Despite some speedbumps laid by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the rollout of 5G wireless service continues across the United States. 5G companies keep adding to the list of cities where various levels of 5G service are available, including the...

When it comes to the fast-paced utility and telecommunications deployments needed to meet the 5G rollout timeline, every hour is money. The number of decisions to be made, as well as the expanding number of stakeholders involved, puts a premium on...

Data management, permitting, and internal and external communications become less daunting with the right technological tools

Read Closing the U.S. Digital Divide: Why We Should Think Small to Win Big in AGL Magazine to learn why John Sciarabba, CEO of Alden Systems, explains how companies can create micro-efficiencies to help deliver broadband.

Leverage your resources to take advantage of 5G market demands.

In modern asset management, time is money. Whether a company’s assets are utility poles or cell towers, many costs—such as personnel, equipment, permitting fees, and contract rates—are fixed. Saving money and improving ROI depends largely on finding...

Overcome the lack of resources with these key steps that drive efficiency

Service providers are facing an incredible challenge. Demand for 5G (and faster service in general) is at an all-time high, while the staffing resources to accomplish this...

When 5G wireless service appeared in the first few US markets more than two years ago, it arrived on a wave of anticipation. The industry itself, media sources, and government entities such as the FCC had built enormous anticipation among tech-savvy...

In simpler times, joint use asset management for a utility or communications company wasn’t so daunting. It was important work, to be sure, but engineers, diligent field inspectors, and skilled maintenance personnel could handle it comfortably. A...

Learn Why Driving Operational Efficiencies Is Essential to Increasing ROI at the Tower

Alden Systems CEO John Sciarabba spoke during the Above Ground Level (AGL) Virtual Summit in June. He participated in the session, “Increasing ROI at the Tower,”...

Although remote sensing has been around in some form for many decades, this technology has emerged as one of the most transformative trends in modern industry and, recently, our society. Remote sensors have served a variety of purposes. However, the...

A couple of years into the deployment of 5G technology many asset owners, including utilities and municipal governments, continue to receive an ever-growing number of joint use requests. Increasing consumer demand for reliable mobile phone service,...

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that at the beginning of 2021, at least 3.8 million households with school-aged children lacked home internet access part of or all the time, according to a report from the National Governor’s Association. This basic...

As communications and broadband technology evolved rapidly over the past two decades, optical fiber networks played a central role. Speed and reliability are the top values for consumers of today’s technology — and fiber is built for speed and...

Your company has just purchased an enterprise software system. The road to get here has been long. It’s been a significant investment for your business. The platform seems to be a perfect fit for your organization. You’ve found a software partner in...

Part Four of our series “The Success of 5G Deployment Depends on these 4 Key Industry Changes.” Read the other articles here.

Not so long ago, utility companies could think about each proposed joint use field job as a project with a clear beginning,...

Part Three of our four-part series “The Success of 5G Deployment Depends on these 4 Key Industry Changes.” Read the other articles here.

The massive deployment of equipment that is necessary for reliable 5G service throughout the country is...

Part Two of our four-part series “The Success of 5G Deployment Depends on these 4 Key Industry Changes.” Read the first article here.

Electric power utilities and communications companies have done business with one another for a very long time....

This article is the first in a four-part series that explores changes utilities can make to realize more effective 5G deployment.

For broadband consumers in a few major markets, 2020 was the year 5G technology finally arrived and began to deliver on...

The spread of 5G wireless service across the country continues with great fanfare. Communications companies are trumpeting their versions of the high-speed technology, and smartphone makers are touting the 5G capabilities of their latest devices. ...

For the many people responsible for deploying and maintaining utility and communications infrastructure, joint use is a more complicated and more dynamic operation than it used to be. New, in-demand technologies are rapidly multiplying the number of...

A global drone company had a big job on its hands: collecting data on 20k+ utility poles per month and then providing a pole loading analysis to the client, an electric utility, for use in storm hardening. The work required documenting the pole...

Joint use in the utility sector began as a simple resource-sharing proposition between electric utilities and telephone companies. It’s no longer so simple. 

New technologies have since emerged, introducing new demands on infrastructure. Leaps in...

The concept of multiple providers jointly occupying space on physical assets is nothing new; for decades, electric utilities and telephone service providers have shared space on utility poles. However, the past few years have brought huge increases...

As the technologies used to create digital twins have become better and more affordable, forward-looking companies in many industries have begun to use digital twins for a variety of purposes. Some find that a virtual replica of their physical...

Small cell is bringing big changes to joint use departments of electric utilities, telecommunications and broadband providers. These companies are facing an exploding interest from wireless carriers to attach small cell equipment to their...

Businesses are in a rush to get small cell wireless attachments deployed. In the past couple of years, competitors entered the field and practically raced to the utility poles and other infrastructure to get in on the rollout of next-generation...

Several years ago, the buzz began about the incoming mass deployment of small cell attachments. Annual deployment continues to expand.

Digital twin technology is gaining traction across a widening range of industries, including utilities. Reasons include reduced risk, heightened predictability, and more detailed information on company assets. The bottom line, however, is that...

In the past few years, communications companies have deployed thousands of antenna systems to fuel next-generation 5G, and this trend will continue in the foreseeable future as 5G networks continue to roll out across the country. The 5G broadband...

Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA) is an 82-year-old Colorado-based rural electric association with roughly 170,000 customers over 5,000 square miles of diverse territory, from cities to mountain towns to ranches. The tightly staffed...

As the technologies that can produce a detailed digital duplicate of a company’s physical assets are becoming more affordable, many large industries have been able to use them. The concept of a digital twin, or virtual copy, originated a few decades...

As our nation’s fast-expanding utility and communications infrastructure become more complex every year, the value of creating a digital twin of a company’s assets grows ever clearer.

It saves time and money to have an accurate, measurable virtual...

In the joint use industry, confusion and uncertainty are the arch enemies of cooperation. They cause delays in permit approvals and construction, inefficiencies in procedures, and hard feelings among joint use partners. The potential for confusion...

The concept of a digital twin has been around for well over a decade, but many industries have been giving it a serious look only in the past few years. The technologies available to create digital twins have become more sophisticated, more useful,...

Tilson is a network development and information infrastructure firm providing professional services to national communications, construction, utility, and government clients. A fast-growing part of Tilson’s business is developing poles in the right...

Minnesota Power is an investor-owned utility with roughly 145,000 customers, whose services cover roughly 26,000 square miles. For much of its history, the company tracked assets on paper and basic computer databases. When Minnesota Power began...

In the past several years, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) has grown from a technology primarily used by the military, law enforcement, and large engineering firms into a useful tool for many other industries. In the U.S., LiDAR is used by...

The digital revolution that began a few decades ago continues to rapidly reshape the way companies around the world do business. Constant innovation is creating new possibilities for more efficient, more sophisticated, and more proactive business...

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is becoming a go-to technology for many industries. The use of thousands, or even millions, of laser light pulses per second to measure distances has a multitude of applications.

LiDAR has existed for decades, but...

The pace of change in today’s utility and communications landscape is accelerating almost constantly. Joint use requests are multiplying, especially with the ongoing 5G rollout and the resulting explosion in the deployment of small cell equipment....

Every year, more utilities are recognizing the value of using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) to collect asset data. This technology measures distances by emitting hundreds of thousands of light pulses per second. It can provide detailed...

Across the country today, the broadband industry is working fervently to bring 5G service to a massive number of Americans.

For the consumer, 5G will mean speeds and bandwidth far eclipsing what 4G offers. Beyond that, it will continue to build on...

Utility companies have always needed data that supplies an up-to-date picture of their infrastructure. Traditionally, that was gathered by experienced field technicians making visual observations, taking photographs, and measuring assets using...

Let’s start with a common scenario: A communications company files a permitting application with an electric utility to attach equipment to a few of the owner's poles.

The utility is under a federally mandated deadline to respond. The company needs...

The 5G rollout has begun in cities across the U.S., and applications for small cell attachments to utility and streetlight poles are growing. The buildout of 5G infrastructure is expected to continue throughout the decade. 

Utility professionals have always been at war with the weather. Disruptive storms, whether in the form of hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms, or flash floods, have posed a continual threat to utility infrastructure.

The past few years have brought significant changes to the electric utility and communications sectors. The small cell revolution is underway, and poles are sprouting attachments at an accelerating pace. New FCC rules are putting joint use...

The decision to implement a storm hardening program is a big step for any utility company. Large-scale storm hardening can be cost-prohibitive and may take years to complete, especially for larger utilities responsible for millions of assets.

...

Weather-related power outages have been inevitable as long as electric utilities have existed. The basic questions utilities ask are the same, although the answers change:

• How quickly can power be restored?
• What restoration time is acceptable?
• ...

Utilities have always had to contend with the ravages of weather, particularly after massive storms that damaged or destroyed large swaths of utility infrastructure. In recent years, "super storms" and other major weather events that cause massive...

As LIDAR technology becomes more affordable, an increasing number of utility companies are using it to collect asset data.

LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) uses many thousands of laser light pulses per second to measure distances (single point...

For years, the U.S. military and law enforcement agencies across the country have found Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), a useful tool in situations when precise measurements are essential. The technology consists of a device that emits a...

For years, utility companies have counted on a combination of experienced personnel, hot stick measurements, and digital cameras to collect data on their poles and other assets. But accelerated demands for jointly used real estate, as well as...

For utility companies, accurate data is essential to effective asset management. Power providers need up-to-date data to ensure their plant is free of violations, double poles, hazards, and trespass. Trusted methods have been used to collect data...

By now, many consumers of wireless services are aware that 5G is on its way. In a few U.S. cities, the newest generation of wireless broadband either has arrived or will arrive shortly, with a nationwide rollout to follow. 5G offers the prospect...

The small cell revolution is underway. Deployment is accelerating as the 5G rollout continues. With the mass explosion of small cell, big changes for professionals in the joint use community are crucial. 

When the FCC issued its Third Report and Order on small cell attachments in September 2018, wireless telecommunications companies were given more opportunity to deploy their services. 

The restrictions, requirements, and obligations in the FCC’s Third Order and Report on small cell wireless deployment represented a major change for many municipalities nationwide. The order limits the fees cities are allowed to charge wireless...

The goal of the FCC’s Third Report and Order on small cell wireless deployment, issued in September 2018, is to remove any blocks that could prevent or hinder the continued rollout of 5G. 

The FCC’s Small Cell Third Report and Order, is all about speed. The Third Report and Order regulates deployment of small cell wireless facilities and the purpose of the FCC rules is to install small cell infrastructure quickly across the nation....

The September 2018 Third Report and Order was designed to speed up deployment of small cell wireless infrastructure across the nation, and the FCC delivered their list of regulations.

Many governments and joint use parties are preparing for the...

The race to roll out 5G wireless broadband service is under way in the United States.

In September 2018, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved an order that sets requirements for joint use parties who work with the infrastructure...

This year, progressive technology is generating massive changes for the United States. We find ourselves in the middle of a Fourth Industrial Revolution, where self-driving cars, automated homes, and robotics are becoming a reality.

The Fourth...

Several companies are re-evaluating their processes and molding their day-to-day to business to align with the new FCC order. If you haven’t yet read the official document released by the FCC, you can find it here: ...

Professionals in the joint use industry are preparing for compliance under the FCC’s Third Report and Order. The FCC’s policy features a new pole attachment process with specific timelines that pole owners, existing attachers, and new attachers must...

If you have been following industry news or reading our blogs, you may know by now that the Federal Communications Commission has passed a Report and Order called One Touch Make Ready (OTMR). OTMR is a set of guidelines designed to speed up...

New OTMR guidelines range from shortened timetables to specific processes. The primary parties involved (asset owners, existing attachers, and new attachers) will likely experience changes in their everyday roles and responsibilities.

The Federal Communications Commission’s One Touch Make Ready order (OTMR), issued in August of 2018, spells out the rules, requirements, and deadlines that the joint use community must begin following no later than February 2019.

The FCC’s One Touch Make Ready (OTMR) order has placed the joint use community and its personnel in a new and uncharted landscape for broadband deployment.

It has the potential to change roles within businesses and the joint use community at-large....

If you’ve been reading our latest blog series, you know that the FCC issued a Report and Order in August for the new policy One Touch Make Ready.

Similar to the “Dig Once” policy for overhead attachments, the OTMR order seeks to streamline make...

Across the United States, the joint use community is busy transitioning to the new rules and timetables established by the FCC in the August 2018 One Touch Make Ready order.

The FCC’s One Touch Make Ready (OTMR) order, issued in early August, involves big changes for everyone in the joint use community: asset owners, existing attachers, new attachers, and contractors. No later than February 2019, companies must begin...

The stage has been set for major advances in technology, and that means big changes for the joint use community.

In August, the Federal Communications Commission issued the One Touch Make Ready (OTMR) order, a set of rules designed to speed up...

Installing fiber optic cable can be an expensive and lengthy process. Often, it requires an extended period of right-of-way negotiations and acquisitions before a company starts to dig. Plus, there’s a costly and disruptive construction process that...

There are big changes on the horizon for joint use professionals. With the race to attach and deploy services, the next few years will be a busy time for joint use professionals.

Consumers are eagerly awaiting the next step in broadband technology: 5G. With an explosion of small cell and fiber deployment, internet is the fastest it’s been to date. Users can download and stream data better than ever before. We’ve been...

Fiber optic broadband is sweeping the nation. Fiber's advantages over copper include faster speeds, durability, and efficiency. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are going the extra mile and converting their extended networks to fiber, as more...

The first Monday in September is dedicated to celebrating the American worker. Labor Day supports the goals of our Founding Fathers—to live in prosperity and economic accomplishment.

We interviewed Dianne Costello, Product Manager of Managed Services and Client Training, at Alden. We asked what small cell attachers should know about utility poles, street lights, traffic lights, and other assets.

