Precision + Creativity = Quality

It’s easy to demonstrate that the automated design and optimization (ADO) software from Versant Solutions Group saves time and money over traditional manual methods of planning a fiber build. In combination with a good GIS, being able to plan and cost out a network build has become a task that can be done in a matter of hours using a mouse instead of days and weeks. But the more subtle values of ADO lie in precision and creativity, leading to better decision-making and ultimately a better quality and cost-efficient network build.

Precision and creativity seem to be diametrically opposed. Precision is the ethos of engineers and accountants, making sure network elements fit together as specified and balance sheets are accurate to the last penny (Within certain bounds and tolerances, of course). Coming up short by tens of miles on the amount of fiber actually needed or in hundreds of thousands of dollars of revenue at the end of the year is something that is Just Not Acceptable.

To avoid deficits, people tend to err on the side of caution, which has its own issues. While healthy end-year surpluses can be nice for businesses, executives prefer to deploy capital as efficiently as possible. For a network build, excessive cushioning of estimates can result in projects not getting off the ground because they are viewed as too expensive.

Manually calculating cost and materials for a fiber build is typically done by taking a snapshot of a small area, extrapolating the cost to the entire build and then adding on a conservative margin in time and materials. NetVersant enables precision by designing the entire fiber build footprint and using that to calculate the associated bill of materials (BOM) and labor costs, bringing truth to the cost estimates rather than all too commonly used SWAGS.

Creativity, at first glance, is more associated with poets, musicians, and artists, given a free canvas to create art and beauty. “Where is the beauty in a fiber build?” one might ask. But creativity is also about exploring options, looking at different ways to solve a problem or looking at a solution that can be applied to other areas.

NetVersant empowers creativity for network engineers by giving them the freedom to work through multiple architectures and options in a fiber build.

Through the process of easily being able to change elements and design, engineers can review different options in short order to work towards the best solution that fits the requirements and budget of the project.

But NetVersant also enables creativity for project planners. They can examine and explore changing service area boundaries, adding new homes passed with some mouse work and seeing if the economics make sense in the short term or asking for a few changes in the design to enable expansion more easily in the future.

Putting together the precision of costing a fiber project together with the creativity of being able to explore options for best implementing it results in the delivery of a quality network that all stakeholders can be satisfied with. NetVersant ADO is the tool that leads to a quality network by enabling both precision and creativity.