A brief history of Ordnance Survey and it's role in the telecommunications industry today

1. GEOSPATIAL DATA AND ITS USE IN TELECOMSEXECUTIVE SUMMARY 45
INFORM NETWORK DEVELOP
mobile networks is the finite nature of
radio spectrum.As we move from 4G to
5G, higher frequencies will have to be used
to meet the growth in data even though
higher frequencies have a shorter range.
Modern building construction materials
make this radio environment very
challenging and, at very high frequencies,
even raindrops and the leaves of a tree can
interfere with the radio signals.To address
these challenges, OS is forging closer links
with telecoms providers to better
understand how its geospatial data could
be used. OS is engaged with the work of
the 5G Innovation Centre at the University
of Surrey to explore ways in which OS data
can be linked to satellite and street-level
views to improve confidence of 5G
deployment. Linking OS data to spectrum
information and even meteorological data
should result in better coverage and faster
speeds, and keep rollout costs down.
Using geospatial data, telecoms providers
can assess the whole country based on
property type or building use to identify the
best areas to expand network availability.
They can also review a number of
scenarios common to both mobile and
fixed networks.
Clutter data helps mobile network planners
understand the built and natural
environment.Typically grids of 25 or 50
metres are used with each square having a
value that relates to the feature on the
ground present in that space.A modelling
tool then uses these categories to assign
values appropriate to the task at hand.
Understanding building density is
important, but also premises density (that
is, properties within buildings such as flats)
or even types of property such as
residential versus commercial, or
warehouse versus office block.
Similar to clutter data, but on a micro-level,
access to current, detailed data is
important for line-of-sight analysis. Roof
profile, tree canopy and surface type can
be important, but also building type, for
example, accommodating rise-and-fall
liquefied natural gas storage tanks.The
challenge to planners intensifies when you
consider UK urban areas are constantly
changing.
In the fixed-line space, meeting the UK’s
high-speed broadband rollout goal and re-
instatement or repair of existing lines will
be some of the largest costs that lie ahead.
For decades, OS data has been used
across the asset management industry to
assist street works management. Some of
the more interesting ways in which
geospatial data has been used in making
operations efficient, includes using the
metadata behind the map to make dig cost
calculations. Laying new lines and
repairing assets in the pavement is more
costly than in the verge, but it is not as
costly as digging in the road.The OS
graphical information systems can tell
users about surface type in a way that
enables automation of the costing process.
A convergence between the geospatial
world and the spectrum/network
optimisation world is opening new
possibilities to reduce network deployment
costs. OS is working with the industry to
help realise the value spatial data brings to
the challenges faced by service providers.
For those in the industry,
geography has always been of
the utmost importance, and that
importance looks set to grow as
we enter a new era of smart
cities and the Internet of Things.
For decades the utilities
industry has relied on Ordnance
Survey’s (OS’s) data to assist
with important decisions related
to investment, planning and
operations. This continues today
as OS data supports every
major telecoms company in
relation to their fixed networks.
An understanding of geospatial
data will be one of the key
factors in making the continued
development of the telecoms
network a success.
The depth and breadth of data produced
and managed by OS is the best example of
its kind and is used by governments,
companies and individuals to keep the
nation, economy and infrastructure
moving.The data ranges from the country-
wide scale and yet is simultaneously
granular down to the location of every fixed
physical feature.This huge database of
450 million geographic features is kept
fresh by a team of 270 surveyors and
aircraft producing more than 10,000
updates daily.
Our future prosperity will depend on
communications and data traffic. Such
reliance means that the network has to be
robust and work no matter what. One
potential and immediate sticking point with
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THE JOURNAL TJ
GEOSPATIAL DATA AND
ITS USE IN TELECOMS
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2. Take a brand new smartphone
out of its box and you’ll find
very few features that do not
have a location element. Ben
Nduva maps out the importance
of the technology behind this
de facto everyday norm and
explains its importance to
UK plc.
For consumers,beyond not being able to find
a mobile network when they expect to be
connected wherever they are,it is very easy
to take geography’s vital role in
telecommunications for granted.For those in
the industry,geography has always been of
the utmost importance,and that importance
looks set to grow as we enter a new era of
smart cities and the Internet ofThings.