Independence Day is characterized by fireworks, barbecues, and quality time with friends or family. It is a day to reflect on our country’s heritage—and the freedom that America gained by signing the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776....

Utility poles offer the necessary power and connectivity that is vital for small cell deployment. Providers will likely continue to increase permitting requests for small cell attachments, and pole owners may struggle to handle the number of...

Cell phone signals have become much more reliable in the last few years. Making calls from your office, home, or school typically presents few problems. However, try to upload a video or stream music while out and about, and your mobile experience...

Nationwide, utilities and other asset owners are seeing an influx of inquiries and permitting applications for small cell. Today, there are nearly 2.8 million small cell units deployed globally. By 2025, that number is predicted to reach 70.2 million

With numerous cybersecurity threats discussed in the four previous posts, it is no wonder some leaders in the joint use space are questioning centralized, online systems.

Keeping up with evolving cyber threats is a struggle, but it is possible to...

In the early days of cable service, providers encountered attackers who tried to steal service, customer data, and video content. As service offerings expanded to include broadband Internet, attacks have grown to be even more extensive, more...

Communications companies possess extensive consumer data, including financial and behavioral information. Customers subscribe to services that range from home and mobile phone service, cable, Internet, and more.

The U.S. electric grid consists of more than 7,000 power plants, 55,000 substations, 160,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and millions of miles of lower-voltage distribution lines. The system is interconnected with a series of networks...

As the joint use industry inches closer to a technology-based future, cybersecurity is an everyday concern. In the last few years, there have been incredible innovations in technology: the Internet of Things, Machine-to-Machine communications, smart...

Distributed antenna systems (DAS) were the original small cells. First used more than 30 years ago, DAS began as a solution to provide wireless coverage in areas where there was none.  Today’s DAS networks help fill in holes where wireless coverage...

The Internet of Things (IoT) is ushering in a new era of connected homes, smart appliances,  and other developments beyond our imagination. Technology companies and government organizations are working to enable the necessary infrastructure for its...

New players in the joint use arena are racing to deploy services. Utility poles once stood tall under the weight of power and telephone lines alone, but today’s joint use infrastructure now must also support dozens of competing broadband companies.

...

What Pole Owners & Attachers Need to Know 

Many joint use asset owners and attachers/renters use homegrown, legacy applications to manage their assets. Some use Excel spreadsheets, or use a combination of applications such as Sharepoint, Maximo, and others. As needs change, systems must be...

In the previous two posts of this series (view here and here), we discussed steps the FCC is taking to reinvigorate the pace of broadband deployment nationwide – with focus on closing the digital divide in rural and tribal areas.

In the first post of this series, we discussed reasons why the FCC repealed the Title II Order (net neutrality) as a step to accelerate broadband deployment.  

"…While we are now headed in the right direction, our work has just begun. Far too many...

The FCC’s Course Correction to Accelerate Deployment in 2018

In our 3-part blog series, we are inspecting common pole conditions that can be costly for asset owners, as well as attachers.

In our 3-part blog series, we are investigating common pole conditions that interrupt service deployment and increase asset owners’ risk.  In part 1, we looked at dangerous conditions on utility poles.

This article will look at the multitude of...

In this 3-part blog series, we are addressing common pole conditions that halt service deployment and can be costly to asset owners. It is our experience that asset owners often do not know the current statue or condition of all assets in the field.

In our four-part educational series, we have explored three important issues that manhole and handhole owners are currently facing: trespass, damage, and violations. All three can work against each other, creating inaccessible vaults and extremely...

In this four-part series, we are uncovering manhole and handhole conditions. In our experience, asset owners are often surprised at the amount of damage, trespass, and violations found in underground spaces without regular inventories. The first...

Successful joint use management of underground infrastructure begins with knowing which assets are in underground spaces and tracing actions to each one.

Successful business decisions for asset owners and occupants of underground infrastructure begins with knowing which assets are underground and tracking activities of each.

Our first article, “Getting Ahead in 2018: Pole Inspections (Part 1 of 3)” looked at the proactive strengths of resolutions to start and maintain regular pole audits. Our second post, “Getting Ahead in 2018: Inspections (Part 2 of 3),” specifically...

In this post, we suggest ways to get ahead in 2018 by reviewing vital tools for strengthening joint use operations and management. The first article in this series, “Getting Ahead in 2018: Pole Inspections (Part 1 of 3)” discusses utility pole asset...

Over the next three articles, we will discuss the tools needed to strengthen joint use partnerships. We will focus on the ways that inspections and inventories, paired with a centralized asset management system, are critical to managing an...

