Turan Akin, GCB Services Senior Vice President: “We believe in setting processes for engineering and project management to ensure that the execution is not solely dependent on algorithms or individuals which are two components that should be complementing each other.”

GCB Services was established in 2004 by veterans of the telecommunications industry to provide nationwide services. GCB has been providing drive testing, Radio Frequency (RF) engineering design, optimization, deployment solutions, and staffing services for all the major wireless operators and infrastructure vendors. GCB is a subject matter expert in FCC compliance testing including E911, Z- Testing and Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) analysis and various field measurements. GCB is an ATIS member and is an active participant in the standards committees. GCB is currently working on a large scale 5G SA (Stand-Alone) stationery and mobility testing project spread across multiple markets nationwide.

GCB’s motivation was to capitalize on its extensive experience to achieve distinction in providing engineering services that are scalable, dependable, efficient and at an optimized cost to the telecommunications industry. GCB believes that its clients’ overall positive experience with the company is as important as the product or services delivered. GCB’s core value is to always be ethical, upfront and honest with clients. Even when faced with challenges, GCB will own the project fully and work to overcome the challenges encountered in a manner transparent to its clients.

In conversation with Turan Akin, Senior Vice President of GCB Services

Q. What are some of the significant challenges you faced in initial years? How did you overcome them?

The principals of GCB have been working in the telecommunications industry since 1990 and have deployed 2G to 5G networks. At GCB’s inception in 2004, like all new companies, we experienced growing pains during the first year. Also, the telecommunications industry has been evolving at an accelerated pace. Ebb and flow are the natural consequences of this rapid evolution. The most recent challenge occurred during the Covid years. GCB kept its key personnel employed during these difficult years to ensure a rapid recovery post Covid. GCB has weathered these challenges and we expect a better than ever 2023 in our 19 years of operation.

Q. How do you gather insights to update your offerings?

Since 2004, GCB has been providing engineering and deployment solutions and staffing services for major operators and infrastructure vendors and we are in constant contact with our clients. A great majority of our business is repeat customers. GCB’s executive technical sales and project managers visit existing and prospective clients to get input regarding their present and future business needs. Our team leads regularly get feedback from clients’ managers and team leads in real time so we can predict future needs. In order to keep on top of future industry requirements GCB actively participates as a member in regulatory bodies including ATIS.

Furthermore, GCB develops software tools and procedures to be the leader in the telecom industry which is moving through an increasingly rapid change.

Q. Experts predict that failure of trusted algorithms is bound to happen. How can you make your solution foolproof?

GCB is process oriented. We believe in setting processes for engineering and project management to ensure that the execution is not solely dependent on algorithms or individuals which are two components that should be complementing each other. Over two decades of project experience indicates that there will be changes in circumstances during the lifetime of a project. However, the execution must be optimal and independent of algorithm or individual performance. Algorithms need to be monitored constantly to ensure they are operating within the design parameters. Conversely, the performance of individuals needs to be checked and enhanced by algorithms.

Q. Although it would be great to turn on the computer and leave for the day, automated solutions do require monitoring. How can we prevent potential technological failures?

In keeping with our stated approach to your question above, computers and algorithms are tools that should be utilized to complement and enhance individual performance. Human supervision and automated solutions should be utilized in tandem. It is imperative that redundancies be incorporated into automated solutions to prevent potential technological failures.

Q. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful CEO?

A successful executive should have the following skills:

• To be open minded and willing to listen respectfully to opposing views.
• To have a disposition to treat coworkers and clients with respect and integrity and to strive to be ethical, upfront and honest always.
• To never stop learning and exploring new concepts.

Q. Developing top-notch solutions need support of high-level talent and dedication. How did you manage to form your dream team?

Attracting top level talent requires embracing inclusiveness, diversity and treating coworkers with respect. GCB practices what it preaches. GCB believes talent has no borders and is confident that inclusiveness and diversity contributes to innovation and creativity that has contributed significantly to GCB’s success.

Q. Do you have any new services ready to be launched?

GCB has teamed with software development partners to develop and patent a system to determine real-time location of use devices. The patent for this tool is pending. The tool is ready to be launched and we will be reaching out to our clients to introduce it.

This tool will make the necessary adjustments to performance to compensate for the technological limitations of existing tools in indoor locations. Moreover, densely populated areas and radio-frequency-signal shadowed locations, such as urban centers, generally do not allow proper operation of GPS. However, in these locations the need for emergency rescue systems is the greatest. This tool will allow cost effective, efficient and accurate indoor mapping and Z-testing (vertical) to satisfy the FCC requirements and ATIS guidelines.

Q. What does the future hold for your company and its customers? Are exciting things on the way?

GCB believes in working smartly to provide outstanding solutions and services to our clients. GCB believes increasing the productivity of our staff rather than throwing bodies to the problem. To this end, GCB has in-house software/firmware development and engineering teams and partners to provide tools that have been incorporated into our work/projects to highly improve the efficiency and quality of our solutions. As we mentioned above, we are developing tools that use cutting edge technologies for location-based services.

Currently, we are working on incorporating Artificial intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and robotics in systems and tools. There will be more patents in on the way.

“GCB believes talent has no borders and is confident that inclusiveness and diversity contributes to innovation and creativity that has contributed significantly to GCB’s success.”