News, insights, and industry knowledge from the GEOGRAPH team.
Return on investment, or ROI, is at the heart of nearly all business decisions. From hiring new employees to making important equipment purchases, it is a leading measure of profitability. It is also a valuable metric to use if you are considering investing in a modern system of records. Here we’ll use an example of […]
These strategies apply to FCC Form 477 filings for data as of December 31, 2019 and beyond. For more information or requirements for data before December 31, 2019 visit the FCC website here. Here are simple guidelines you may follow to make your preparation for FCC Form 477 quick and efficient: Identify all project stakeholders […]
In our latest webinar we examined the various methods and architectures in designing and planning FTTx networks. There are pros and cons to each. This article will focus on fiber to the home (FTTH) networks using a centralized-split architecture and its advantages and disadvantages. First, let’s define FTTH. This terminology is used to describe a […]
Generally, there are three levels of FTTx network planning: strategic, high-level, and detailed. At a strategic level, stakeholders decide to what extent the network should grow and how much to invest in that growth. High-level planning is about structural considerations for each geographic planning area. Finally, during detailed network planning, the “to-build” plan is created. […]
You’ve set up your Geographic Information System (GIS) platform and now you’re ready to move your data from CAD and Excel files into your GIS. This is not a simple task as it comes with a long list of things to consider. How accurate is your data? Is your data missing information? Does your data […]
It’s no secret that fiber outperforms legacy plant by a big stretch. Yet, most of the country still runs on Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC) or Copper plant. According to 2020 Network Medium Coverage Data, only about 40% coverage in the US is with fiber, while 91% is with HFC or Copper. In the best-case scenario, […]
Digital transformation has been a buzzword for several years. Generally, it refers to the adoption and implementation of digital technologies to transform the way business is done. Usually, this process is driven by market demand: it is not enough to offer a landline and DSL-based internet or to have an outage that lasts for days. […]
Planning and managing your capital expenditures (CAPEX) is a challenging task. It can be particularly difficult during a worldwide pandemic. As demand for broadband increases, you may face tough decisions: Do you focus on strategic growth or tactical maintenance? Do you seize opportunities outside your footprint, or secure your current network and customers? How can […]
The worldwide pandemic of 2020 threw a major curveball at our way of life, work, and relationships. It has also influenced and will continue to have an effect on how we plan, design, build, and manage communications networks. Looking back at 2020, here are a few lessons learned we’d like to share with you and […]
You have invested in a GIS, or you are planning on doing so. That’s great! Many organizations that have implemented GIS at an enterprise level have seen significant benefits. Most of them center around tangible outcomes, like considerable cost savings and increased productivity, or intangibles, like growing collaboration. Yet those organizations that limit the use […]
Location intelligence has become a key component of modern communications network operation and management. As a service provider or network operator, you often ask questions that start with “where,” such as, “where are the ducts, pipes, conduits, circuits, switches, etc.?” With legacy systems, this critical information on the locations, compositions, capacities, and conditions of network […]
Planning a new network is always challenging and complex. There is a lot of work that goes into it. Yet having a solid plan is not always enough. In network planning, flexibility is vital. As a network planner, you need your network to address current needs while being flexible to meet future demands. Plus, you […]
