Mr. Bates has more than 35 years of experience in telecommunications and information systems. He oversees the overall operation of TC International Consulting, Inc. (TCIC) of Phoenix, Arizona. TCIC is a full-service management consulting organization that specializes in designing and integrating information technologies. TC International Consulting leads the pack in strategic development and implementation of new technologies for carriers and corporations alike.

Bud s experience has served in major network designs from local area networks (LANs) to wide area networks (WANs) using high-quality, all-digital transmission services: T1, T3, and SONET/SDH. His studies and recommendations have resulted in significant financial savings. One project included the design and implementation of a Frame Relay network that spanned over 14 countries and 80 locations. This project resulted in huge monthly savings while preserving sub-second response times across the network.

His articles have been published in Network World, Information Week, International Journal of Information Management, and others. He has authored numerous books published by McGraw-Hill and Artech House. His recent published books Voice and Data Communications, Third Edition and the Broadband Telecommunications Handbook are on McGraw-Hill s 2000 bestseller list. Bud also develops and conducts various public seminars throughout the world, ranging from managerial overviews to very technical instructions on voice, data, and LAN communications. He spends much of his time working with the major telecommunications manufacturers in training their staff...