Latest Contributions by SpatialNinja

Our society stands on the brink of an unbelievable transformation, a once in a lifetime effort if you will, as we embark on the journey to expand broadband networks deeper than ever into the rural heartlands of America. This undertaking, fueled by substantial investments and the goal of achieving global connectivity, emphasizes the critical need for thorough planning, broadband deployment efforts, and ongoing network operations or maintenance. To connect society completely, the telecom industry needs a comprehensive solution. The comprehensive solution at the forefront of this nationwide undertaking is Esri’s ArcGIS system. Augmented by the financial support of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, this combination of advanced geographic information system (GIS) capabilities and significant funding creates an incredible resource for tackling the complex challenge of expanding rural telecom networks. Continue Reading ... View more

In the ever-changing and fast-paced telecommunications industry, staying ahead of the curve requires not just innovation but a holistic approach to organizational strategy and tactics. A comprehensive view of the organization, with its legacy systems, and the ability to seamlessly integrate them is paramount to meeting today’s consumer needs. Esri’s ArcGIS is the market leading enterprise solution for telecommunications providers, offering unequaled capabilities in combining existing Operational Support Systems (OSS) and Business Support Systems (BSS) with robust GIS capable network management solutions. In this era of digital transformation, the importance of workflows and resources that provide spatial intelligence, facilitate collaboration, while eliminating siloed network management platforms or open-source software, cannot be overstressed. Continue Reading ... View more

    News & Updates Heading into 2024, the ArcGIS Solutions team has quite a few updates and new telecom solutions planned. Updates to Network Path Planner and Communications Data Management. And new solutions around Communications Pole Audit and Communications Construction Management. If you are interested in being an early adopter and providing input into these solutions or others, please reach out. Otherwise, be on the look out for these updates and new releases throughout the year. Roadmap blog.     FCC Broadband Data Collection Update The June 2023 Broadband Data Collection (BDC) is now available within ArcGIS Living Atlas. This ready-to-use layer shows fixed broadband availability for every Census Block and H3 Resolution-8 hexagonal area in the U.S. and outlying territories. The layer summarizes the June 2023 BDC data showing the number of served, underserved, and unserved Broadband Serviceable Locations (BSLs) by transmission technology in a given geography. It is a composite of six sublayers – State, County, Tract, Block Group, Block, and H3 Resolution-8 hexagons – each with a related table listing all Internet Service Provider (ISP) offerings by technology and speed tier. Learn more.   ***ArcMap Enters Mature Support in March 2024*** Mature Support is the last phase of the life cycle before ArcGIS Desktop is retired. During mature support, there will continue to be technical support available, but there will no longer be software updates, functionality-based patches, or hotfixes. This blog provides information to help guide your transition from ArcMap to ArcGIS Pro. We’ll cover what mature support means, ways we’ve been creating awareness around the life cycle, important dates regarding the discontinuation of ArcGIS Desktop sales, and resources to help users migrate ArcMap workflows to ArcGIS Pro. Esri Telecom GIS Heroes Esri telecom GIS heroes are members of the GIS community who use geospatial technology to create innovative solutions. These heroes meet challenges and inspire others to imagine how GIS can help them do their work better. Congrats to the latest GIS heroes below, and be sure to nominate the next GIS hero today!   