About Cumberland Connect:
Cumberland Connect is a fiber optic internet service provider launched by Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation (CEMC) to bring high-speed internet to its members in rural Middle Tennessee. As a community-owned initiative, Cumberland Connect is dedicated to serving its members with competitive pricing, local customer support, and a long-term commitment to network investment.
The Challenge:
Cumberland Connect partnered with a company specializing in assisting electric cooperatives with fiber optic network deployment. However, they faced challenges with design backlogs and a lack of detailed network information. This led to construction delays, missed deadlines, and member frustration. Coordinating between the electric utility and broadband divisions also proved difficult. As a cooperative focused on member satisfaction, Cumberland Connect needed a solution to streamline their processes and improve communication.
The Solution: VETRO FiberMap
Cumberland Connect chose VETRO FiberMap to overcome these challenges.
Key factors in their decision included:
Ease of Use: VETRO FiberMap’s intuitive interface facilitated quick learning and adoption across the organization.
Interoperability: The platform seamlessly integrated with existing design tools and CEMC’s ESRI GIS system, used by their electric utility division. This streamlined data sharing and collaboration between departments.
Enhanced Visualization: VETRO FiberMap allowed Cumberland Connect to overlay pole points, surface structures, and plat maps onto their network design. This provided a comprehensive view of existing infrastructure alongside planned and existing broadband networks, improving planning and construction accuracy.
Detailed Network Documentation: The platform enabled capturing granular details, such as splicing and connectivity information. This level of detail enhanced network management, troubleshooting, and maintenance efforts.
The Results:
By implementing VETRO FiberMap, Cumberland Connect achieved significant improvements in their fiber optic network deployment:
Reduced Design Backlogs: Improved design workflows and data management led to faster turnaround times and reduced project delays.
Enhanced Collaboration: Seamless data sharing between the utility and broadband divisions fostered better communication and coordination.
Improved Construction Accuracy: Comprehensive visualization of existing infrastructure and planned networks minimized errors and rework.
Increased Member Satisfaction: Faster deployment and improved network reliability led to greater member satisfaction.
"VETRO FiberMap was like having a turn-key solution to the issue we faced shortly after we started mainline build-out. We have a lot of growth in our area and needed a design program that could be easily modified to accommodate for the new homes in areas that had been previously completed with fiber build-out".
Cumberland Connect’s success with VETRO FiberMap demonstrates the platform’s value in empowering electric cooperatives to efficiently deploy fiber optic networks and bridge the digital divide in rural communities. The platform’s ease of use, interoperability, and detailed network visualization capabilities are crucial for overcoming common challenges in fiber optic network deployment.
About VETRO
At VETRO, we believe visualizing data unlocks hidden potential, radically simplifying the way businesses operate and digitizing the future of connectivity. We focus on empowering network operators with unparalleled clarity and control over their fiber networks, enabling them to move faster, better, and more efficiently than ever before. Our revolutionary platform isn’t just software – it’s the physical network asset system of record, offering unprecedented visibility and control from strategic planning to daily operations. We empower our customers to bridge the digital divide at a rapid pace, unlock unforeseen opportunities, and squeeze the maximum value from their networks. Let’s illuminate the unseen, digitize the way we connect, and shape the future of connectivity, together.