For decades the utilities industry has relied on
Ordnance Survey’s (OS’s) highly accurate and
up-to-date data,upon which critical decisions
have been made; including the important
decisions related to investment,planning and
operations.This continues today as OS data
supports every major telecoms company in
relation to their fixed networks.
However,look to the future and you see an
economy growing evermore reliant on a
resilient,responsive wireless and fixed
THE JOURNAL TJ
46 BEN NDUVA
Volume 9 | Part 4 - 2015
GEOSPATIAL DATA
AND ITS USE IN TELECOMS
BEN NDUVA
Geography’s role in
telecommunications.

3. 47
INFORM NETWORK DEVELOP
communications network.Demand from
commercial and consumer markets for better
service and better connectivity to more and
more devices is set to continue in a way
which will outstrip current capacity and
technology (see Figure 1).The continued
development of the telecoms network is of
paramount importance to UK plc. An
understanding of geospatial data will be one
of the key factors in making this a success.
InNovember2015theUKPrimeMinister,David
Cameron,pledgedthatallUKhomesand
businesseswillhaveaccesstofastbroadband
by2020[1],whichmustpresumablyinclude
thedifficultyofconnectingeventheremotest
homesfoundonislandsorupmountains.And
beforethat,inDecember2014theUK
Governmentsecuredadealunderwhichall
wirelesstelecomswillhave90%geographical
coverageforvoicecommunicationsintheUK
bytheendof2017[2].
In addition to the ambition of connecting all of
the UK to the Internet and having 90%
geographical coverage for voice,there’s also
another major infrastructure/communications
project that deadlines in 2020.Between now
and then utility companies have to replace
approximately 53 million gas and electricity
meters with smart metres [3].All 53 million of
these new smart meters must be able to
wirelessly send and receive data with its utility
company. This is despite the fact many of
these smart meters will be placed down in
basements and in other hidden and hard to
reach locations that can hamper their ability to
communicate.
On top of this major activity you have many
established businesses,SMEs and start-ups
investigating ways they can exploit the
opportunities in this exciting new age of
telecommunications. One example of this is
the start-up OpenCapacity,a team of three
who are working out of OS’s Geovation Hub
[4] on a project that will see real-time data
communicated from trains and other sources,
along with historic data,fed into an algorithm
that will predict to those waiting on the
station’s platform,which rail carriage on the
approaching train will be the likeliest to give
you an empty seat.
Big data
The depth and breadth of data produced and
managed by OS has no equal or equivalent
anywhere in the world.It is the best example
of its kind and is used by governments,
companies and individuals to keep the nation,
economy and infrastructure moving.The data
ranges from the macro,country-wide scale
and yet is simultaneously so granular and
accurate that the location of every fixed
physical feature,from the ground upwards,is
registered.This huge database of 450 million
up-to-date geographic features is kept fresh
by a team of 270 surveyors and aircraft that
produce more than 10,000 updates to the
system each day.( See‘Collection and
management of geospatial data’ box for
greater insight into the capture and
management of the data.)
This data is crucial to the successful planning
of smart cities and the Internet ofThings.
Without it,this future would arguably still be
the stuff of science fiction.
Geospatial data and telecoms
Ideally what you get,when you gaze at the
future,is an improved and prosperous society
functioning on the strength of enormous
amounts of communications and data traffic
sent across the fixed and mobile network.
Such investment of faith and finance in this
system means that,for it to happen,the
network has to be robust and work no matter
what.
One potential and immediate sticking point
with mobile networks is the radio spectrum
being a finite resource.Spectrum congestion
combined with the massive increase in
demand for bandwidth brought about by the
growth of the Internet,means that as we
move from 4G to 5G,higher frequencies will
have to be used.Higher frequencies have a
shorter range,but do have the advantage of
enabling larger amounts of data to be sent
and received.The problem is that things like
buildings with foil-covered insulation boards
make this radio environment very challenging
and,at very high frequencies,even raindrops
and the leaves of a tree can interfere with the
radio signals. To address the challenges
caused by using higher frequencies,OS is
forging closer links with telecoms providers to
better understand how its data fits in with their
world,in terms of how it answers their
questions and in finding resolutions using the
data currently available.
