Diversity is an important word for Jessica Firestone. She founded Tempest Telecom in 2005 to help carriers build and maintain their networks more efficiently while implementing diversity programs that require them to spend part of their budgets with women and minority-owned companies. In the years since, a different kind of diversity has been the key to success for Tempest, as it has diversified in response to the needs of its customers.
“When we founded Tempest, we originally were going to buy the network equipment coming out of the carriers that were moving quicker on the technology side, refurbish it, and resell it,” explained Firestone. “We started in that business but quickly saw that there was a need not only to buy and resell, but also to maintain the older networks. So we founded the repair division of Tempest.”
Repairing out-of-warranty network equipment has become an even bigger business for Tempest as the industry has moved to 4G/LTE solutions. Many carriers would rather not invest in new 3G base stations now, and prefer to get legacy equipment repaired and use it until they are ready to upgrade it.
These days Firestone’s customer conversations often turn to energy costs and sustainable solutions. “Sustainability is a huge focus across the carriers,” said Firestone. “A lot of the older equipment that’s in the cell sites and in the network sucks a lot of energy. … We’re working very closely with some of the major carriers who have huge needs to reduce energy.” One solution that has been very successful for Tempest is AirSys, a shelter HVAC for BTS equipment that includes built-in free cooling.
DAS and small cells are also growth areas for Tempest. Firestone said that about two years ago she recognized the opportunity in DAS, again through conversations with her carrier customers. “Our best customers were asking for help and needed help and DAS became the area that we saw as a really, really important need. So in 2011 we actually went and acquired a company in the space called Leaf Communications.” Firestone said Leaf’s strong technical team was focusing mostly on the West Coast, and that Tempest was able to leverage Leaf’s expertise to create a national offering. Tempest supports carriers, tower companies and manufacturers of DAS equipment. The company also works with enterprise customers on public safety DAS deployments.
“Public safety DAS is actually becoming a mandate in certain geographies, where the larger commercial spaces need to put this indoor DAS in for the emergency responders,” Firestone explained. The Tempest DAS division is headed up by Darlene Braunschweig. Braunschweig came to Tempest from Corning Mobile Access, where she focused on DAS in her role as senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing.
Four members of Tempest’s executive team are women, and Firestone works hard to find and promote qualified women in wireless. “I love seeing women in technology because it really has been a man’s world,” she said. “I mentor all my employees but I really try to spend time with the women and really teach them how to do the things that will really help them grow their careers and compete in an industry that’s full of men.”
Helping women compete is of course the impetus for the federal regulations that require large carriers to devote a portion of their budgets to women-owned businesses. Firestone said these laws are a “door opener” for Tempest, but after that the company must compete on its merits.
“Being a diversity company is really key for getting the right contacts and making the right introductions,” said Firestone. “But I think you really have study the business. You have to go in as a financially strong, really capable company, with execution, technical expertise, and really build your reputation. If you go in only with “woman-owned” as your lead, it’s not going to get you where you need to be.”
The Women’s Wireless Leadership Forum has partnered with RCR Wireless News to recognize outstanding women in wireless infrastructure. The goal is to shine a spotlight on some of the hardworking women that make real contributions to our industry, reaching beyond the executive level to find the rising stars. Women-owned wireless infrastructure companies will also be spotlighted. If you know of a candidate for this recognition, please send your submission to Blair Bode of Kineticom or to Martha DeGrasse of RCR Wireless. Blair can be reached at blair.bode@kineticom.com and Martha can be reached at mdegrasse@ardenopco.com. Please use “Women in Wireless” as the subject line of your email.
Watch the full RCR interview with Jessica Firestone below:
