In 1996, I went to work for Cambric Corporation in Salt Lake City, Utah as a deputy project manager for a telecom operations outside-plant (OSP) data conversion project. The client was Bell Canada, and we had three primary subcontractors, based in India, that were responsible for the vast majority of the labor in converting legacy analog engineering design and “as-builts” drawings in to a full AM/FM/GIS for roughly 255 telephone exchanges covering the eastern provinces of Canada. I was largely responsible for managing the production schedules, operations and quality control of our Indian subcontractors. This required a fair amount of time on the ground in India providing guidance, oversight, supervision and management of nearly 1,000 project team members for more than 18 months.
Managing large-scale OSP data conversion with international teams
When I accepted the role, I understood basic telecom operations, networks, and landline equipment. Cellular communications barely existed at that time, though we take them for granted today. I quickly gained expertise to perform effectively in my role. Visiting subcontractors in Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad made this expertise crucial. They mastered the complex division of labor needed for efficient production. Additionally, they understood eastern Canada’s telecommunications networks in remarkable detail.
Managing large-scale data conversion
The resources spent on this massive transformation were substantial. Bell Canada realized impressive business value across its entire enterprise in the years following the project. Despite investing tens of millions, the IMaP GIS system data never matched the actual infrastructure. Delays in work-order processing, construction, posting, and reconciliation prevented the data from staying current. There was no ability to capture accurate digital data in the field at the point of transaction (where a cable is split or spliced, a new line installed, etc.), and so the large-scale (1 inch = 100 feet) design documents had to be updated in the field on a paper work order.
Field engineers used remote rugged laptops to capture work order details and actual installations after the conversion project. However, significant lag-time occurred because engineers could be out for days before checking in their work. This delay challenged the network operations center’s ability to provide responsive fault detection and troubleshooting. While better than before, the system still fell short of its full potential in later years.
Modernizing telecom operations with real-time data solutions
Thankfully, by 2019, many of those legacy issues had disappeared. Managing a complex telecommunication network, including copper coaxial cable, fiber, wireless, and satellite, became routine. Handling the requisite switching, signal boosting, power, and relay equipment in real time was now an everyday occurrence.Capturing data at the point of transaction and syncing with enterprise geospatial infrastructure in real time with tools like Fulcrum is also increasingly common among telecommunications and cable providers, as well as their trusted subcontractors. Fulcrum can be found in operations documenting wireless tower installations, upgrades and maintenance in concert with UAV (drone) operations, video-mapping buried infrastructure for damage prevention (call-before-you-dig) operations, business or consumer equipment installation or repair, customer segmentation and analysis for marketing purposes, 5G tower and antenna site selection or network optimization engineering and competitor analysis, among dozens of other critical business functions. Fulcrum has found a receptive audience in the telecommunications industry, and that’s an indication to us that there are still real problems to solve, and that we’ve struck the right chord in helping solve many of them.
Check out the vast array of telecom operations apps we’ve built for your needs and our team will be delighted to answer any questions you may have during your trial as you explore how Fulcrum can be leveraged across your enterprise.
Fulcrum is a data collection platform that enables organizations to reduce costs, access critical data in real time, and improve decision making at every level. With Fulcrum, you can create custom apps using our simple drag-and-drop builder to turn your paper documents into digital forms that your field teams can quickly complete on mobile devices.