked to the processes that such technology is designed to support. This "link' invariably includes the perpetual building block -training! Training in the City will take many forms from live-streamed video, to synchronous computer conferencing and computer-based training, to videotape training course playback. Cross-training will leverage efficiencies gained to provide all forms of City training, keeping employees up to date on various applications from computer software/system proficiency to telephone system operations. This unit also coordinates major training outsourcing for the City, such as for Police and Fire, and stands to be a revenue-generating unit for the City on many fronts.
This unit coordinates all municipal production on the City's Channel, CityView, and provides broadcast quality video production services for the Mayor, City Council and City departments in order to help each effectively communicate their own mission and services that are available. Much information on the activities in this area is available through the various special project support documentation for on-going City media-based and broadband telecommunications and information technology projects.
Through its different capacities, this unit also serves to reach the three City audiences as set out in the Franchise Administration and Regulation mission and goals.
For more information contact us at: 601-960-1696
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