In the last post, we discussed the challenges created when asset owners are the only source of information on current field conditions, and the dangers of individual assets being inspected once every decade or less. This situation means it is highly...

In our last post, we examined reasons why line workers have one of the most dangerous jobs in America. More than just the risks of high voltage lines and working from large heights, another significant impact on field safety is lack of access to...

This week, we wanted to reflect on our gratitude. We work together daily with incredible people who provide us with electricity, entertainment, and the ability to communicate and connect with our world. In honor of these hard-working companies and...

Industry professionals understand the risks line workers face all too well. However, many customers may be surprised to learn that installers and repairers are among the top ten most dangerous jobs in the country. This statistic includes fatal work...

When a storm or other major event looms on the horizon, utility and communications companies turn to mutual aid organizations for fast, urgent, and widespread support. These organizations empower networks to respond quickly to the unpredictable...

For joint use asset owners that are already stretched thin managing their plant, the trend of more frequent and more powerful natural disasters is a threat. If climate scientists are correct, events like the hurricanes and wildfires that have...

2017 was one of the worst years on record for wildfires in the Western U.S. According to a report from NPR; there were 123 large wildland fires burning on about 2 million acres of land in California, Oregon, Washington, and Montana during 2017. 

While downed lines or other utility factors only cause a small fraction of wildfires, one fire is too many when the loss to property and life can be so massive. Wildfires and other damaging situations can result from infrequent maintenance and...

In 2017, more than 37,000 wildfires burned 5.2 million acres nationwide. Fire season in some areas has become nearly year-round, a significant change from fifty years ago when fire season was typically only in summer and fall. Compared to the...

To close our underground series, we look at the crucial principles of an underground inventory. Underground inspections are necessary for asset owners, who must know the current conditions of their facilities. Although underground systems can seem...

A few weeks ago, Hurricane Harvey gushed into the streets of Houston and surrounding areas. It flooded businesses, homes, and schools. But it didn’t stop there. Water leaked from the streets  into the manholes and handholes of underground Houston. ...

Foreign to our everyday lives above ground, the underground world can be quite mysterious. What lies beneath is unknown and unfamiliar. Twenty-first century urban explorers have begun to uncover findings of underground communities, secret maps, and...

The future of communications is rapidly progressing. With high-speed broadband becoming a basic requirement in daily life, extensive changes are being made to regulations and federal deployment plans. Initiatives such as the Connect America Fund and...

Why is it common for a provider to require several months (or more) to respond to a permit to attach request? Often, poor data is to blame. Owners may not be able to readily access the last time a safety inspection was performed, what condition the...

Our communities are built on the success of our infrastructure. When something fails, we are all impacted – whether that infrastructure is a road, a bridge, power plant, or utility pole. Many people pass through their days unaware of the complex...

Despite initiatives like the FCC's Connect America Fund, which aims to offset the costs of installing broadband infrastructure to rural and underserved areas, broadband deployment across the U.S. remains unsatisfactorily slow.

Facing struggles with sluggish broadband deployment? A shared, centralized asset database can help asset owners and attachers speed up the process. 

Telecommunications, broadband, and other service providers that want to attach to utility poles are...

Before asset owners can reap the benefits of a centralized platform, they must be confident that their data will be completely secure.

The U.S. power grid is one of the top concerns for national security. Americans saw the very real threat of attack...

Search tools deliver faster, more accessible results than traditional reports.

Data is a hot topic today. How do you collect it? Store it? And make use of it all? Believe it or not, more data was created in the last two years than in the previous...

Create a community of trained users to maximize your system’s value.

This time of year is all about celebrating America’s roots of independence and liberty. The United States was founded on self-reliance and human ingenuity. Each July 4th, we pay homage to those who helped establish our great country.

Modern and Innovative: Asset Management in One Centralized System

In an ideal world, every company involved in the joint sharing of field assets would be able to have a secure, expansive system that integrates all relevant data into one place. What...

The vast amount of asset data is overwhelming. Where should you begin?

Traditional joint use management began as a manual process. While much technology has been introduced, there is still more to do. Asset owners must be able to share timely and...

Better data management, consistency, and communication: three concepts to unite safety and access, multiplying productivity for all parties.

An intricate weaving of wires to the untrained eye, power lines, telephone lines, CATV lines, fiber, and...

Lack of Shared Data & Poor Communication impedes Broadband Deployment

Data security threats have become a primary focus for utility asset owners, as the risks from cyber threats grow in frequency and sophistication. A recent report published on the U.S. Department of Energy website states that:

“There have been no...

It’s been all over the news this past year: Google Fiber made plans to deploy broadband into several markets at a breakneck pace. Speed to market is critical and the behemoth company hit roadblocks. While we do not speak for Google, delays on new...

