In a world increasingly defined by speed, connectivity, and digital equity, building faster broadband infrastructure is a national and social imperative. Governments across the globe are pushing for widespread fibre deployment to close the digital divide and supercharge economic development.1 But as telcos race to deliver, one big question looms: How do we scale quickly, affordably, and sustainably?
The answer, in part, lies in better collaboration, specifically in smarter ways of managing shared fibre infrastructure. But here’s the catch: sharing infrastructure only works if the systems that underpin it are modern, live, and interoperable. Too often, they’re not. And the consequences can be surprisingly disruptive.
So, what’s holding us back?
Legacy systems, real-world consequences
Many incumbent telecom operators still rely on legacy physical network inventory systems—systems that weren’t designed to accommodate today’s demands for real-time access, live updates, and third-party collaboration. These systems often force providers to work from outdated, cached replicas of network infrastructure data. That might sound like a technical detail, but it creates a cascade of inefficiencies.
Imagine trying to reserve space on a duct or a pole that no longer exists. Or building a section of your network based on outdated records, only to have to redo it when the data is refreshed. This happens frequently when shared infrastructure records are stored offline and are no longer in sync with the live environment. Changes in telco infrastructure can occur thousands of times per day—and yet the fibre management systems used by many service providers to plan their deployments don’t reflect those updates in real time.
The cost of inaccuracy
These inefficiencies don’t just slow down projects; they also create significant financial strain and operational friction. Rework due to planning inaccuracies can account for a significant amount of rollout costs. Add in factors such as time delays, lost customer confidence, and regulatory scrutiny, and you’ve got a recipe for frustration.
There’s also a human cost. Field teams working off old data risk making unnecessary site visits. Planning teams must redo work they thought was done. Coordination between incumbent operators and new entrants, essential for accelerating rollout, can quickly break down.
Shared infrastructure shouldn’t mean shared frustration
It’s time to shift the mindset. Shared infrastructure isn’t the problem; outdated systems are.
When designed well, shared access to infrastructure can dramatically reduce the cost and time it takes to deploy high-speed networks, especially in dense urban environments.
But for that to work, the underlying systems need to be transparent, real-time, and built for collaboration. Best-in-class solutions today use live APIs that give both incumbents and new entrants controlled access to infrastructure data—while ensuring any changes are automatically tracked and resolved.
This approach eliminates the need for nightly data dumps or PDF-based workflows. More importantly, it creates a foundation of trust. Everyone is looking at the same version of the truth, in real time.
Modern systems make collaboration possible
A modern, API-driven approach to shared infrastructure management doesn’t just reduce friction, it also transforms the way networks are built.
Let’s take a real-world example. When a communication provider (CP) submits a Notice of Intent (NOI) to reserve space in an incumbent’s network, it’s often stored offline in a separate system. If the incumbent then updates their own records, the original reservation becomes invalid. If that is missed, then both parties waste days, or even weeks, sorting it out.
With a live, integrated system, the CP would get an immediate alert that their reservation has changed. They could quickly update their plans or request clarification without the need for endless back-and-forth emails or manual interventions from IT teams.
It’s the kind of responsive, scalable approach to fibre asset management that the telecoms industry urgently needs. Because if we're serious about accelerating rollout and closing the connectivity gap, we need systems that evolve as fast as the networks they support. The numbers also support this, with one study citing a 10% acceleration in network rollout and a decrease in deployment costs thanks to a shift to more up-to-date systems.2
What’s stopping us?
The technology exists and the benefits of the advanced fibre network management software solutions available today are clear. So why hasn’t the industry moved faster?
Part of the reason is inertia. Replacing core inventory systems is no small task. It’s expensive, risky, and time-consuming. But the cost of not acting is arguably greater.
There’s also the challenge of trust. Incumbent operators worry that exposing too much of their infrastructure could give competitors an edge. But modern systems can enforce rules such as flagging reservations without revealing competitive details, so collaboration doesn’t mean giving up control.
Ultimately, the real obstacle is mindset. Too many organisations still treat infrastructure sharing as a compliance requirement rather than a strategic advantage. It’s time for that to change.
Are you building for today or tomorrow?
Shared infrastructure isn’t just a logistical or operational issue, it’s a strategic one. It forces us to ask: Are we optimising for short-term convenience, or long-term efficiency? Are we clinging to legacy systems because they’re familiar, or are we willing to invest in the tools that make future growth possible?
Telcos that answer “yes” to the latter are already seeing the benefits. They’re rolling out faster. Collaborating more effectively. And positioning themselves as enablers of national infrastructure, not just participants.
Because in the race for connectivity, the winners will be the ones who share—smartly.
Citations:
1 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). “Broadband Statistics Update.” OECD, March 4, 2024. https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/press-releases/2024/03/broadband-statistics-update.html.
2 Lysenko, Anton, Tiago Silveira, and Manglam Tewari. “The Keys to Deploying Fiber Networks Faster—and Cheaper.” McKinsey & Company, February 23, 2024. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/the-keys-to-deploying-fiber-networks-faster-and-cheaper.