Product Updates: ArcGIS StoryMaps (January 2024) ArcGIS GeoAnalytics Engine 1.3 ArcGIS Developers (January 2024)     Recent TGI5s TGI5 - Episode 95 - Enhance the performance and reliability of your system TGI5 - Episode 096 - ArcGIS Pro Network Analysis Tools  TGI5 - Episode 097 - Feature Layer Views and Layer View Swaps      Meetups & Events The Q1 2024 Telecom User Community meetups have been added to the telecom events channel. Check them out there and below.   Esri Developer Summit - Event Meetup   Tuesday, March 12, 2024 - Calling all developers in telecom! We'll once again be gathering the community to sit down together at lunch on the first day of the Esri Developer Summit. Follow the event page for more information. TGI60 - ArcGIS Developers - Virtual Meetup   Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Join the Esri Telecom team for an update on what's new in ArcGIS Developers. Registration for this virtual meetup is coming soon.  Esri Denver Mile High Regional Meetup - Denver - In-Person  Thursday, March 28, 2024 - Want to get together will fellow GIS Professionals in the Denver area? The Esri Telecom Team will be hosting a meetup for the Telecom User Community out of the Esri Denver RO. Let us know what topics you would like to discuss and be on the look out for the registration email coming soon.  Be sure to continually check out the Esri Community Events page and Esri.com for upcoming meetups in 2024.     Telecom Insights Unlocking Success: The Power of Esri's ArcGIS in Digital Transformation In the ever-changing and fast-paced telecommunications industry, staying ahead of the curve requires not just innovation but a holistic approach to organizational strategy and tactics. A comprehensive view of the organization, with its legacy systems, and the ability to seamlessly integrate them is paramount to meeting today’s consumer needs. Esri’s ArcGIS is the market leading enterprise solution for telecommunications providers, offering unequaled capabilities in combining existing Operational Support Systems (OSS) and Business Support Systems (BSS) with robust GIS capable network management solutions. In this era of digital transformation, the importance of workflows and resources that provide spatial intelligence, facilitate collaboration, while eliminating siloed network management platforms or open-source software, cannot be overstressed. Read up more on the power of Esri's ArcGIS in digital transformation: Esri Blog   Revolutionizing Connectivity: How Emerald Broadband Empowers Communities with Esri and 3-GIS In the heart of Lane County, Oregon, Emerald Broadband is on a mission to bridge the digital divide. As a public benefit internet provider, their commitment to delivering high-speed internet to underserved communities has made them a key player in the region since their establishment in 2016. To fuel their expansion and ensure efficient network management, Emerald turned to 3-GIS as a trusted resource to overcome challenges in data storage and accessibility. Learn more about Emerald Broadband story: https://www.esri.com/en-us/industries/blog/articles/3gis-esri-revolutionizing-connectivity/ For more insights, be sure to sign up for the Telecom News newsletter at esri.com/telecom.   Previous Bits & Bytes: TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - March 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - April 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - May 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - June 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - July 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - August 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - September 2023 TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - October 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - November 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - December 2023    ... View more

