Telecom and utilities news and perspectives

• Fiber network industry and markets
• Employee spotlight

Employee spotlight: Seth Straayer

At 3-GIS, our work is powered by more than technology. It is powered by our people. From problem-solving behind the scenes to supporting customers and teammates every day, our employees bring the experience, care, and creativity that move our company forward.

In today's post, we're highlighting Seth Straayer, Senior Consultant. We recently sat down with him to learn more about his background, gain his perspective on industry trends, and get his thoughts on where telecom is headed next.

• Esri
• Telecom technologies
• Telecom Domain Network

What migrating to the Telecom Domain Network actually involves

The Telecom Domain Network (TDN) introduces a new way to model telecom infrastructure within the ArcGIS Utility Network. As organizations begin planning for adoption, a common question comes up: what does it actually take to move existing network data into this new framework?

While much of the conversation focuses on the structure of the TDN itself, the reality is that migration is less about the model and more about how existing data is translated, adapted, and rebuilt within it.

• Esri
• 3-GIS utilities solutions
• GIS
• Telecom Domain Network

Trace capabilities for the Telecom Domain Network in 3-GIS | Web

The Telecom Domain Network (TDN) provides a framework for modeling telecom infrastructure within the ArcGIS Utility Network. As organizations begin working with networks built on this model, an important question is how teams will interact with and analyze the connectivity inside those networks.

One of the most important capabilities for telecom analysis is network tracing. Tracing allows teams to follow connectivity across cables, splice points, and equipment to understand how infrastructure is linked and how services move through the network.

• Fiber network industry and markets
• Broadband funding
• Press

Telecom industry pulse: March 2026 recap

Network news roundup

March’s telecom news cycle centered on rural fiber expansion, tribal connectivity, consolidation among major providers, and continued pressure to remove policy and permitting bottlenecks.

Providers pushed fiber into smaller and harder-to-reach markets, closed out state-supported projects, and continued pairing infrastructure investment with in-home performance improvements. At the same time, policy conversations focused on clearing legacy barriers slowing deployment.

• 3-GIS utilities solutions
• Press

What’s new in the Utilities 5.5 release

The Utilities 5.5 release brings a set of updates across both 3-GIS | MIMS and 3-GIS | Productivity, spanning field workflows and GIS-based network management.

This release builds upon recent updates with improvements across field mobility, GIS editing, and system performance. Together, these updates support how teams manage and maintain network data across both field and office environments.

• Telecom technologies
• 3-GIS utilities solutions
• App modernization

Unilateral recap and recall construction

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. 

Managing electric and communications infrastructure requires constant coordination between pole owners and attachers. In joint use workflows and transfer requests, both parties must exchange information, respond to proposals, and document the outcome.

Structured communication helps make that process consistent.

When proposals follow a defined workflow with standard responses and attached business processes, any user can enter the process midstream and quickly understand its status and history. This consistency also makes it easier for organizations to manage staffing changes and maintain continuity across projects.

• 3-GIS utilities solutions
• App modernization

How does real-time vs. packet-based incremental sync work in MIMS?

Editor’s note: Originally published by SSP Innovations under SSP MIMS. Updated by the 3-GIS Team with the current product name, 3-GIS | MIMS, and other revisions.

3-GIS | MIMS includes an alternative to real-time synchronization with ArcGIS Server for one-way feature services. This method, called packet-based synchronization, allows incremental updates to be managed and distributed by MIMS Gateway rather than handled directly by ArcGIS Server.

With this approach, changes to facility data are packaged into update packets that mobile clients download from the gateway. This reduces the number of requests sent directly to enterprise systems and improves synchronization performance when working with large datasets.

• Esri
• 3-GIS utilities solutions

Reflections on MIMS data synchronization

Editor’s note: Originally published by SSP Innovations under SSP MIMS. Updated by the 3-GIS Team with the current product name, 3-GIS | MIMS, and other revisions. 

Mobile technology has reshaped how utilities operate, and the ArcGIS platform has evolved alongside it to support mobile workflows. One of the most common GIS-enabled mobile applications in the utility sector is inspections. 

A brief history of the inspection process 

Early mobile inspection workflows were built on ArcGIS for Windows Mobile.¹ Utilities created configurable inspection forms that field technicians used to document the condition of gas distribution assets while working in the field.