Client Challenge:
A devastating wildfire ripped through rural Oregon, destroying critical wireless infrastructure used by firefighters. With the incumbent service provider abandoning the area, the state turned to a local engineering firm partner to spearhead the network’s reconstruction. The tight deadline – a mere nine days to prepare an ARPA grant application – and the project’s complexity presented significant hurdles for the partner and CCI Systems, the engineering and design firm chosen to support the grant submission process.
Obstacles Faced:
Time Pressure: The short timeframe demanded an expedited design and cost estimation process.
Limited Knowledge: The client lacked detailed knowledge of the affected area.
Multi-Phased Approach: The project necessitated a phased deployment strategy.
Integration Challenge: Existing tower infrastructure needed to be integrated as part of the new fiber network design.
Design Requirements: The network rebuild encompassed a mix of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connections, fiber-to-the-premise connections to anchor buildings, and a robust backbone infrastructure.
Difficult Terrain: The project area also included challenging terrain such as rocky areas and forest preserves.
“The wildfire in Oregon presented a unique challenge, but thanks to our partnership with VETRO, we were able to develop an ARPA grant application in just nine days. VETRO's design tools and open API streamlined the process and ensured the client’s proposal was accurate and competitive. This project is a testament to the power of collaboration and technology in helping communities rebuild and thrive.”
CCI’s Solution:
Recognizing the urgency, CCI assembled a dedicated team and leveraged powerful design tools, partnering with VETRO, a leading fiber network management platform, to overcome steep challenges. With only 9 days to complete the network’s high level design, Chad Kay, Senior Director of TFS at CCI, was able to learn VETRO quickly and use it to develop reports, estimate costs, and create a timeline for the project.
Kay found that having a platform like VETRO that can support the lifecycle of the customer’s engagement, gives the engineering firm the opportunity to accelerate the high level to low level design activity so the customer gets closer to what they need faster, and there’s less rework that has to be done.
“When creating a high level design with VETRO, you get it right the first time. It creates a checks and balances system that drastically improves accuracy. And then when you need to enter the low level design conversation, the drops are automatically drawn in so I just have to fine tune, not completely redraft the design.”
VETRO’s Impact:
Rapid Design Creation: VETRO’s intuitive design tools enabled CCI to swiftly develop high-level network plans.
Streamlined Cost Estimation: VETRO’s open API facilitated the seamless export of designs into CCI’s cost estimation system, which is supplemented by VETRO’s costing tools. This ensured accurate and consistent budget figures for the grant proposal.
Time Savings: By leveraging VETRO’s functionalities, CCI estimates they halved the design time compared to traditional methods.
Client Confidence: Early investment in detailed planning, facilitated by VETRO, instilled trust and confidence in the client.
Turnkey Potential: The success of this project highlights VETRO’s potential as a valuable tool within CCI’s turnkey service offerings, leading to faster project delivery and increased capacity for future endeavors.
“CCI is thankful for the open communication with the VETRO team”, as Rebecca Denman, Technical Engineering Services Business Development Executive at CCI, states, “The best part of our collaboration is the ongoing exchange. Whenever a new idea surfaces, we can bring it to VETRO for research. This not only fuels innovation for new tools and features in VETRO, but also benefits both our teams and our clients.”
Results:
The culmination of CCI’s strategic approach and VETRO’s powerful features yielded impressive results. By leveraging VETRO’s data and design tools, CCI slashed design time in half compared to traditional methods. This efficiency, coupled with the seamless export of designs into their costing system via VETRO’s open API, ensured the grant application included detailed and consistent budget estimates. This early investment in planning, facilitated by VETRO, not only met the aggressive 9-day deadline but also built trust with the client. Beyond this project’s success, VETRO’s potential as a cornerstone of CCI’s turnkey offerings is evident. The platform’s ability to streamline workflows and save time positions CCI to deliver on more projects while providing valuable analytical insights. In essence, VETRO played a transformative role in this complex project, showcasing its potential to revolutionize the way fiber network design is approached.
About CCI Systems
Make Life Better By Innovating Tomorrow’s Communication Solutions Today
CCI Systems is your single-source provider for customized, comprehensive communication network solutions. Employee-owned for over 60 years, we pride ourselves on continuous investment in our growth and capabilities to drive innovation and keep our clients connected. Our workforce of over 1,400 experts has a strong track record of hard work, integrity, and accountability. Innovation and core values are the heart of our operations.
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.