  Join Esri and the Telecom User Community for a community meetup!   Where? Esri Louisville Denver Office 167 S Taylor Ave Louisville, Colorado 80027   When? Thursday, March 28 2024 8:00 AM – 2:30 PM MST   This event has limited space and requires registration and confirmation.  Please note that this in-person meetup for ArcGIS users in the Telecom User Community only.   If you would like to provide input into the topics covered during this meetup, and if you are interested in sharing your story at the event let us know in the survey below.   Meetup Topics Survey   Registration Form ... View more

 Join us for Esri’s Telecom GIS in 60 minutes (TGI60) on March 19!     This meetup topic is focused on ArcGIS Developers and is for the Esri Telecom User Community. This is your chance to hear technical updates, talk with Esri staff, learn from other members of the community, and stay informed.     What's new in ArcGIS for Developers  Overview of Esri client APIs and extension SDKs  How to get started with ArcGIS Developers    Don't miss your opportunity to learn how GIS technology is helping organizations meet challenges in the telecom industry.  Register Here   ... View more

  Where? Esri Developer Summit When? March 12th during the hosted lunch break**   **We'll all find a table and sit together during the lunch break. If interested, please RSVP to this event so we can connect during the event.   ... View more

  News & Updates Happy New Year to everyone in the Telecom User Community! Hope everyone had a great 2023 and thanks for checking out the last Bits & Bytes Newsletter of the year. Lets take a look back at what the community did in 2023.   As we reflect on 2023 and all the advancements in GIS and ArcGIS, one major area of focus for development was AI and ML. Whether it was new AI tools built into ArcGIS Pro and other ArcGIS products, or ML models being released into ArcGIS Living Atlas, 2023 was full of artificial intelligence. Be sure to check out all the pre-trained deep learning models now available: https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis/geoai/esri-arcgis-ai-models-year-in-review/ In December, Esri released a brand new site geared towards IT professional and GIS admins deploying and managing ArcGIS as an Enterprise system. Successfully designing, implementing, and operating enterprise systems in today’s Information Technology (IT) landscape often requires extensive knowledge and expertise in both technology and in the business objectives the systems are intended to support. The ArcGIS Well-Architected Framework and Architecture Center website strives to empower you as IT professionals, architects, support team members, and GIS professionals with foundational information about ArcGIS, and guide your organizations in making knowledgeable decisions when implementing systems with ArcGIS. Learn more about this new site and check it out here: https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis/announcements/arcgis-well-architected-framework-and-architecture-center/   Product Updates: ArcGIS World Geocoding Service (December 2023) ArcGIS Earth (December 2023) ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine (Version 1.4) ArcGIS for Microsoft 365 (December 2023)     Recent TGI5s TGI5 - Episode 090 - ArcGIS Dashboards  TGI5 - Episode 091 - Creating a Broadband Project Payback Calculator with ArcGIS Dashboards TGI5 - Episode 092 - Sustainable Operations Using GIS  TGI5 - Episode 093 - Business Analyst Smart Map Search       Meetups & Events In 2023 we held virtual and in-person meetup opportunities for the Telecom User Community. Going into 2024 we'll be continuing these meetups. Be sure to continually check out the Esri Community Events page and Esri.com for upcoming meetups in 2024.   See you in 2024!     Telecom Insights No telecom insights for December so we'll leave you with this Mappy Meme. Enjoy. For more insights, be sure to sign up for the Telecom News newsletter at esri.com/telecom.   Previous Bits & Bytes: TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - March 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - April 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - May 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - June 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - July 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - August 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - September 2023 TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - October 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - November 2023    ... View more

Happy holidays and a happy new year to the Esri Telecom User Community from all of us at Esri.   -Patrick Huls ... View more

