Technology and Management Functions
Kristine Chapa
University of Phoenix
TEC/401 – Week 1 Individual Assignment
Dr. Isidro Grau
July 22, 2009

Technology and Management Functions I am currently working at an investment firm as an Accounts Payable Clerk and I am in charge of entering bills as well as cutting company checks. In this firm, the owner of the company has invested in a variety of companies of different industries. For instance, he has invested, also in partnership, in an Oil and Gas, Commercial Real Estate, and a Wireless Service Company. Although all these companies are overflowing with numerous types of technology, I am focusing on one in particular, the wireless data company called Cobalt Broadband Corporation. Personally, I feel this company’s technology has plenty of pros and cons that could be beneficial as well as harmful for their business. Cobalt Broadband provides high-speed wireline and wireless services that is not only affordable but enables many people from the country to gain access to wireless internet services. This company has been in business between five to seven years and servicing more than seven hundred customers. Many of our customer base are located in country setting areas, outside of Houston, as in Liberty Hill, Bellville, Hempstead, Waller, San Marcos, Lexington, Columbus and a couple of other small towns around Houston. The reason we don’t service in Houston is mainly because of all of the competition as in Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. There is no way we could compete with these companies with all their new towers being built in the Houston area alone. That is why we focused on small towns and country farm areas because the big companies like T-Mobile and AT&T will most likely not spend thousands of dollars putting up towers for small populated areas outside of Houston and bigger cities which becomes an advantage for us, by that I am talking about Cobalt Broadband. Many of our customers work from home and bring income from farm market produce, so wireless internet is crucial for these customers. Cobalt’s number one selling tool to their customers is that we don’t need to have a telephone line connected in order for our service to work. Cobalt also has a tower that is called a T1 which is fifty feet high and this gives us the ability to jump over the telephone line to the tower and to the wireless bridge antenna, which is 10”x 10”x 2”, able to obtain access to the internet. One of the issues that occur is because many of our customers are so far out in the country is that there are many trees, barns, and bridges that could cause the ability for some of our customers to attain great service or any internet services for that matter. Too many trees, barns, and bridges could block our towers from customers with or services and the only options will be to cut down those trees or barns but because many of the people who live out in the country are farmers and won’t take down the barns due to the fact that their money makers. The only other option for them to do is to buy wifi cards but that can become extremely expensive and we charge a monthly flat rate which comes in handy with the way our economy is today. Because we are the only company who service these areas, many customers who want internet service has no choice but to sign up for our services. This gives them the access to communicate with the outside world without having to hassle with long distance calls through a telephone company that could become extremely expensive. The only concern on our part is the lack of towers we currently have which causes few of our customers to cancel but our goal in the near future is to build more towers in these areas for customer satisfaction. Overall, Cobalt Broadband is a great wireless service to have in spite of the fact that there are a few disadvantages to the company but the benefits of what we offer overrides any disadvantages.