Revolutionizing Telecom: The Power of GIS and Emerging Technologies

Preface:

I hope everyone is enjoying the?LinkedIn newsletters?as much as I enjoy writing them. Talking about telecom and broadband from a first-hand perspective has been a rewarding endeavor, and I appreciate your continued interest and support.

As I begin to delve deeper into the complexities and technical elements of our industry, I’ll be expanding the reach of these newsletters. In addition to LinkedIn, I’ll be publishing on Medium as well. This will allow me to engage with a broader audience and foster diverse discussions and interests.

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Christopher

The article:

Hello Glass Half Full readers,

In a previous article, ‘Revolutionizing Broadband Construction,’ I delved into the impact of design and engineering in addressing worker shortages in the telecom industry. As an advocate of Agile methodologies, I often lean towards a bottoms-up approach when it comes to problem-solving. In the realm of utility construction, this journey begins with Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

GIS has emerged as a cornerstone in the telecom/broadband industry, marking its territory as the fastest-growing field within the GIS landscape worldwide. These systems offer a dynamic platform for visualizing and analyzing geospatial data, thereby empowering telecom companies to make well-informed decisions. These decisions span various facets, including network planning and deployment, customer service, infrastructure development, and the maintenance and operations of these networks.

The global GIS in telecom market size was valued at $1.5 Billion in 2021, and it’s projected to advance at a CAGR of 12.4% during 2021–2030, reaching?$4.4 Billion by 2030. The increasing demand for network installation and the rising adoption of GIS for mobile and broadband services is driving billions of dollars.

?? Network Planning and Deployment

GIS technology has a significant impact on the telecom/broadband industry. It aids in the planning and the design of networks, helping to determine the optimal locations for infrastructure such as cell towers and fiber optic cables. GIS maps are actively utilized to support the National Broadband Map and track detailed data about ISP services available to individual locations nationwide, but its biggest opportunity might be found where most people least expect, pre-construction.

To truly understand your risk, ROI, and project scope at the start of a project, GIS can be used to plan the network design, estimate costs and identify potential challenges. This leads to more efficient network designs, reducing costs and improving customer service quality. For instance, according to a report by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accurate data pinpointing where broadband service is available and where it is not has never been more crucial. The National Broadband Map, supported by GIS, provides information about the internet services available to individual locations across the country.

The integration of GIS with AI and Machine Learning technologies can further enhance these processes. AI and ML can learn from data and make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed to do so. In the context of GIS, this could mean predicting where service demand will be highest, identifying patterns in infrastructure failures, or optimizing network design.

?? The Risks and Positives of GIS in Telecom/Broadband

While GIS offers many benefits, it also presents certain risks. For instance, the accuracy of geospatial data is crucial for effective network planning. Inaccurate data can lead to:

• Identify gaps and opportunities in coverage?— By visualizing the network, companies can easily identify areas that are currently underserved. This can lead to new revenue opportunities as these gaps can be filled with new customers who were previously unreachable.
• Prioritize network upgrades?— GIS can help identify areas that are in need of network upgrades. This can be based on the age of the infrastructure, the number of users, or the type of usage (e.g., residential vs. commercial).
• Plan for future expansion?— GIS can also help in planning for future network expansion. By visualizing the current network and its gaps, companies can plan where to expand next to maximize their reach and revenue.
• BEAD?— Simply put, GIS is required to deliver the data requirements of BEAD funding successfully. Learn more on how to use federal funding here:

Interestingly enough, for the past six months, I have had fiber coiled in front of my home, unterminated. This is an example of a missed opportunity for revenue and customer satisfaction. The fiber is there, but it’s not being used to its full potential. This is a clear example of a gap in coverage that can be identified and addressed using GIS.

The integration of GIS with AI and Machine Learning can also help in mitigating these risks. By leveraging AI and ML, telecom companies can improve the accuracy of their geospatial data, leading to more effective network planning and higher customer satisfaction.

?? Key Players in the Industry

Several key players in the industry are leveraging GIS to enhance their operations. Companies like Esri , Hexagon Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial , Pitney Bowes , VETRO, Inc. , and IQGeo are at the forefront, providing innovative GIS solutions for the telecom industry. Esri, a long-standing authority in GIS, offers a suite of tools through ArcGIS. These tools empower telecom companies to visualize, analyze, and manage their spatial data, leading to improved network planning and customer service.

IQGeo, on the other hand, provides robust fiber optic network management software. This software enables users to plan, design, maintain, analyze, and build their fiber optic networks with powerful, user-friendly applications. VETRO FiberMap is making a name for itself by simplifying complex fiber network GIS. This democratizes users’ ability to create and share data, massively increasing project efficiency and transparency and accelerating speed to market. With a comprehensive digital inventory modeling the physical layer of the internet and Open APIs, network owners can operationalize their map and unlock business value.

These companies are not just stopping at GIS. They are exploring the integration of GIS with Construction Management software, AI, and Machine Learning to enhance their offerings further. By leveraging these advanced technologies, they can provide more accurate and efficient solutions, leading to better outcomes for their customers.

?? Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for GIS

To measure the impact of GIS, several KPIs can be used:

• The efficiency of Network Planning and Design:?This can be measured by the time it takes to plan and design a network and the cost of these processes. A more efficient process facilitated by GIS would result in lower costs and faster deployment.
• Quality of Service: This can be measured by customer satisfaction rates, the number of service disruptions, and the speed of service restoration after a disruption.
• Market Penetration:?This can be measured by the number of new customers acquired and the growth in revenue.
• Business Process Improvement:?This can be measured by the improvement in efficiency and effectiveness of various business processes within the organization.
• Return on Investment (ROI):?This can be calculated by dividing the net benefits (benefits minus costs) of GIS by the cost of GIS and then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage.

The integration of GIS with AI and Machine Learning can also impact these KPIs. For instance, AI and ML can help in improving the efficiency of network planning and design, leading to lower costs and faster deployment. They can also enhance the quality of service by reducing the number of service disruptions and improving the speed of service restoration after a disruption.

?? Glass Half Full

Integrating GIS with other technologies can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of various sectors, including telecommunications. For those in the construction industry, this might sound like a leap into the unknown, but in reality, it’s about using tools and technologies that are becoming increasingly accessible and user-friendly.

At its core, GIS is a tool that helps us understand and visualize data in ways that text or numbers alone cannot. It allows us to see patterns and relationships in our data and make more informed decisions. For those in the construction industry, this could mean a better understanding of where to place infrastructure, how to optimize routes for materials delivery, or where potential hazards might be.

When we discuss integrating GIS with other technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), it’s about automating and enhancing these processes. AI and ML are tools that can learn from data and make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed to do so. In the context of GIS, this could mean predicting where service demand will be highest, identifying patterns in infrastructure failures, or optimizing network design for increased customer satisfaction.

In conclusion, the future of the telecom sector, and indeed the construction industry as a whole, will likely be characterized by an increased reliance on GIS and its integration with other advanced technologies. This isn’t something to fear but rather an opportunity to embrace. With the right team and a willingness to adapt to the tools, the construction industry can meet this challenge and thrive in this new digital landscape.

Thanks for reading, and please like, share, or subscribe to my medium account below.

Thanks,

Christopher Machuca

[email protected]

https://fieldvision.io