IQGeo hosted a webinar discussing how accurate predictive data is a game-changer in the telecom industry, bridging the gap between operational efficiency and smarter sales strategies.
During the webinar, Stefan Schneider, IQGeo’s Telecom Product Manager, highlighted the importance of the critical role of infrastructure knowledge and predictive analysis in reducing faults and increasing wins.
While Jonas Verstuyft, IQGeo’s Product Manager, Sales Enablement, expanded on how to use asset data to help sales and operations be more predictive, catch faults before they happen and capture opportunities as they arise.
Predictive fiber network operations
In ‘the old way’ of predictive operations, a physical asset inventory holds assets on a map. However, this outdated method creates significant challenges, including inaccurate asset states, poor integration with tools like OSS/BSS, and frustrated engineers due to manual workflows.
Jonas Verstuyft, Product Manager, Sales Enablement, IQGeo: “If you don’t have good quality data about your existing network assets, you cannot trust the information that comes out of the system.”
The “new way” of predictive operations resolves these issues with a fully integrated physical asset operations management model, featuring configurable modelling for all the technologies operators might have in their network.
It’s easy to integrate with Operational Support Systems (OSS), such as fault management, performance management and ticket management is straightforward. It also seamlessly integrates with assets mapped on the system.
For the operations and sales team to use the tools effectively, the ‘new way’ has extensible workflows that can be adapted to different preferences. Rich metadata, including real-time status and in-depth information, is kept on the map, not just the asset. This allows for querying and enriching information on the systems.
Additionally, this approach offers extensive API support to ensure seamless integration with other systems. By eliminating data silos, robust API capabilities make asset management processes more flexible and connected, allowing for easy data exchange between systems and simplifying the operator’s tasks.
Attendees were asked during the webinar “What percentage of faults do you think can be proactively discovered in your network if you had the right systems in place?”
They answered: Over 50%
It’s clear that many understand the benefit of the ‘new way’ of leveraging predictive data to catch faults in advance and ultimately create efficiencies.
Real-life example of the predictive fiber network data
Predictive operations can enrich fault tickets with precise location data. By combining asset maps with fault management systems, operators can pinpoint the exact location of faults and include this information in tickets. Field crews receive direct access to asset and location details, enabling faster resolution and reducing downtime.
Another real-life example is an improvement in provisioning and resource reservation. Adding metadata creates breadcrumbs between the systems with the ability to reference this asset in the language that the other system understands. As this data can be referenced across multiple systems, a circuit can be created between two points.
The future of predictive operations
In the future of predictive operations, we can expect deeper integration, extensible automation, and more contextual interfaces. This will result in richer actionable information, creating more efficient teams and workflows. The ultimate vision of predictive data is creating seamless, automated processes.
Stefan Schneider, Telecom Product Manager, IQGeo: “It’s about breaking the silos that most operators create around data and making sure that that data becomes actionable for folks that may not be the target audience.”
The future roadmap for faster and more efficient fault resolution will look like this:
- OTDR test-head detects fault and notifies IQGeo Network Manager Telecom.
- The fault location is calculated, and a crew is dispatched.
- The OTDR test-head generates restoration options while the crew are on route.
- An engineer selects restoration option on site, completes the work and updates the data.
- The network changes are then propagated to other systems.
Predictive sales with Network Revenue Optimizer
Predictability and insights can help with making smarter network extensions that lead to sales outcomes. Typically, if the assets are in a specific area and there is a connection request coming in, a new network is needed to get the customer connected and conduct several investigations.
Today’s sales challenges include extensive research processes, costly estimates, and lost opportunities due to delays or inaccuracies. Integrating predictive capabilities solves these sales challenges.
When the webinar attendees were asked “how certain are you that you know all potential customers in a service area?” the majority answer from respondents was “not very”, highlighting missed opportunities due to flawed technology.
In the ‘new way’, IQGeo Network Revenue Optimizer is responsible for assessing and making connections that can lead to sales outcomes. It calculates the most cost-effective route for making a connection, taking into account existing assets, the costs for any new build work that needs to be done, and which existing assets can be reused.
Predictive capabilities solve real sales challenges, such as avoiding costly estimates or lost customers. For optimal performance, it’s key to empower sales and sales engineering teams. This can be achieved by:
Integrating the workflow so existing assets are fully available for the sales workflow.
Smart routing to determine where to connect, automated and taking account all cost information for new builds as well as obstacles.
Dynamic routing control and editing capabilities to make changes to the route based on local knowledge and create a more accurate estimate.
Opportunity management to identify all potential customers available to connect with when assessing opportunity, with insights included in the cost.
The benefits of this include improved conversion rates, enhanced ROI and proactive opportunity management.
What about the future of predictive sales in telecom?
The ultimate vision of predictive fiber network data is creating seamless, automated processes that can be utilized in predictive sales. The functionality will be similar to Copilot, the system can create a bespoke quote and move away from manual steps. This would be supported by a fully integrated workflow with minimal interactions.
For inbound this process would run as follows:
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The request for service is received by CRM.
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It optimizes the route with surface data and network capacity.
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A sales engineer approves the estimate, issues permits and schedules work.
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Engineer commissions service hands-free.
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Data is updated in real-time triggering zero-touch activation.
For outbound, with access to more data, warnings will be issued relating to the estimate. This process relies on several key elements:
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High-quality data: Accurate and insightful data about the area, including factors that influence costs and the existing network.
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Advanced algorithms: Strong algorithms that leverage this data to provide actionable insights.
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Integrated solutions: Ensuring all components are up-to-date to maintain efficiency and accuracy.
For operations, good asset inventory data can help systems to proactively understand fault location and impact. Not just where the fault is, but what sits behind it and how many customers will be impacted, allowing operators to leverage the data and give actionable insights. This approach reduces customer turnover and frustration by reducing the duration and unpredictability of outages. The automated process keeps customers from joining competitors because of operational issues.
For sales, using automation and integration with this data can help ensure opportunities are secured, increasing revenue. In short, better data leads to more ROI and happier customers, optimizing performance seamlessly and efficiently.
To find out more, watch the on-demand recording of the Using accurate, predictive data to reduce faults and increase wins webinar.
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