Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the third annual Connected America conference in Dallas. Over 2,200 industry professionals gathered to explore the future of connectivity, and throughout the event, two major themes became apparent: emerging technologies are transforming telecom operations in exciting new ways, and the industry is adapting to evolving regulatory frameworks under the new administration.
Day 1: Innovation and intelligence reshaping telecom
The first day of Connected America 2025 was dominated by conversations about artificial intelligence (or AI, as it’s more commonly known). It was fascinating to see how telecom operators are using AI in their applications—from predictive maintenance models to AI-powered design tools that optimize network planning.
What struck me most was the creative ways companies are applying AI to solve traditional telecom challenges, something we covered in a recent blog post, Why AI's data center boom demands smarter fiber planning.
Winning fiber sales through intelligent mapping
I had the privilege of presenting alongside George Hughes, our telecom VP of Product Management, in a session titled Finding the sweet spot: Accurate and efficient fiber sale proposals. We examined how intelligent, real-time GIS mapping solutions are helping providers identify high-value opportunities, streamline rollout strategies, and maximize take rates. Showing how GIS-driven telecom technology, like 3-GIS | Web enables companies to deliver faster, more competitive proposals that drive market success.
Day 2: Navigating the shifting regulatory landscape
The second day pivoted from new developments to regulatory changes, with everyone discussing what the telecom industry's future might look like under the new administration. Sessions explored how shifting policies could reshape broadband funding and deployment strategies across the Americas.
This regulatory focus ties directly to challenges we've highlighted in our recent How fiber mapping software cuts costs blog series. For BEAD program participants, regulatory compliance requires submitting detailed initial reports within 90 days of receiving funds and semi-annual reports thereafter. These requirements make accurate data management not just beneficial but essential—transforming how operators document and optimize their network investments while navigating labor shortages and supply chain complexities.
Network management challenges and solutions
Throughout the conference, I had numerous conversations with attendees about their current challenges. Several common pain points emerged:
- Data trust issues: Operators struggle to trust their digital assets, causing inefficiencies and errors
- Collaboration bottlenecks: Difficulty enabling contractor recommendations while maintaining engineering oversight
- Information silos: Disconnected systems hampering NOC information flow and troubleshooting
- Limited GIS functionality: Restricted access to critical GIS functions in current systems
- Integration challenges: Existing solutions failing to integrate well with other systems
- Performance visibility: Executives need faster access to key performance indicators (KPIs)
These challenges resonated with me because they're exactly the problems 3-GIS was created to solve. Our approach emphasizes unified data management and cross-team collaboration—precisely what these operators described needing. At our booth, I was encouraged to see visitors connect with our diagramming and planned connections capabilities, recognizing how these features directly address the visualization and collaboration bottlenecks they're experiencing.
Looking forward
This year's Connected America conference reminded me just how fluid the telecommunications industry is and how we must work hard to continue evolving along with it. New technologies and regulatory frameworks are reshaping how networks are built, managed, and monetized.
If you missed our live session or want to dive deeper into strategies for boosting fiber sales, I invite you to join our upcoming webinar, Why fiber providers lose deals—and how to stop it on March 27th at 11:00 AM CDT. You can register for the webinar here. Or, if you have specific challenges you want to discuss, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
