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Geospatial integration brings location intelligence to network planning, management and operations system
This GIS Day, November 20, we’re marking the occasion to celebrate the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology in the telecommunications industry!
What will next generation broadband infrastructure look like? That’s a hotly debated subject, but we can be certain that in an age of continual technological disruption, it won’t be designed, constructed and maintained using outdated maps and information. What we do know is that the next generation of broadband will be based on faster, more reliable, integrated networks that can leverage a broad range of digital technologies.
Therefore, more efficient network planning will be a crucial enabler for delivering high-quality telecom services. This is because a robust, modern network involves not just laying down cables and setting up towers, but anticipating future demands, optimizing resource allocation, and ensuring minimal downtime. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have emerged as a game-changer in this domain, offering powerful tools to optimize network design, deployment, and end-to-end lifecycle management.
Geospatial data and intelligent analytics revolutionized an industry
GIS has been delivering benefits to service providers for decades. Traditionally, location intelligence, like that delivered by Esri’s ArcGIS® has helped telecommunications service providers in multiple ways:
- Optimizing Network Design: Location information helps to identify the best routes for laying cables and positioning towers, while accounting for geographical features, population density, existing infrastructure and more.
- Deployment: During construction, GIS tools can be used to monitor progress, manage resources, and ensure that the network is being built according to plan.
- Management: Once the network is operational, GIS aids in maintenance by providing tools for monitoring network performance, identifying issues, and planning upgrades.
Integrating GIS into broadband network planning and management has enhanced efficiency, reduced costs, and improved service quality for telecommunications companies. But what if geospatial data was more fully integrated into network planning, documentation, and operations? How could leveraging the latest spatial analytics technology further benefit service providers?
GIS transformed network planning and management – the next revolution is here
VertiGIS ConnectMaster, an advanced telecommunications network planning, documentation and operations system now integrates geospatial data sources, enabling a combined “whole of network”, visualization of the of both inside and outside plant asset inventory. In addition to providing unprecedented transparency across network layers, the software’s adaptable configuration provides a comprehensive, unified system of record for all passive, active, physical and logical network components. When combined in a single data model, an integrated, spatially enabled physical inventory representing the true state of the network gives service providers a single source of truth, so they can make faster and better-informed decisions.
High quality information empowers smart, efficient decision making
Telecom service providers constantly need up-to-date information to help them adapt to a rapidly changing business environment. Broadband networks span large and diverse geographies and generate enormous volumes of dispersed data. Having a single source of truth for the planned and documented network greatly enhances the ability generate and interpret business critical information.
The “symbioses” of Telco and GIS enables service providers to leverage location intelligence in multiple areas:
- High level fiber network planning: With richer, more integrated data sources, the network master plan can be built on a sounder market, geographic and resource analysis. By leveraging ArcGIS technology and tools with the advanced geospatial analytics available in VertiGIS ConnectMaster, professionals can better maximize their return on investment.
- Spatial visualization of network assets: Superior, layered visualization of the planned and documented network enables greatly improved asset mapping. The technically detailed and documented fiber network can be made more understandable and accessible to design professionals and non- technicians alike. This bridges the divide between technical network experts and that of the “non-technical community
- Integration with Esri ArcGIS: VertiGIS ConnectMaster supports integration with ArcGIS, allowing users to leverage advanced GIS functionalities and access a wider range of spatial data sources, supporting more robust planning and analysis.
- Integration with additional GIS data formats: The ability to import and export data in a variety of GIS formats such as shapefiles and KML provides compatibility with diverse GIS platforms, ensuring wide-ranging interoperability and superior data continuity.
- OTDR-analysis for network maintenance and troubleshooting: The fault location feature in VertiGIS ConnectMaster pinpoints network faults based on geographical location, enabling quicker dispatching of maintenance teams and more efficient repairs to drive enhanced reliability and revenue.
- Expanded resource allocation and capacity planning: VertiGIS ConnectMaster is designed to help maximize revenue out of the network and preventing sunk/avoidable costs for users. Thanks to its superior spatial analysis capabilities, the software can use integrated GIS data to assess network capacity in specific areas, helping planners identify regions with high demand or limited capacity and prioritize upgrades or expansions accordingly, reducing costs and preventing network expansions where unnecessary.
Application integration is key
The telecommunications industry is highly complex, with numerous applications hosting critical data for various network equipment. VertiGIS ConnectMaster stands out for its flexibility, allowing documentation of all active equipment necessary for logical connectivity. This capability supports the creation of logical connectivity for all available transmission technologies, forming the backbone of our logical resource management.
A key point to note is that transmission network topology is primarily planned within Network Management Systems (NMS). VertiGIS ConnectMaster offers numerous interfaces to various NMS, enabling seamless importation of new connections planned and built within these systems.
The major advantage of this integration is the ability to trace the path of logical links across the physical network, even when logical links are nested within other logical links. This feature greatly simplifies impact analysis during physical network malfunctions or maintenance planning, making these processes much more efficient.
Revolutionary technology for a fast-changing business environment
In leveraging these advanced GIS capabilities, VertiGIS ConnectMaster transforms traditional network management into a spatially aware system that improves planning accuracy, increases operational efficiency and enables a geospatially informed approach to managing telecommunications and utility networks.
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