Sorting through paper records, emails, or asset records spread across several different spreadsheets or platforms is no longer feasible for a best practice. Trying to keep track of maintenance needs, work requests (such as pole transfers), joint use...

People are using more and more data with their various devices. For state and local governments, getting broadband access for their citizens is an important card in the game. However, broadband deployment is being delayed in many areas, in part...

Today’s utility asset data is a vast world of information. Much of it is valuable; some of it is not. Asset owners hold data about many different asset types (utility poles, underground conduit in manholes or vaults, towers, cables, etc.), in many...

In January of 2016, there were more than 36,000 double poles in the state of Maryland alone. That was according to a report on utility pole attachments published by the Public Service Commission of Maryland. The report resulted from a workgroup...

One of the most prevalent issues facing utility pole owners is aging pole transfers, but they don’t have to be a constant struggle.

Timely pole transfers rely on clear communications and good relationships between the pole owner and the attachers. A...

When damage to a utility pole is caught early, it can be treated to halt rot, decay or insect damage from further weakening the pole. Poles that are inspected regularly and treated can have significantly longer lives than those that are not....

From utility pole placement requests to calling for faster Internet speeds, consumers are a powerful influence in driving growth within the utility and communications industries. As consumers’ needs expand and change, these industries must respond...

When a utility pole needs to be replaced, the pole owner will schedule the required equipment transfers. Many utility poles are joint use assets, where several different companies typically have attached equipment on the same pole. This means that...

There are many reasons that cause double wood, which is the existence of two poles where only one should be.

Regardless of the cause, double wood represents potential hazards or violations, and a hassle for utility pole owners and municipalities...

What is Joint Use, and How Does It Work?

Imagine a street lined with several sets of utility poles running up both sides, each owned by different companies. One set is owned by an electric utility, another set of poles is owned by a...

For businesses that own and operate joint use assets including utility poles and underground conduit, it is important to have a comprehensive inventory of the assets that you own, and their current condition. (There is a long list of benefits for...

Big data is being used in practically every industry today, yet many struggle with beneficial data utilization by having too much data without the tools and insight to make meaningful use of it. In many cases, large companies are so stressed out...

The big data revolution has left many utilities and communications companies scrambling to manage backlogs of stored information. Increasingly, some are finding that data-driven decisions based on old data can be worse than making decisions with no...

 The Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning are still in the early stages of what we see as an explosion of development. These two technological trends will be used in tandem to change the way electric utilities and communications companies...

There is no doubt the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is going to change the way we all do business. Companies, regulators and consumers are eager for a new wave of efficiency and productivity. However, the most valuable asset the IIoT will...

The Internet of Things – and the Industrial Internet of Things – promise significant changes and improvements for asset management and joint use in the years ahead

The information technology revolution is altering the way we communicate with...

 Are aging field assets an urgent crisis, or a manageable long-term maintenance challenge?

Is aging infrastructure an imminent problem that is bearing down on the U.S. utilities industry? Or is it a minor challenge to be addressed over a long period...

As tempting as it is to see the start of a new year as a fresh beginning – an opportunity to forge ahead with new resolutions, new plans and exciting new initiatives – it’s also important to take a look back. To consider all that the utility and...

Most asset owners today hold 100 percent of the liability for their field assets, such as utility poles, towers and conduit. As asset owners know all too well, this means they are fully responsible for all of their assets' safety and compliance,...

As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to gain momentum, more and more assets will be connected in the field. Advances in technology mean that internet-aware devices—such as sensors and other data capture technology—are becoming increasingly less...

This post is the second in a two-part blog series that explores the potential for joint use field assets to become revenue-generating businesses. Part 1 looks at the first two strategies that include capturing and marketing available space and...

In the past, when companies were regulated entities, they could operate under a cost-plus business model that allowed them to earn profits on top of asset investments. Under this approach, the primary focus was to contain expenses. However, with the...

Utility poles have become ubiquitous along the streets and highways in the U.S. over the last century, and that will not change anytime soon. As the number of attachers continues to grow, utility poles have become taller and thicker to support the...

On a sweltering summer afternoon in August of 2003, 21 North American power plants suddenly crashed offline, leaving 50 million people without power across the northeastern U.S. and the Canadian province of Ontario. The outage stopped trains and...

This post is part 3 of a three-part blog series about the Internet of Things (IoT) and its impact on infrastructure asset management. To read part 2, go to “3 Ways the Internet of Things Will Change the Future of Infrastructure Asset Management.”

As...

This post is part 2 of a blog series about the Internet of Things (IoT) and its impact on asset management. To read part 1, go to “What Does the Internet of Things Mean for Fixed Asset Management?”

