Meet The Team: Philippe Girard
3 August 2023
1. What is your favorite aspect of Metro Optic, and why do you enjoy working here?
My favorite aspect of Metro Optic is the fact that we are free to be creative in building the network and innovating without being constrained by old standards.
2. What interested you in the telecommunications sector? Did you expect to pursue a career in it?
I have never wanted to do anything other than work in the telecommunications industry. I am the third generation of my family in telecoms. My grandfather was the first. Around the same time as Ted Rogers, he built a cable network in Canada in 1957/1958, and then my father founded Câble Axion in 1988.
When I was seven/eight years old, Transvision Magog's headend was in my grandfather's garage. I used to go into the garage, and there were all the lights flashing, modulators, and in the back, there was an antenna site facing Mount Orford to capture television and radio signals. The headend was there, with lots of antennas to capture satellite signals, so I was always there. At 16, I started assembling parts in Cable Axion's warehouse for construction projects. From the age of 18, in 1998, I started being trained on the road because that was the minimum age to be insured on a company truck. I have always been exposed to the world of telecommunications, and it has always been clear to me that this is what I wanted to do.
3. What makes Metro Optic unique in the telecommunications industry?
What makes us unique is the fact that we are among the few companies still offering truly personalized service. We adapt to the type of client we serve and their needs. In addition, Metro Optic's clients have direct access, without detours, to technical personnel with extensive knowledge. We are capable of providing near-instantaneous responses to our clients, and in an industry as time-sensitive as this, quick support is a key element in the success of both our clients and ourselves.
PHILIPPE GIRARD - VICE PRESIDENT OF NETWORK ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONS
