The Market is Maturing – Now It’s All About Efficient Operations
After years of rapid expansion, the Open Access network market has entered a new phase. Most areas are now fiber-connected, and the focus has shifted to optimizing operations, streamlining processes, and ensuring seamless post-deployment connections. The remaining areas to connect are often the most remote and least economically viable. Automation, data quality, and customer experience are now critical to long-term success for network owners and operators.
COS Business Engine is designed to manage the full lifecycle of an Open Access network – from expressions of interest and customer onboarding to ongoing operations. By leveraging the platform’s comprehensive functionality, networks can maximize efficiency, minimize manual work, and deliver a seamless experience to both customers and service providers. Below, we walk through the six key phases we’ve identified for successful network operation – and built our platform to automate as much as possible. Every network has processes in place, but the key is to make them work seamlessly together.
1. Market and Demand Analysis?
To make informed decisions about expansion, it’s essential to understand market conditions and demand.
- Project Areas: Larger regions are divided into smaller projects where address data is imported when available; otherwise, map tools like Google Maps are used.
- Interest Registration and Pre-Orders: By collecting expressions of interest, the network can assess demand, gather speed test data, and analyze competitive presence, project by project. As build-out approaches, customers can place pre-orders to aid planning.
2. Planning and Deployment Decisions
A structured planning phase ensures that resources are used effectively and the build-out remains profitable.
- Status Management and Communication: COS Business Engine keeps each project area’s status updated and automates communication with customers based on the current phase.
- Build-Out Decisions: Based on collected pre-orders, the network owner can prioritize areas according to demand and optimize installation planning.
3. Construction and Documentation
Once a decision has been made, smooth processes for installation and documentation are key.
- Work Order Management: When a project area enters the “In Deployment” phase, work orders are automatically created for all orders.
- Installer Portal: Installers access a portal to view their tasks and document work directly in the system via mobile or tablet.
- Status Tracking: The system monitors installation status per address and informs customers when services are ready to be activated — including for post-deployment connections in already built areas.
- “Birth Certificate”: Upon installation completion, light levels and speed test results are saved automatically, providing a reliable reference for the future.
4. Service Activation
Once fiber is installed, the next step is to get the customer online.
- Automated Provisioning: Thanks to COS Business Engine’s integrations, services are automatically activated once the CPE is installed.
- Customer Portal for Service Selection: Customers choose and activate services directly through the customer portal, without manual handling from the network or service providers.
- Self-Service for Providers: Providers manage their offerings through their own accounts, minimizing the need for involvement from the network owner.
5. Day-to-Day Operations and Support
To maintain high service quality, smooth operations and efficient support processes are essential.
- Operational Data for Providers: Providers can view real-time service status via COS Business Engine’s UI or APIs and, for example, reboot a CPE with a single click.
- Support and Case Management: Customers can submit support cases through the customer portal. Operators and providers collaborate within the platform to quickly resolve issues. “Birth certificates” and saved snapshots of operational status during case creation support efficient troubleshooting.
6. Full Business Insight
To continuously optimize network operations, full visibility is essential.
- Automated Billing and Administration: COS Business Engine automates billing and service administration, reducing manual tasks and errors.
- Flexible Pricing: COS enables grouping of addresses into “markets within the market,” allowing a unique selection of providers, services, end-customer pricing, and wholesale pricing — even down to a single address. This is particularly helpful in deals with property owners.
- Access to All Data: With extensive dashboards and export tools, networks can analyze data in detail. Integrating with a reporting database also allows the creation of custom dashboards in tools like Power BI for deeper insights.
To operate an Open Access network efficiently, the entire chain must be seamless and automated, from the initial expression of interest to day-to-day operations and billing. Network owners can focus on strategic growth rather than administration by maximizing self-service for customers and allowing providers to manage their offerings and support cases independently.
With COS Business Engine, you get a system that not only supports all these phases, but helps you optimize each one. The result? Efficient operations and happier customers.
Learn more about our solutions here!
