This years’ winners were AT&T, Brightspeed, City of Olathe, Congruex, Crown Castle, Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative, and Western Area Power Administration (WAPA).
Presented at IQGeo’s Global Meetup in Denver, the seven winners included new and long-standing customers using IQGeo’s enterprise network management software, OSPInsight network operations software, and Comsof automated fiber planning software. The winners were selected for their outstanding innovation on projects in the telecommunication, fiber network, and utility industries and the contribution these projects have made to the transformation of their network and business.
Winner: AT&T (Dallas, TX, USA)
Transforming the planning and design process
As part of its digital transformation vision, AT&T is going beyond legacy systems and embracing new tools that modernize and flexibly manage their networks. They are partnering with IQGeo to develop automated planning tools to support their ambitious fiber network rollout objectives. By automating both high-level and low-level designs, AT&T is accelerating the transition from design to construction, significantly shortening their time to market, and maintaining its competitive advantage. The AT&T team are creating a single shared network view that integrates key applications and builds a strong technology foundation for future growth.
Winner: Brightspeed (Charlotte, NC, USA)
Organization-wide lifecycle automation
Brightspeed is the fifth largest ILEC in the USA and are working with IQGeo to implement an automated solution across the entire network lifecycle that is continually expanding in scope. Now Brightspeed uses the IQGeo software to not only manage every stage of their network, but also to integrate and automate every process flow across the organization. They have saved significant money by automating the design process, have given every team a single geospatial view of the network, and have increased productivity to bring new networks to market weeks faster than previously.
Winner: City of Olathe (Olathe, KS, USA)
Open-API efficiency
Utilizing the OSPInsight "integration button" to post structure data to their database, the City of Olathe has bypassed the usual inefficient "swivel chair" data entry methods. Their team uses the Open-API feature to quickly and accurately add OSPInsight data objects from other GIS data sources. This method is an efficient time-saver even for a short list of entries that need to be added to their system of record. The result is elimination of duplicate effort, greater data integrity, and accelerated project timetables.
Winner: Congruex (Boulder, CO, USA)
Product mode deployment
Congruex was one of the first US-based construction and engineering firms to implement Comsof Fiber's new Product Modes after they launched earlier this year. The different Product Modes enable users to rapidly create high-value planning deliverables. This includes high-level designs for bidding and estimating activities, to more detailed designs with fiber-level connectivity for network builds. The Congruex team has leveraged these capabilities to accelerate their planning process, supporting corporate growth targets, and helping to maintain their competitive position as an industry leader in OSP construction and engineering.
Winner: Crown Castle (Denver, CO, USA)
Fiber network data quality
Crown Castle has not only implemented internal processes to ensure their data is absolutely reliable, they've used this drive for perfection to guide and implement powerful new OSPInsight software features. Their most significant innovations are focused on Save Route Auditing and implementing a detailed Splice History for their fiber network. With over 400 users actively editing their network database, the enthusiastic deployment of new capabilities has enabled teams across the company to create a current and accurate network model that is fundamental to the long-term success of the business.
Winner: Sho-Me Electric Power Cooperative (Marshfield, MO, USA)
Advanced vegetation management
The Sho-Me team worked with IQGeo and Overstory AI to create an innovative transmission vegetation management application. Sho-Me can now manages assignments, work progress, and the near real-time status of all field vegetation activities. By combining fieldwork (e.g. spraying) and inspections (e.g. fast-growing or dangerous vegetation), Sho-Me is achieving a transition from a traditional time-based cyclical vegetation program to a more focused, surgical approach that delivers better results and makes more efficient use of expensive vegetation equipment.
Winner: Western Area Power Administration (Lakewood, CO, USA)
Electric transmission line inspection
WAPA provides electrical power to 15 western US states across 17,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines. Together with IQGeo they have created a fully digitized process for ground and helicopter aerial transmission line inspections. They have integrated the new inspection system with their legacy GIS and Maximo workforce management to dramatically streamline their field and office based inspection activities. Key to their success was the easy-to-use interface that was quickly adopted by field crews negotiating remote locations. Supporting online and fully offline inspection processes they are well positioned to meet rigorous Department of Energy inspection requirements and deadlines.
Richard Petti, CEO at IQGeo said: “This year we have another impressive list of innovation projects and choosing our annual winners has been challenging due to the number of strong submissions. What we have focused on to select this years’ winners is their achievements in advancing digital transformation across the entire lifecycle of their networks. All of these organizations have a vision for creating a digital twin of their fiber networks and utility grids that underpins processes from planning and design to construction, operations, and inspections. It’s inspiring to see how these teams are leading the world as they expand and transition their networks towards new technologies and a net zero future. We are honoured to be technology partners for these well-deserved winners and their achievements.”
