Charter Communications said it has begun construction on the Denver-based Charter Technology and Engineering Center (CTEC), a facility that will house its Advanced Engineering teams, a “large” testing lab and other product, IT and network operations resources needed to tackle MSO projects through their development cycle.
Charter, which is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., but has maintained an engineering-focused presence in the Denver area for several years, said it will also tap the new Colorado-based facility (the image above is an artist's rendering) to develop product prototypes and to certify them for deployment on its networks.
Charter said the new 85,000-square foot facility will ultimately accommodate more than 200 technical staff, including 55 new full-time employees and 45 new full-time contract positions. The MSO expects to move into the CTEC by year-end, noting that its new lab will be double the size of its current labs.
“Charter is pleased to build our lab in Colorado, a state with a long and impressive history in the cable industry,” said Jay Rolls, Charter SVP and chief technology officer, in a statement. “CTEC is where we will move solutions through the product development cycle, from proof-of-concept, to Quality Assurance testing, to certification of readiness for launch, all focused on new cable telecommunications technologies. We also felt Denver was a great high tech recruiting location. There’s a large base of talent in the area, and it is also attractive to candidates who would consider moving. It’s a great environment where we can work on future technology and innovation.”
