IQGeo AI Enhances Telecom Network Asset Accuracy
IQGeo Acquires Deepomatic to Bridge Network Data Gap
FIBER CONNECT, NASHVILLE — A significant gap often exists between what telecom operators believe they know about their network assets and the actual state of those assets in the field. IQGeo, a developer of geospatial software for telecom companies, aims to close this gap by integrating Artificial Intelligence into its network mapping technology. The company is set to finalize its acquisition of AI firm Deepomatic by the end of this month.
Deepomatic's specialized software leverages AI to scan photographs taken by field workers, images from Google Street View, and other third-party sources. This allows for the assessment of network assets, detection of potential issues, and seamless updates to geospatial models, often without direct human intervention. This acquisition is poised to help operators ensure fieldwork is executed correctly and to refine the accuracy of their network maps.
AI Photo Analysis: The Key to Accurate Field Data
According to Jay Cadman, SVP, and George Hughes, head of value consulting at IQGeo, who spoke at Fiber Connect, this technology will enable operators to manage their contractors more effectively. "In the background, any time you take a picture in the field, there’s all sorts of data surrounding that we are now capturing that AI understands and brings back to the GIS system," Cadman explained. He emphasized that the core problem has long been the discrepancy between an operator’s documented network system of record and the reality on the ground.
Hughes provided a practical example: a splice closure. An operator’s system might indicate a certain number of fibers are available for sale at a specific splice closure. However, in reality, only half that number might be available. “I’m going to a business and saying it’s ready to go; but it’s not,” Hughes stated. “It leaves a bad representation.”
Cadman further elaborated on the historical challenge: “For years we’ve been trying to build systems that help people collect data in the field, but no matter how simple, there’s still a discrepancy. People are trying to do their jobs, not keep records.” To address this, Deepomatic offers around 400 different AI models that telecom companies can deploy for various work scenarios.
The Broader Push for AI in Network Management
The use of AI image technology in field operations is not entirely new. For instance, Rakuten Mobile in Japan also developed this type of technology in-house, as detailed in a Fierce Network Research report.
During a panel at Fiber Connect, James King, a solutions engineer with broadband solutions vendor Millennium, mentioned that his company has utilized data from both IQGeo and Vetro. Speaking on the trend of enhancing mapping technology with AI, King remarked, “A lot of people are racing into this space.”
For years we’ve been trying to build systems that help people collect data in the field, but no matter how simple, there’s still a discrepancy.
Jay Cadman, SVP, IQGeo
King also highlighted the rapid pace of technological change: “The technological advancements in the field are happening very quickly. We’re driving routes at 60 miles per hour with cameras.”
IQGeo: A Focus on Workflows and Practical Solutions
IQGeo initially found its niche by assisting telecom professionals “who don’t want to be a GIS expert,” Cadman said. The company later expanded its services to electric and gas companies. Though previously public, IQGeo was acquired by private equity firm KKR in 2024. In the United States, IQGeo serves 29 of the top 50 telcos, including major players like AT&T and Brightspeed, and boasts around 600 customers globally. The U.K.-based company, with North America as its largest market, currently has about 350 employees; the acquisition of Deepomatic will add another 50.
While other companies, such as Vetro, use GIS to create network systems of record, Cadman clarified IQGeo's approach: “We would not walk in and say, ‘Our focus is system of record.’ We would say, ‘We build workflows that allow you to manage your physical inventory.’”
Hughes added that telcos manage numerous “workflows,” spanning from initial network design and supply chain management to budget planning, with macro workflows often triggering many smaller, subsequent workflows.
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