Where is the phone?? asks Yalla Veera Prakash rhetorically in response to a question on the likely future trends in the telecom space. ?The traditional phone, as we know it, has disappeared. The way we communicate has changed radically, owing to Facebook, Twitter and other multimedia modes. Devices are getting richer and there will be a strong emphasis on wireless data pipes.?
In terms of telecom infrastructure, he feels that low power consuming base stations will change the face of the telecom industry. He is confident of ACME meeting these requirements. According to him, ?This emerging landscape requires significantly different products and solutions that help customers improve their operational efficiencies and their topline. In this context, ACME is known to be an innovative company.?
For Prakash, telecom was not his career of choice. In fact, in his youth, he considered several career options before finally settling for engineering.
His earliest ambition was to drive a train, given his fascination with the GT Express that he would see pass by every day. Thereafter, he was drawn towards astronomy, after witnessing several rocket launches in Sriharikota. Then, biology beckoned, but his interest in that died owing to his inability to stomach the blood and gore he saw during dissections. In the end, he settled for engineering. ?I used to take apart electronic devices under the pretext of fixing them,? he reminisces. ?Perhaps this unconsciously fuelled my interest in engineering.?
And so, armed with a bachelor?s degree in electronics and communication engineering from the SVU College of Engineering at Tirupathi, Prakash started his career at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Hyderabad. After an eight-year-long stint, he moved to Honeywell Technology Solutions Lab in Bangalore and then to ACME Telepower last year.
For Prakash, each job had its own challenges and interest. ?At HAL, for instance, indigenising the communication equipment of a Jaguar aircraft was very exciting. Also, establishing a research centre for Honeywell in India and helping it move to a 3X IP creation-based engine was rewarding.?
That was then. Today, his role as vice-president of R&D at ACME presents a new set of challenges. ?One of the biggest tests before us is developing innovative products and solutions. The 3G and 4G network rollouts and rural broadband plan will only increase the demand for such solutions.?
When not working, Prakash likes to spend time writing plays, listening to music, cooking, and watching technology-related videos.