Infrastructure asset management is evolving. In the...

If you haven't yet been captivated by the complex and exciting potential of “The Internet of Things,” I imagine you soon will. At its most basic level, the Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the ability for any devices to be connected to the...

Joint use issues have made the news lately as incumbent carriers, pole owners, and the “new kids on the block” butt heads. Recent entrants into the market such as Google Fiber are pushing for “One Touch Make Ready” polices. Their argument stems from...

With 30 states in the joint use community now required to follow the Federal Communications Commission’s new “One Touch Make Ready” policy, we are taking a look at the impact the policy will have for pole owners and attachers.

Bad weather happens. From the occasional light rain to seemingly increasing instances of extreme weather, tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms, wind, hail and lightning all can wreak havoc on utility poles, lines and equipment.

Utility poles and conduit vaults (the underground version of a wire-carrying 40-foot pole) are everywhere in our world—along highways, down neighborhood streets and under the surface of busy intersections.

They carry power, communications and...

It is evident that everyday life has changed significantly over the past few decades. Twenty years ago, most people could not have imagined we would be carrying around palm-sized devices capable of streaming movies, playing the world’s catalog of...

One of the keys to running a business well is having visible oversight—the high-level, future-focused information that allows for continued success. In joint use, that means reviewing your contracts to ensure they are updated, correct and working in...

In the world of joint use, connection and collaboration between pole owners, conduit owners and attaching companies is key. It is inherent in the term: if cooperation was not necessary, it would be called "solitary use." The thing is, it is...

Quick: How long has it been since you thoroughly reviewed your joint use contracts? I'm talking about the joint use agreements you have (for good or ill) with all the owners and attachers for the field assets you own. Last week, right? Good for you,...

Flashback to the year 1991. George Bush Sr. held the presidency. The Bulls held court in the NBA. When it came to getting down to business, we came to our respective conference tables armed with paper, pens and handshakes. Online docusign services...

We have drilled it into your head: double utility poles are a liability. They are a safety issue. They cost money. They drain your joint use department's resources. But what if we ended this series on double wood by telling you that they can also be...

We do a lot of talking about double utility poles from a safety perspective for good reason. Leaning or damaged poles left to further deteriorate or simply linger in drivers' line of sight and pedestrians' line of travel are hardly anything to...

You may have noticed the trend on a return visit to that older industrial city you pulled up roots from years ago. The neighborhoods are looking a bit more colorful and lively. On vacation, you may have felt the pull toward a lovely walkable...

Allowing double utility poles to linger in the field comes with a number of costs. The cost of increased liability from potentially damaged equipment that could fail, causing property damage or injury. The direct monetary cost of fines that can be...

Call it double wood, double utility poles, or just a double headache for your joint use department, neglecting to remove an old pole when a new one has been installed right next door—or in the attacher's case, transfer off of a pole in a timely...

2016 may be the year of the double utility pole.

Consult your favorite search engine's news section and you will find an increasing number of stories about everyone's (least) favorite double wood situation. Cities are now openly "tired of double...

At Alden, our experts travel all over the country solving infrastructure asset management, data collection, data management and joint use issues for companies of all shapes and sizes. We see a lot of different situations, and as a result, we bring...

At Alden, our experts travel all over the country solving issues in infrastructure asset management, data collection, data management and joint use for companies of all shapes and sizes. We see a lot of different situations, and as a result, we...

Assessing what's in the field is a key component to asset management. If you do not know what's out there or the current health of those assets today, you are missing vital pieces of information and potentially chunks of revenue. Especially if you...

Bootleg attachers are not born—they are made. While the occasional attaching company may be maliciously stealing space on your utility poles, the majority have likely fallen into unauthorized behavior through a variety of situations, from...

Unauthorized attachers and bootlegs, are both common industry terms for companies that attach equipment unpermitted and/or unbeknownst to the owner of the pole it hangs on, or the conduit it resides within. Because these characters are essentially...

For pole owners, attachers are partners: entities that rely on mutual agreement to operate together in one space. However, sometimes things go wrong in the relationship, creating liability for pole owners that were likely never intended.

Let’s discuss something called the butterfly effect for a moment. Aside from being a decently entertaining Ashton Kutcher-led mid-2000s film, it is an actual offshoot of chaos theory that theorizes that, in short, even the smallest action can have...

As we have mentioned, the field of service providers—especially jack-of-all-trades businesses who blur the lines between telecommunications, entertainment and broadband internet—is getting a little crowded. Utility poles are now packed with...

In the technology world, it seems that most large companies are busy becoming jacks-of-all-trades. Broadband and cable companies now offer "voice and communication" services (previously known as telephone in our past lives). The search result giant...

