Mark Houtz

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I’m a wireless engineer and blogger. I got my start in Wi-Fi in 2007 when I build my first enterprise network for hospitality. I soon moved into building restaurant networks and installed the first iPad POS in my state weeks after the iPad was released. After that bleeding edge opportunity, sitting at the forefront of technology has led to some interesting opportunities in my career.

I currently manage the lifecycle of Wi-Fi networks for partner school districts from across the main Wi-Fi vendors (Cisco, HPE Aruba, Juniper Mist, Ruckus, Extreme, and Ubiquiti). Leading the pack, I found Mist before the Juniper acquisition, and discovered the power of AI in networking that expanded the power of the network for my schools.

I then lucked into another upcoming technology before industry caught wind of its power. I started looking into Private LTE networks long before the CBRS was public available. We started looking at using licensed spectrum to build a Private Cellular network with EBS Spectrum but was forced to largely move over to CBRS. That network became a viable asset during COVID remote learning restrictions. I currently support a large education Private LTE CBRS and EBS network built from a Core, RAN, and Clients not purchased from an off the shelf solution but built piecemeal from the ground up.

Being cutting edge led me to be curious about the technology where I took a raspberry pi and attempted to capture data about our Private LTE network. That project led to my blog and opportunities beyond my little niche into the international arena. That has created speaking engagements to teach about niche Wi-Fi and Private Cellular topics in the US, Europe, and Latin America.