This document discusses how a cable company can improve field operations and customer service by connecting its network infrastructure data with customer billing and trouble ticket systems. It proposes adding a network ID field to the address form to link each customer location to the network tree. It also recommends daily syncing of billing addresses and account numbers with the GIS system. This allows tracking customers' network connections, differentiating outages, and directing crews more efficiently. The changes help integrate the previously separate infrastructure, billing, and field operations data for improved service and problem resolution.

1. A Spatially Wired
(Telecommunication) Operation
Building Processes that Create Spatial
Connectivity
Neal Nakamura
Oceanic Time Warner Cable
Engineering Information Mgr

2. Spatial Technology is great stuff.
Can it be more than a specialty tool?
FIELD OPS

3. Can it join the Team?
FIELD OPS

4. Old School Cable
Field Engineer

5. The NOF
The Address Not On File Form
• Street Number
• Street Name
• Street Type
• Apartment
• City
• Zipcode

6. Parallel Independent Processes
The “Where?” and “Who?” don’t connect

7. Trouble Calls
• Single Call – schedule service technician visit
• 3 calls from the same street – send maintenance
technician

8. Maturing Cable

9. Parallel Independent Processes
The “Where?” and “Who?” don’t connect

10. The Divide Remained

11. Trouble Calls
• Single Call – schedule service technician visit
• 3 calls from the same street – send maintenance
technician

12. A Key to Service Improvement
Leverage the system intelligence by documenting the tree-and-branch
network relationship between the customer connections:
• Parent-child
• Sibling Sibling
Network
Locations
Parent
Network
Location

13. Create an Engineering to Billing Connection
Modify the NOF Form
• Add a utility to generate a network ID in Billing
• Add a Network ID column in the NOF Form
• Add a new “OSP LAST ACTIVE DEVICE” Network ID column to the NOF

14. Network ID & Address Connection Generator
• A Spatial Join Utility replicates an installer
connecting a house to the nearest tap.

15. Network ID Encapsulates Network Genealogy &
Spatial Data in the Account Records

16. Billing to Network Monitor Sync Passes Network
ID for Processing

17. NETWORK ID processing detects customer
associations:
Differentiates SYSTEM OUTAGES FROM POWER and
IN-HOME OUTAGES.
Directs maintenance crews to the ROOT CAUSE

18. Trouble Calls
• Calls are programmatically matched to the
monitor-detected system and power outages.
Calls become more informative to the customer.
Non event-matching calls are more likely to be
in-home problems.

19. Create a Billing to Engineering Connection
• Train the GIS data entry group to match the billing system
address syntax used in IT
• Setup automated utilities:
– Daily billing system imports into GIS
– Perform SQL join – match billing to GIS addresses
– Update GIS account number on match

21. When IT-GIS Addresses Sync,
White Dots Turn Color to Indicate Reception Conditions

22. GIS, a Game-Changing Team Player
with just 2 Adjustments
• 1. Modify the NOF Form
– Engineering to IT link via Network ID transfer
• 2. Install an IT Account to Engineering Sync
Impact
• Network Operations
• Customer Service
• Field Operations – Service/Maintenance

23. The Octopus