Double wood has long been an unsightly issue for municipalities. Double poles look messy and degrade the look of city streets that residents would rather see clean and orderly. They are unsightly, impede views, clutter landscapes, and can...

We frequently discuss the time and monetary constraints many joint use departments face, often in the context of resource contention. This is an issue that affects many, if not all, of our clients in some way. We have discovered that beyond the...

Picture this: the year is 1966. Lyndon Johnson is President. A box of corn flakes costs a cool 39 cents. Star Trek graces the airwaves for the first time and the Orioles take the Major League pennant. Joint use is a much simpler thing. Parity exists.

In our everyday lives, as well as in business, the quality of our partnerships often hinges on the personalities involved. People are characters and certain job tasks require particular aptitudes and attitudes. In your best friends, you seek out...

Deep in the mines of days past, workers would carry along a small, caged bird on each subterranean trip. Its purpose? To serve as a warning signal. Should dangerous gasses like carbon monoxide build up in the tunnels, the songbird would expire from...

When utility pole owners, attaching companies or anyone with a joint use department decide to ask for help, we have found it usually has to do with one big thing: resource contention.

Many joint use departments simply do not have the resources to do...

While many unexpected issues can be discovered during utility pole inspections, among the most common is double wood. For whatever reason—incomplete pole transfers, where you have two poles where there should only be one, is not a problem you need...

Joint use is, by nature, a bit of a fractured business: it has two distinct sides to its story. On one hand, you have physical assets in the field— utility poles and conduit that require physical attention to install and maintain. On the other hand,...

Moving is never easy. Whether you are talking about packing up and changing zip codes or detaching equipment and moving it to the next utility pole over, there is something uniquely bothersome about the simple act of relocation. In another typical...

You may have heard the anecdote that moving—picking up your belongings, removing them from one location and depositing them in another—is one of life’s greatest stressors. We would bet this is true—especially when you are talking about utility asset...

In the past few years, the idea and application of cloud computing has exploded. It almost seems as though we will cease to store important information on our personal devices or keep stacks of external drives gathering dust on our desks. Apps like...

With election season in full swing and the appointment of the next leader of the United States a mere six months away, our nation’s attention is tuned to television and social media, dissecting the views and every move of the field of hopefuls. We...

We are now a month into 2016, and while a lot of resolutions have been made, we know that it is difficult to keep them as the year goes on. January is the proving ground for turning great end-of-year ideas into year-long habits, but if you have not...

"Utility poles are like snowflakes: no two are alike." – Barry Wise, Alden Project Manager

The phrase "If you don’t like the weather now, just wait a few minutes" was most likely quipped by Mark Twain, but just about any meteorologist in the country could have uttered it in the past few months. It is the year of the "El Niño" in the...

Happy New Year to the utility and infrastructure asset management world! 2015 gave us lots to say about backlogs and field assessments, NESC violations, and the ever-turning field asset management cycle. 2016 will, we know, pose new challenges. So...

It has been a banner couple of years for the construction industry. According to the American Institute of Architects, nationally, housing starts passed a million units in 2014 – the first time they have been at that rate since before the bubble...

Regular, thorough field inspections are the best path to complete visibility of the current status and condition of your plant. From pinpointing pole location, verifying asset health and identifying potential unauthorized (bootleg) attachers,...

As business-critical decisions go, when the work gets heavy and resources get thin, this question is often heard: Should we use in-house staff or outsource?

Let's think about business strategy in two ways: proactive and reactive. These behaviors apply in every type of organization, in every market imaginable, but in the world of joint use, knowing the difference—and knowing what type of business you...

Large-scale growth. A boom in the housing market that requires many poles be erected or cable laid. Disaster. Weather. That day when all the utility poles in the field seem to age into maintenance issues at once.

In the world of joint use management, there is always another task on your to-do list. If it is not requests to attach, it is requests to disconnect. If poles do not need maintenance, they need replacement.As you may guess, each of these actions...

As fall’s crisp days begin in most places in the U.S. and the celebratory among us start thinking about overstuffed birds, starchy vegetables, and miles of sweet treats, we have been thinking of a joint use recipe that is very popular year round: ...

Backlogs – a buildup of overdue and incomplete joint use and other work requests – come in all varieties, from pole transfer backlogs to pileups of permits to attach, from unremedied NESC violations to mountains of detach notices. Think this could...

As we previously discussed, it is possible for a company to assume ownership of "bad" utility poles. These "bad" assets are poles that have been decommissioned but are still standing alongside their replacements. This generally happens as a result...

If the term "bad poles" sounds ominous, that is because it is—at least in terms of your organization’s appetite for risk. No one wants these unwanted and generally unneeded assets on their books, but your organization may have even assumed ownership...