Highlights from the latest release of Network Manager Telecom.
We all know how competitive and fluid the broadband industry is. New players emerge every month in parallel to some very significant acquisitions and market consolidations. It’s a very dynamic business landscape that’s not forgiving to those that can’t keep up. Key to success in these competitive conditions is the ability to move quickly to roll out new fiber – and once deployed, to fully exploit your fiber capacity to maximize revenue potential.
The integrated lifecycle capabilities of IQGeo’s Network Manager Telecom software provides broadband operators with the foundation they need to plan, design, build, operate and sell their fiber networks, and the latest release includes two exciting enhancements that specifically address the fiber rollout and rapid customer connection challenge. The Comsof Fiber automated planning and design software is now fully integrated into Network Manager Telecom, and we’ve also launched a new Path Finder fiber path routing tool. Targeting different stages of the network lifecycle, these capabilities take fiber planning and management to a new level of efficiency by streamlining the processes that enable operators to rapidly deploy and monetize their fiber networks.
Video: Starting a new fiber network design with Comsof Fiber planning integrated into Network Manager Telecom.
The industry has a wide range of tools to help with the fiber planning, design, and construction process, but all too often these applications are siloed from different vendors. This forces operators to use them as disconnected software products and constantly swivel between multiple applications or attempt to integrate them and take on the long-term IT debt of customization and support. Both of these choices are far from ideal since they delay the transition from planning to revenue and introduce significant cost and risk.
Video: Configuring fiber network design rules with Comsof Fiber planning integrated into Network Manager Telecom.
Following IQGeo’s acquisition of Comsof in August 2022, the Comsof Fiber automated fiber planning and design software has now been fully integrated into Network Manager Telecom. This provides a single integrated software environment, eliminating swivel-chair between applications and high-risk data transfers between internal and contractor systems. Fiber planning and design is seamlessly connected with field survey and construction processes, reducing errors, providing up-to-date progress reporting, and ensuring greater collaboration.
Video: Tweaking and recalculating a fiber design with Comsof Fiber planning integrated into Network Manager Telecom.
This integration also allows operators to benefit from the advanced features that are native to Network Manager Telecom, including shared project areas and design version control, which promote collaboration between engineers, project managers, and contractors. The integration of Comsof Fiber means that everyone is working within a single connected environment, improving process efficiency and quality by eliminating the multiple points of failure that are intrinsic to traditional multi-system environments. The end result is a streamlined planning, design, and construction process that gets fiber into the ground quicker for faster ROI.
Video: Changing a fiber design with Comsof Fiber planning integrated into Network Manager Telecom.
Once fiber is in place, operators also need to efficiently manage the allocation of their available network capacity to ensure they don’t miss revenue opportunities for servicing customers. Traditionally, connection requests are solved using a manual and time-consuming process, as expensive fiber engineers pick through the fiber network configurations to determine the best possible route. And since it’s such a manual process, it’s subject to risk and inefficiency, and is too time-consuming to allow the analysis of multiple scenarios which could increase the long-term revenue profile.
The new Path Finder capability was designed specifically to assist the fiber engineer in determining the optimal fiber path routing when connecting new locations to the network to maximize revenue and meet SLA’s. Responding quickly to a connection request can also make the difference between sales success and failure, and Path Finder is a hugely valuable tool for overworked fiber engineers by virtually eliminating the manual fiber routing process.
Video: Finding the best fiber path for a new connection using the Path Finder feature inside Network Manager Telecom.
Path Finder enables designers and sales engineers to quickly identify optimal fiber connection paths within their existing networks in minutes, rather than days. Engineers using Path Finder can define a set of connectivity rules based on available fiber ports, distance to cover, and routes to avoid. Within seconds, the system identifies the best possible fiber path options and provides documentation for field crews to expedite the connection of broadband services. By reducing the time required to plan a connection, the new Path Finder capability enables sales teams to exceed their revenue targets through faster response and higher win rates.
The Comsof Fiber integration and Path Finder capabilities represent two very significant extensions to Network Manager Telecom and clearly illustrate the mission of IQGeo’s Integrated Lifecycle solution. At the beginning of the network lifecycle, Comsof Fiber leads the industry with its automated design and planning capabilities. At the other end of the lifecycle, Path Finder helps design and sales engineers quickly choose the best possible circuit routes and monetize fiber capacity. Together, they further expand IQGeo’s industry-best Integrated Lifecycle solution.
To learn more about these new capabilities and to discuss the benefits of an integrated approach, talk to our industry experts and see how you can take your fiber planning and network management to a new level of efficiency that enables you to rapidly deploy and monetize your fiber networks.