  News & Updates What's the future hold for ArcGIS Workforce, ArcGIS Navigator, and ArcGIS Field Maps? Three years ago, we announced the first release of ArcGIS Field Maps, a comprehensive field application that combines the functionalities of ArcGIS Explorer, ArcGIS Collector, and ArcGIS Tracker. This integration allowed us to retire the individual apps and provide users with a unified solution for viewing, capturing, editing, and sharing location data. In addition to these capabilities, we also expressed our intention to incorporate two other apps, ArcGIS Workforce and ArcGIS Navigator, into Field Maps. If you would like to learn more about the future of workforce and navigator capabilities being incorporated into field maps, take a look at this blog.     To collaborate, or not to collaborate? Fiber broadband buildout is an important topic in today's digital age. Fiber optic technology offers high-speed and reliable internet connections, making it a desirable option for both residential and commercial users. However, the buildout of fiber broadband networks can be a complex and costly process that requires collaboration between telecoms and engineering and construction companies.  Telecoms play a crucial role in providing the necessary infrastructure and connectivity for fiber broadband. They are responsible for planning and deploying the network, including laying the fiber optic cables, installing the necessary equipment, and ensuring the network is operational. Telecoms also handle the provisioning of internet services to end-users.  On the other hand, engineering and construction companies are involved in the physical implementation of the fiber broadband network. They are responsible for tasks such as site surveys, trenching, conduit installation, and fiber optic cable placement. These companies have the expertise and experience in executing large-scale infrastructure projects and ensuring the network is built to specifications.  Collaboration between telecoms and engineering and construction companies is essential for the successful buildout of fiber networks. By working together, they can leverage their respective expertise and resources to streamline the deployment process, reduce costs, and accelerate the expansion of fiber networks. This collaboration involves effective communication, coordination, and cooperation at every stage of the buildout, from planning and design to construction and maintenance.  ArcGIS can help streamline this collaboration effort making it easier to share maps and GIS data between organizations. ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Online offer two types of portal collaborations that can be established with other organizations: partnered collaborations and distributed collaborations.  These two different technology collaborations enable sharing of geospatial content between web GIS portals. Through this process of creating a collaboration, content is either replicated between portals and updates are synchronized at a specified interval, or content is referenced and organizations see live updates as they occur.  Setting up a collaboration in ArcGIS can help reduce flat file sharing and ensure telecoms and the engineering and construction companies they are working with are both working off a single sheet of music during fiber buildout projects. Watch Collaborations in Action HERE   ***DEPRECATION NOTICE*** Announced in November, ArcGIS Collector on the Windows platform is officially in deprecation and scheduled to retire on Oct 1st, 2024. During this phase of deprecation, ArcGIS Collector will continue to be available and supported but will not receive any enhancements. Upon retirement on Oct 1st, 2024, Esri will discontinue technical support and remove Collector from the Microsoft Store. For more information please refer to this blog.   Product Updates: ArcGIS QuickCapture (November 2023) ArcGIS CityEngine (November 2023) ArcGIS GeoBIM (November 2023) ArcGIS Insights (2023.3) SiteScan for ArcGIS (November 2023) ArcGIS Indoors (November 2023) ArcGIS Workflow Manager (November 2023) ArcGIS Survey123 (November 2023) ArcGIS Business Analyst (November 2023) ArcGIS Drone2Map (November 2023) ArcGIS Enterprise 11.2 ArcGIS Pro 3.2     Recent TGI5s TGI5 - Episode 087 - Creating Technology Footprints from the Broadband Data Collection in Living Atlas TGI5 - Episode 088 - Popular Calculated Expressions for ArcGIS Field Maps TGI5 - Episode 089 - Creating Provider Footprints from the Broadband Data Collection in Living Atlas    Meetups & Events In November, the Esri Telecom Team held the final virtual meetup of the year.  This meetup for focused on field operations in ArcGIS and the Esri team provided an overview of the ArcGIS field apps, along with highlighting new capabilities in the apps. Lots of great community questions on Survey123 and Field Maps.     Look forward to more in-person regional meetups, event meetups, and virtual meetings for the Esri Telecom User Community in 2024.  Let us know in the comments where we should have a meetup in 2024 or any topics the team should cover during these meetups.    Telecom Insights With data flooding the modern enterprise, smart executives are embracing three tenets of collaboration—grounded in location technology—to make important projects successful. Soon after it was founded in 2019, Fibrus began to explore new ways to work with its delivery partners and contractors. Fibrus wanted to improve information sharing, remove its contractors’ dependence on paper maps and accelerate the rollout of full fiber broadband infrastructure. Using Esri’s ArcGIS system, Fibrus built a suite of integrated solutions to streamline processes throughout the entire lifecycle of planning, building and maintaining fiber networks. The new ArcGIS-based processes were initially developed for Project Stratum but were subsequently introduced for all of the company’s other public sector and commercial projects too, completely eliminating the use of paper maps and forms. Learn more about Fibrus and other lessons in collaboration for data-driven organizations. For more insights, be sure to sign up for the Telecom News newsletter at esri.com/telecom.     Previous Bits & Bytes: TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - March 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - April 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - May 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - June 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - July 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - August 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - September 2023 TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - October 2023    ... View more

