GeoTel, Burns & McDonnell Team on Fiber Location Service

A new alliance between GeoTel Communications, LLC and Burns & McDonnell will help businesses unravel the sometimes vexing problem of making better telecom location-based choices. The alliance gives business users access to a new, easy-to-access suite of Web-based services that will help them obtain and analyze telecom infrastructure data that is most relevant to them.

Fiber-optic infrastructure is a necessity for businesses looking to build and/or upgrade facilities, make better management decisions and better serve their customers. Though the value of data access is well known within the business community, knowledge of network locations and other fiber infrastructure can still be a black box filled with guesswork and incorrect assumptions.

“Predictive analytic platforms which emphasize location based intelligence and data visualization will help businesses to make more informed decisions, which is essential for organizations to compete effectively in the ever changing marketplace,” says Dave Drazen, CEO of GeoTel. “We’ve been helping businesses do that for over 15 years and now, by leveraging our value proposition with the capabilities of Burns & McDonnell, we are about to make it even more accessible and user friendly.”

“All businesses will need now is access to the internet, a username and a password. We do the rest,” says Jeff Greig, SVP of the Burns & McDonnell Business & Technology Services group. “Our alliance with GeoTel will be a game changer for businesses looking for a simple, efficient and innovative way to maximize their telecom technology.”

Under the agreement, Burns & McDonnell will be responsible for hosting and distributing GeoTel data via its web-based Software as a Service (SaaS) platform, TeleTracker.  TeleTracker delivers a vast dataset library of fiber network maps, fiber-lit buildings and a range of other telecom data products. Additionally, Burns & McDonnell will be the exclusive provider of custom web-application development to extend capabilities to meet individual customer requirements. James Katz and Parker Hills will lead a project team of Burns & McDonnell software and technology specialists to support expected growth in demand for the services.

Using TeleTracker, powered by Burns & McDonnell, customers gain access to a password-protected user interface connected to a geospatial database. When viewing the program, customers have the ability to navigate through more than 100 features along with 20 different base maps via desktop or mobile devices.

GeoTel will continue to operate its business units as normal. The company has built a robust telecommunications database. Their 14 telecom data sets include carrier fiber routes from 605 different fiber carriers and growing, 1.4 million fiber-lit buildings, and 12 additional data sets. GeoTel’s core competency is telecom data research, GIS mapping disciplines, and predictive analytics. It is completely carrier neutral and takes no agent fees or fees from carriers to be listed in its database.

“Accurate telecommunications infrastructure data is increasingly becoming one of the first items businesses look at in developing cost-justified capital investment plans,” Drazen says. “With our telecommunications database combined with Burns & McDonnell’s geospatial mapping features, we can help thousands of companies locate even dark fiber networks that may not be publicly marketed. This is a powerful tool that will set new standards in the industry.”

“This is an exciting relationship with GeoTel that will help businesses in many industries served by Burns & McDonnell make more informed decisions when planning everything from new office buildings to electrical substations,” says Greig. “We have developed similar geospatial software tools to assist with everything from complex project management to tracking real estate acquisitions so this is a perfect fit for us.”


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