Welcome to MG Meets Ext, where we get to know external employees from around the world that work with Manning Global. This month Alberto Zambrano talks about his life as a Network Engineer, his love of Arctic Monkeys and why rock climbing is the most exhilarating experience in the world!
Firstly, thanks for agreeing to speak to us. To get us started, please could you tell us a little about how you came to work with Manning Global?
I became aware of the opportunity thanks to a friend of mine from Venezuela. We were in Dublin searching for vacancies in the telecom sector and MG contacted him – it was for a position in Madrid. Anyway, he got the job, and later MG needed more Engineers for a new project with the same client, so he gave them my CV. One month later I was on site in Valencia working on an exciting new project!
You work as a Network Performance Troubleshooting Engineer, how did you enter this profession?
I was chosen because of my experience in this sector and also for my ability to hit my KPIs. For example, in Venezuela I was in charge of several high profile telecom projects related to RAN.
What are your main duties for this role?
Analyse the KPIs for the first 24 hours of each new base station on the network; if we are not performing to standard, I have to check all of the parameters to ensure we achieve said KPIs.
What are your top three KPIs for this position?
- Call set-up success rate
- Call drop rate
- Erab success rate
What’s the most enjoyable part of your job?
Seeing the improvement in network performance after we make the configuration changes based on previous analysis.
What’s a typical working day like as a Network Performance Troubleshooting Engineer?
One word: busy! When you are working on a large-scale project, involving many workers, it can be quite chaotic, however it’s very rewarding when you get the job done!
What were your emotions on your first day in this role?
I was very nervous because it was my first professional job in Europe. Fortunately everything turned out well and I made many new friends there.
How do you feel radio design on GSM / UMTS / LTE will develop over the next 12 months?
It will be less than other years (a small amount of new sites and swapped sites). Here in Spain almost every corner of the country is covered with this new technology, so radio design is focussing on small solutions (private networks).
Your work is based in Valencia, what do you like most about the city?
Everything! The weather; the people; the beach; the mountains… you have everything in one place!
Are there any other cities in the world you would like to work, if so, why would you like to work there?
Not right now. I’m currently in Madrid, however nothing beats Valencia!
What is your opinion of 5G and how do you feel it will benefit the telecommunications industry?
It will be a significant step – IOT is the future.
What qualities do you need to succeed as an Engineer?
You need to be able to work under pressure and commit to the role 100%.
What was your dream job as a child?
I always wanted to be a pilot!
Who do you look up to most in life?
My grandmother – she’s such a hard worker and an inspiration to us all.
If you could listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Do I Wanna Know? By Arctic Monkeys.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
I love rock climbing – it’s the best sport ever!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Be prepared to work hard, and above all, be honest 🙂
Finally, what’s your life motto?
Worry less, climb more!
ou can follow Alberto on LinkedIn.