How We Use EAM to Stay Ahead of Failures
In my experience working with telecom, fiber, and broadband utilities, the biggest challenge is not keeping up with new demand, it is keeping older infrastructure from holding everything back. I see utility poles that have been in service for decades, underground cables that were laid long before current capacity needs, and equipment that was never designed for the pressure it is under today.
When those assets fail, customers notice immediately. Service level agreements are at risk, costs rise, and trust erodes. The real issue is not just the age of the infrastructure but the lack of visibility and control over it. That is why I believe enterprise asset management software is essential. It gives us the tools to monitor, anticipate, and act before issues become outages.
Why Smarter Asset Management Matters
When I talk with network operators, I hear the same concerns. A single damaged cable or node can take an entire neighborhood offline. If we miss a service level agreement, penalties follow, and customers start to look at other providers. Old ways of tracking maintenance in spreadsheets or disconnected systems only increase the risk of inspections being missed or repairs delayed.
The Role of EAM in Modern Networks
What I have found is that enterprise asset management brings everything into focus. Instead of scrambling to react to failures, you can plan ahead. By centralizing asset condition, performance, and maintenance history, you can gain the insight to move from reactive firefighting to proactive management.
With the right tools, you are able to:
- Track the health of poles, cables, and underground fiber in real time
- Use performance data to predict when maintenance will be needed and prevent outages
- Schedule field crews with the right skills and equipment so that jobs are done right the first time
- Create accurate reporting that keeps us compliant with internal and regulatory standards
This is not theory. I see it in practice every day. In our work with Great Plains Gas Compression Field Squared gave them a way to simplify their field data capture and reduce manual errors. For a telecom or fiber operator, that same capability translates directly into fewer outages and lower maintenance costs.
Fiber and Broadband in Action
One of the most common scenarios we see is fiber to the home deployments. When the maps for underground conduit are not accurate, crews may order materials twice or waste days on site trying to make sense of conflicting information. By using an EAM solution with integrated field inventory management, operators can avoid duplication, keep projects on track, and stay within budget.
Another example is the humble utility pole. Instead of waiting for it to fail during a storm, condition data alerts the team, and a work order is scheduled for replacement. Customers never notice an interruption, and the utility avoids costly emergency repairs.
Building Networks That Last
I believe that aging infrastructure does not have to mean failing infrastructure. When we give our teams smarter tools, they can extend the lifespan of assets, reduce unnecessary costs, and deliver the kind of reliability that customers expect.
For me, enterprise asset management is not just about fixing what breaks. It is about building networks that last and creating the confidence that service will be there when it matters most.