THE JOURNAL TJ
GEOSPATIAL DATA AND ITS USE IN TELECOMS
Figure 1: Forecasts of exabytes per month of mobile data traffic
Source: CiscoVNI Mobile,2015. See:http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/collateral/service-
provider/visual-networking-index-vni/white_paper_c11-520862.html

4. THE JOURNAL TJ
48 BEN NDUVA
In September 2015,OS began working with
the 5G Innovation Centre at the University of
Surrey to explore ways in which OS data can
be linked to satellite and even street-level
views to enable the possibility of fast and
efficient deployment of 5G capability,for
example to avoid ending up with more masts
than is necessary.Linking OS data to
spectrum information and even
meteorological data should result in better
coverage and faster speeds to connected
devices,all the while helping keep costs for
the rollout down.
When he joined OS this summer as its CEO,
Nigel Clifford brought considerable experience
of the telecoms industry to the role,
particularly an understanding of the industry’s
needs and how listening and through
collaboration OS can help.The 5GIC project
associated with the University of Surrey is just
one example of this.Through engagement
with geospatial data,telecoms providers can
assess the whole country based on property
type or building use to identify the best areas
to expand network availability. They can also
review a number of scenarios common to
both Mobile and Fixed Network Operators.
Some ways in which OS geospatial data can
be used by telecoms network operators are
outlined below. (See Case Study box for an
example of the use of OS data by Openreach.)
Clutter data
Clutter data helps mobile network planners
understand the built and natural environment
when it comes to deploying and optimising a
wireless network.Typically grids of 25 or 50
metres are used,and each square is given a
value that relates to the feature on the ground
present in that space. A modelling tool then
uses these categories to assign values
appropriate to the task at hand to begin the
modelling process.This process has some
strong geospatial elements within it.
By using the most up-to-date data on land
features and activity,such as home building,
which may impact the future of the site being
assessed,the planner will have at their
disposal the best data to make decisions.
Understanding building density is important,
Volume 9 | Part 4 - 2015
Collection and management of geospatial data
Data collection
Field surveys – OS field surveyors across the UK support a programme of continuous
revision.They promptly survey the most significant changes to the ‘built environment’
including new buildings, roads, names and addresses.They also capture and
maintain information which underpins the land registration process in England,Wales
and Scotland.
Field surveyors use OS’s central system for management of geospatial data which
contains the most detailed mapping of the UK in a single data model. From this, OS
MasterMap® is produced which contains a suite of different layers, each providing a
different aspect of mapping data for use in a geographic information system (GIS).
Aerial imagery – High definition imagery is captured between March and November
by aircraft and downloaded after flying for processing at one of 30 digital
photogrammetric workstations.These workstations display stereo-images overlaid
with map data. Geographically-adjacent images are overlapped and, by using
polarised glasses, can be viewed as a single 3D image. By adjusting the level of
overlap, the height and position of features on the landscape can be accurately
determined.
External suppliers – OS works with a number of external suppliers who support data
delivery and services.These include aerial photography, creating digital imagery and
height datasets, address data and maintaining and improving topographic data.
Data management
Once collected, data is used in a number of ways to create OS’s datasets:
Data enhancement – By using a range of advanced GISs, value can be added to the
topographic data.The data can also be enhanced using knowledge of planned
change to the landscape; identifying the ‘what, when and where’ of a particular
feature such as a new road, building, building demolitions or the change of use of a
building.The team is also responsible for recording electoral and administrative
boundaries within Great Britain.
Cartography – OS cartographers use the data, together with data from other
organisations – such as National Air Traffic Control (air charts); Defence Estates (low
flying charts; defence training areas) and the Boundary Commission (parliamentary
boundary information), to create derived products.The cartographers use techniques
to reduce real-world information down to readable and usable formats.
Quality management – OS have procedures in place to check the work produced,
assuring its processes, people and data, as well as the products and services
provided to customers. It involves ‘end to end’ audits and process reviews,
assessment of production quality control measures and individual performance
monitoring.
Data analysis – OS can analyse vast quantities of geospatial data to really understand
location and improve business processes.The power, value and application of
geographic information can underpin important decision making.

