Title: Nortel’s product line manager for emergency services, chairman of the PBX/Multi-Line Telephone System technical subcommittee of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA)
Employer: Nortel
Nickname/Alias: Fletch What I'm Best Known For (in the Telecom World): Speaking what is on my mind no matter who the audience is.
Remaining an advocate for the installed user base and their needs.
Actively supporting the INNUA at conferences and seminars on current VoIP technologies.
My evangelistic approach and seriousness about E9-1-1 capabilities in the enterprise.
Dialplan and voice network design for large multi-location environments. Other Primary Areas of Expertise: Resilient VoIP network architecture, VoIP security, dialplan management, Unified Communications and being able to talk to anyone about many different technologies at their level and in terms everyone can relate to. Summary of Professional Background: 23 years of experience in telecommunications industry. Currently I am the PLM for Nortel CS 1000, BCM and CS 2100 Emergency Services. I also enjoy speaking at many international industry and user group events about anything VoIP. Additionally, I represent Nortel as an active member in several Public Safety and E911 organizations such as NENA, APCO, and the NIST SAFECOM technical workgroups developing standards for the NextGen E911 solution. I am an active member of the NENA Private Sector Government Affairs Advisory Group, and act as the Chairperson for the NENA Multi-Line Telephone System (MLTS) Technical Subcommittee. Prediction on the Future of Telecom & Telecom Managers: Broadband wireless is the next logical frontier barrier to break. With all of the devices we have, and their need for network connectivity, there is simply no room in the closet for a 100% wired infrastructure. For managers, embrace only the new technology that actually improves your life. Don’t buy technology just because someone invented it. Weirdest Thing People Usually Don't Know about Me: When I started my telecommunications career in 1985 as a PBX installation technician, I moonlighted as a late night Disc Jockey in Orlando, Florida at the “Hot Rockin’ Y106” playing up to the Central Florida 18 to 34 female demographic as “Mark in the Dark”. Thank goodness radio is only audio, I would have never made it on TV. When I'm not talking or doing something in relation to telecom, I'm usually... Spending time with my family and friends, tinkering around the house trying to claim that I actually repaired something for less than what it would cost to just replace it. Book and author I'm currently reading: Most of my reading time is done in the air. Right now, I am reading an autobiography by my father Charles Fletcher titled “Quest for Survival”. It never ceases to amaze me how little we actually know about people, even our closest family members! CD currently or most recently in my car stereo: Unlike many others, I do own CDs, cassette tapes, a few old 8-tracks, some LPs and a stash of old 45s. My iPod, however, is loaded with industry related Podcasts and some great music from the 80’s. I also have a few of my favorite episodes of “The Office” for those times when I just need a good chuckle. The stupidest thing I've ever seen anyone do or say in relation to a phone: Of the thousands of things that I have seen and heard, two particular ones come to mind: "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us."
-Western Union Internal Memo, in 1876 A customer asked me if I thought that since Y2K was such a non event, if I thought Y3K would be about the same. I told them to call me a few months before Y3K actually hit, and I would have a good answer for them. They thought for a second, and then reality suddenly rushed over them. | 
