Editor’s note: Originally published by SSP Innovations under SSP SPANS. Updated by the 3-GIS Team with the current product name, 3-GIS | SPANS, and other revisions.
5G is here. One after another, carriers are announcing go-live dates for new 5G networks, racing to meet the demand for faster speeds. For the average user, the goal is simply more bars on their phone. But behind the scenes, the implementation of 5G is complex and creates unique challenges for providers.
Unlike past generations, 5G depends on small cell technology. These small antennas must be placed lower to the ground and closer to end users, which means far more installations are required. In dense cities where demand is highest, adding hundreds of new poles and antennas quickly becomes both a logistical and aesthetic challenge.
The practical solution has been to leverage existing infrastructure — namely, electric utilities’ street light poles.
The challenge of retrofitting
Street light poles are not originally designed to support small cell equipment. To retrofit them, utilities must coordinate across multiple departments including administration, design, scheduling, and construction. And in a large investor-owned utility, make-ready work often competes with new construction and storm recovery. The result: delays that don’t match the pace demanded for 5G rollout.
A proactive approach
Our team worked with one utility to design a process that meets these challenges head-on. The utility published standards for pole types that are specifically engineered to accommodate small cell antennas. The lighting department then took ownership of the process, guiding collocation requests through every required department and task.
By treating these projects as customer work rather than regulatory compliance, the utility set clear expectations with carrier partners — and often exceeded them.
Technology makes it possible
Coordinating across multiple departments and states was made possible by 3-GIS | SPANS. While many SPANS users are familiar with traditional attachment proposal workflows, the platform was customized here to handle the unique requirements of 5G small cell deployment.
Customizations included:
- Latitude/longitude searches for existing antennas
- Automated notifications and cancellations tied to project timelines
- Records that reflect the internal approval process
Results
Before SPANS, the utility processed around 650 requests over several years. In the first year with SPANS configured for 5G joint use, more than 1,200 requests were accepted and moved through the workflow — nearly doubling throughput.
The result: mobile providers accelerated their 5G deployments, and major cities in the utility’s service area now have service live.