    This meetup is focused on Field Operations and is for the Esri telecom user community. This is your chance to hear technical updates, talk with Esri staff, learn from other members of the community, and stay informed.   Workflow management Collect and capture Share and collaborate   Links to additional resources mentioned in the meetup: Survey123: Survey123 Quick Reference – https://doc.arcgis.com/en/survey123/desktop/create-surveys/quickreferencecreatesurveys.htm Using Experience Builder and Survey123 to pass attributes and geometry from one layer to another –  https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/experience-builder/real-time/using-experience-builder-and-survey123-to-pass-attributes-and-geometry-from-one-layer-to-another/ Survey123 Tricks of the Trade: Embedding a survey in an ArcGIS Dashboard –  https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-survey123-blog/survey123-tricks-of-the-trade-embedding-a-survey/ba-p/899140 Get started with Survey123 reports – https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/survey123/sharing-collaboration/get-started-with-survey123-reports/ Survey123 Tricks of the Trade (Live): Automate Reports – https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-survey123-videos/survey123-tricks-of-the-trade-live-automate/td-p/1306311 What's New in ArcGIS Survey123 (June 2023) – https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/survey123/announcements/whats-new-in-arcgis-survey123-june-2023/ ArcGIS Survey123: Smart Assistants – https://doc.arcgis.com/en/survey123/reference/smartassistants.htm Train a model to identify street signs – https://learn.arcgis.com/en/projects/train-a-model-to-identify-street-signs/ Extending Survey123 smart forms with custom JS functions – https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-survey123-blog/extending-survey123-smart-forms-with-custom-js/ba-p/898782 Connecting Survey123 and Ookla Speedtest – https://github.com/jgrayson-apl/OoklaSpeedtest Getting started with dashboard mobile views – https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/ops-dashboard/decision-support/getting-started-with-dashboard-mobile-views/   ArcGIS Dashboards: Dashboard mobile views – https://doc.arcgis.com/en/dashboards/latest/reference/dashboards-on-your-smartphone.htm   Additional resources:   ArcGIS Blog – https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/overview/ Esri Video – https://mediaspace.esri.com/ Learn.ArcGIS – https://learn.arcgis.com/en/gallery/ Esri Academy – https://www.esri.com/training/ ArcGIS Developers – https://developers.arcgis.com/ Esri Community - https://community.esri.com/ Telecommunications Esri Community – https://community.esri.com/t5/telecommunications/ct-p/telecommunications   See you at the next meetup! ... View more