5. 49
INFORM NETWORK DEVELOP
but also premises density (that is,properties
within buildings such as flats) or even types of
property such as residential versus
commercial,or a warehouse versus an office
block.
Line-of-sight analysis
Similar to clutter data,but on a micro-level,
access to current,detailed data is important
for line-of-sight analysis.When siting masts
for point-to-point or multi-point
communications,access to detailed building
and terrain data is key.Roof profile,tree
canopy and surface type can be important,
but also building type,for example,
accommodating rise and fall liquefied natural
gas storage tanks.The challenge to planners
intensifies when you consider UK urban areas
are constantly changing and evolving and
there is around 15,490km2 of it to contend
with.
Cable network planning
In the fixed-line space,efficiently connecting
the whole of the UK by 2020 and re-
instatement or repair of existing lines will be
some of the largest costs that lie ahead.For
decades,OS data has been used across the
asset management industry to assist street
works management.Some of the more
interesting ways in which geospatial data has
been used in making operations efficient,
includes using the metadata behind the map
to make cost calculations against the dig.
Laying new lines and repairing assets in the
pavement is more costly than in the verge,but
it is not as costly as digging in the road.The
OS MasterMapTopography Layer1
can tell
users about surface type in a way that
enables automation of the costing process.
Most cable assets,particularly copper but not
excluding fibre,were laid a long time ago and
the surface may have changed,multiple
times.Hence,an obvious need for planners to
have up-to-date location intelligence.
Building on this capability,the UK Prime
Minister’s 2020 broadband expansion target
can be tackled in the most efficient way
possible. Location intelligence can be used to
spearhead the drive to reducing the number
of roads crossed,the street closures that
come with this and the associated costs,all
the while protecting brand identity and
increasing the number of properties past.
AUTHOR’S CONCLUSIONS
The continued development of the telecoms
network is of paramount importance to UK
plc.Demand in commercial and consumer
markets is set to continue in a way which will
outstrip current capacity and technology.A
convergence between the geospatial world
and the spectrum/network optimisation world,
along with increased and cheaper processor
power,and big data is opening new
possibilities to reduce network deployment
costs and thereby speed up deployment.OS is
working with network providers,system
providers,regulators and research bodies to
help realise the value spatial data brings to the
wide and varied opportunities and challenges
faced by all communication service providers.
THE JOURNAL TJ
GEOSPATIAL DATA AND ITS USE IN TELECOMS
Case study – BT Openreach saves
millions with OS data
As the guardian of the local access
network, the infrastructure that delivers
the data, broadband and voice services
to homes and businesses, Openreach
has to plan and execute thousands of
street works across the country every
year.
When street works are required, any
one of 3,000 Openreach Job Originators
will log onto the Streetworks
Notification System2
which pulls in
basic data from the National Street
Gazetteer3
and then instantly links to
the most current OS MasterMap
Topography Layer – the nation’s most
detailed geographic database – straight
from web mapping OS OnDemand.
This obviates the need for an additional
Openreach server to host and maintain
the data, which in itself provides
significant saving. In addition to that,
the number of notice penalties incurred
from Local Authorities due to using
incorrect or out-of-date information is
massively reduced.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ben Nduva
Ben,as a Strategic
Development Manager,plays a
dual role in working with OS data licensees in
the fixed and wireless telco industry and in
feeding the internal programme of product
and services development driven through
market insight from the telecommunications
industry. With a BSc in Business Information
Technology,and eight years’ experience
working in the OS indirect and direct
commercial teams,Ben is well placed to be
the join between geospatial experts at OS and
network planners and technologists in the
telecommunications industry.
ABBREVIATIONS
GIS Geographic Information System
OS Ordnance Survey
1 See: https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/business-and-government/products/mastermap-products.html
2 See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/street-works-technical-specification-for-electronic-transfer-of-noticing
3 See: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/national-street-gazetteer
REFERENCES
1. UK Government press release.
Government plans to make sure no-
one is left behind on broadband
access. Nov 2015.
2. UK Government press release.
Government secures landmark deal
for UK mobile phone users. Dec 2014.
3. UK Government policy paper. 2010 to
2015 government policy:household
energy. May 2015.
4. OS press release. Ordnance Survey to
open hub dedicated to innovation. Feb
2015.
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