  News & Updates Not only is it spooky season but its that time of year for an update to ArcGIS Online. The October 2023 update includes new functionality in Map Viewer, such as additional analysis tools and raster functions, time zone settings, plus other enhancements and new capabilities throughout the ArcGIS Online website. A complete list of updates are available in the blog link below, but here are a few of our favorites. Save Group Layers as New Items from Map Viewer Use group layers to organize related layers in your map. Once grouped, you can set exclusive visibility, showing only one specific layer without having to hide each of the other layers. You can now save group layers as items, enabling you to reuse group layers across your organization’s web maps. The group layer’s exclusive visibility and styling settings will also be saved in the item. Learn more about saving group layers as items. Map Viewer Timezone By default, the map displays the date and time based on the time zone of the device used to view the map. Map authors can now choose a specific time zone for their maps, ensuring all pop-ups and attribute data are consistently presented in the desired time zone rather than being influenced by the end user’s browser or mobile device.         Atlas Instant App Atlas is now out of beta and in general availability. Atlas enables organizations to highlight a collection of curated maps and layers based on a point of interest, a geographic location, a theme, or a specific event. Atlas is an effective way to enable non-GIS users to make their own maps and explore your organization’s content. Users can easily discover and explore content, as well as share the maps they create via PDF or screenshots, or after signing in can save the map to their Content. Built-in tools help users explore the map by searching locations, switching between 2D and 3D, measuring distance and area, and using the enhanced sketch tools to add text and arrows to the map. Oriented Imagery Now Supported in Map Viewer An oriented imagery layer is a type of feature layer for visualizing oriented imagery in the context of a map. Map Viewer now supports viewing and managing oriented imagery layers using the oriented imagery viewer. When added to the map, each point in an oriented imagery layer indicates the camera location where an image was acquired. For more information, see Introducing oriented imagery or re-watch this TGI5 on how to set up QuickCapture for photo inspections. TGI5 - Episode 037 - Photo Inspections & Oriented Imagery Viewing  ArcGIS Data Pipelines Data Pipelines (beta) is a new data engineering and integration application that was released in ArcGIS Online in June 2023. The Data Pipelines development team has been listening closely to your feedback and have implemented new features based on your requests. New features include scheduled data pipeline workflows, and an easier way to configure the schema for delimited datasets. If you follow TGI5, in episode 81 we highlighted the capabilities of Data Pipelines and have been looking forward to the scheduling option, which is now available. TGI5 - Episode 081 - ArcGIS Data Pipelines    **Important Information for ArcGIS Online Admins** When ArcGIS Online Organization administrators are no longer active and are unreachable, privileges must be delegated to a new or existing user. For example, the user named as the current default administrator has separated from their organization but did not delegate administrator permissions to another user before their final day. As a result, current active users are left without the permissions needed to perform the tasks reserved for an administrator.  To ensure the organization does not lose admin capabilities please refer to this article for best practices and guidance.   Product Updates: ArcGIS Online (October 2023) Instant Apps (October 2023) ArcGIS Dashboards (October 2023) Data Pipelines (October 2023) ArcGIS Image for ArcGIS Online (October 2023) ArcGIS Business Analyst Web App (October 2023) Esri Demographics (October 2023) ArcGIS Field Maps (October 2023)     Recent TGI5s TGI5 - Episode 085 - IMGIS 2023 Keynote Demonstration  TGI5 - Episode 086 - Pulling External Data Into ArcGIS Survey123      Meetups & Events This month the Esri Telecom Team held the second Esri Carolinas regional meetup of the year for the Telecom User Community. Lots of great conversations around field operations and specifically make ready pole audit use cases.  Thanks to everyone in attendance and looking forward to more in-person meetups next year!   Join @PatrickRyan, @JLauer, and the telecom user community for the final virtual meetup of the year. This final Telecom GIS in 60 Minutes will be focused on field operations with ArcGIS. What ArcGIS apps support field mobility, what's new, tips and tricks, and telecom use cases. Be sure to register for this last meetup of the year which will on November 14th at 8:00 PST.   TGI60 - Field Operations - Virtual Meetup        Telecom Insights Amazon is analyzing real estate. FedEx is optimizing deliveries. Marriott is modeling climate risk. Across industries, a mindset is forming: To understand a business—its growth opportunities, hidden inefficiencies, and risks—executives must understand the locations where it operates. That requires what Deloitte calls spatial thinking, a practice that can improve operations, marketing, and risk management—and spark transformation across an organization. This WhereNext webcast explores how companies are deploying spatial analytics to create efficiency, safeguard operations and customers, and grow. Listen in to learn how some of the world’s best-known brands use spatial analytics to improve business outcomes. Register for the Webcast Today!   For more insights, be sure to sign up for the Telecom News newsletter at esri.com/telecom.     Happy Geoween!!!   Previous Bits & Bytes: TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - March 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - April 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - May 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - June 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - July 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - August 2023  TelUC Bits & Bytes Newsletter - September 2023    ... View more

Welcome back to TGI5. In this episode we look at two ways to pull data from an external feature layer into ArcGIS Survey123. We show how this can be done using the Web Designer and Survey123 Connect. For details check out the links below.   Extract data from a feature layer using 'Calculations' in the Web Designer Pull data from a feature layer using the pulldata("@layer") function in Survey123 Connect Survey123 Tricks of the Trade: pulldata("@layer")    - Patrick Huls ... View more

Welcome back to another episode of TGI5. In this episode we play a recording of the telecom keynote demonstration from the Esri IMGIS conference 2023. If you would like to re-watch the entire keynote you can watch the recording here.  Be sure to login to the conference website in order to access the recording.   Until next time, we're out.  Patrick Huls ... View more