Precision With Purpose: The Geospatial Advantage in Telecom Network Planning

A 3D visualization in ArcGIS showing signal strength around high-rise buildings using Cellular Expert. The color scale highlights network coverage and performance across an urban landscape.

I’ve spent most of my career sitting between three very different groups of people. On one side are the engineers out in the field, the ones who keep our networks alive. Across the table are the executives writing the checks, and trying to make sure every dollar moves the business forward. Then, somewhere in the middle are the people depending on those networks, such as the customers, countless agencies, and public safety and defense teams who need things to work every single time.

No matter where I’ve been, I’ve heard the same story time and time again. As operators, we promised better service, fewer dead zones, and stronger performance. Now we have to deliver what consumers need without overspending, overbuilding, or missing the mark entirely.

That’s where the telecom industry finds itself today. We’re in a time when efficiency matters as much as expansion. Deloitte calls it “a period of modernization,” a shift from building more to building smarter. That pressure isn’t just hitting private operators. Public agencies, utilities, and defense teams are being held to the same standard: reliable coverage, measurable improvement, and visible progress for the people they serve.

I’ve worked with those teams for many years now. I’ve seen public safety leaders who can’t afford a failed signal during a crisis, service providers and broadband offices that have to explain every tower and backhaul route, and defense planners who only ask one question: will it work when it has to.

That’s where precision meets purpose.

The Reality Of Modern Networks

Modern networks are a wild mix of technologies, these days it's a patchwork quilt of 5G, private LTE, small cells, point-to-point microwave, and fiber backhaul, all tied into IoT systems and edge computing. The best part is, it's evolving every day and every part depends on the other. Adding to the complexity is the fact performance is no longer hidden from consumers, it’s public, it’s measurable, and it’s constantly criticized and compared.

Customers know when you deliver and when you don’t. They see it in coverage maps, in buffering videos and slow upload speeds, and in how often their calls drop. They reward reliability, and they move on fast when they don’t get it. Simply put, they want it to work seamlessly and everywhere.

Indoor and outdoor RF signal visualization created in Cellular Expert within ArcGIS. The color gradient shows predicted signal strength levels throughout a complex building structure.

Yet, for all the complexity and the money at stake, a surprising amount of planning still happens the old way. Engineers model RF coverage in one program, asset teams update spreadsheets in another, and executives make decisions from already outdated PDFs. I once sat in a meeting where five departments had five different versions of the same coverage map. Nobody knew which one to trust, but all were convinced their map and data was the best.

Hope isn’t a strategy, but it’s still driving too many design decisions and is based upon outdated workflows.

Why The Old Way No Longer Works

The traditional approach to RF planning was to predict, place, deploy, test, and tweak. Now, for a long while this model worked fine, but that was when performance expectations were lower. Those days are gone.

Now, performance is the experience. Regulators and funding programs don’t want projections anymore - they want proof. Operators have to back up every claim with data, tie every investment to measurable improvement, and be ready to show exactly how their network performs.

Accenture put it best: “In a 5G world, precision is not a luxury — it’s a requirement.” 

Remember this, that’s not marketing language. It’s the reality of competing in a world where your customers can test your network faster than you can. Reliable connectivity doesn’t happen by accident, it takes proactive efforts and the best tools available. It’s built through disciplined, data-driven, planning, and the accuracy of that plan determines both the performance and profitability of your networks.

The Esri Ecosystem And The Power Of Location

This is where geospatial intelligence changes everything.

Esri’s ArcGIS has become the nerve center for thousands of telecom, utility, and government organizations. It’s not just a map, it delivers far beyond just visualized information. It’s a living system that connects assets, data, field operations, and decision-making, while simplifying workflows and delivering understanding. It’s where information becomes action, and how organizations transform from reactive to proactive in their efforts.

Cellular Expert was built inside that system, not as a separate tool, but as a native extension to ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Enterprise. It brings RF planning, microwave and backhaul design, and telecom network modeling into the same environment where organizations already manage infrastructure and operations.

Fixed wireless network planning and terrain profile analysis in Cellular Expert within ArcGIS. The model displays signal paths, reflections, and clearance along a service link through an urban environment.

That matters. When everyone works from the same data, such as engineers, operations, finance, and leadership, decisions get faster and smarter. Engineers can model interference under real terrain and clutter conditions, operations teams can see risk, finance teams can link spending to impact, and executives can visualize how each choice supports the larger mission.

When everyone shares one truth, collaboration becomes natural.

What Cellular Expert Brings To The Table

Inside ArcGIS Pro, Cellular Expert turns network planning into a living process. You can test tower placements, check line-of-sight, model signal strength, and calculate link budgets, all before sending teams to the field and a single shovel hits the dirt.

For organizations managing microwave or fixed wireless links, it simulates reliability and redundancy against real terrain and weather. It supports everything from LTE and 5G to Wi-Fi and point-to-multipoint networks, all within ArcGIS Enterprise for full governance and visibility. This is a massive capability in determining serviceability and providing sales and call centers with the knowledge they need to help customers best.

The result is a single, defensible view of the network lifecycle, and is one that connects the technical efforts of teams directly with the strategic initiatives of the company.

Telecom Network Planning Smarter, Not Harder

Every operator faces the same challenge: how do we improve service without spending more?

PwC notes that even after years of massive capital investment, many networks still underperform because planning was based on incomplete or outdated data. That’s where Cellular Expert changes the game. Instead of guessing, you can model multiple build scenarios and immediately see which one improves service quality and customer experience the most.

That kind of clarity pays for itself, and it prevents stranded assets. It prevents those expensive decisions around towers or links that looked good on paper but failed in the field from ever happening. With Cellular Expert and ArcGIS, you’re designing for reality, not theory. That means fewer surprises and more confidence in every decision.

Outdoor 3D propagation model in Cellular Expert within ArcGIS, showing fixed wireless coverage from a rooftop antenna. The color gradient visualizes predicted signal strength across surrounding terrain and buildings.

In a recent EY report, trust and resilience were identified as two of the top risks facing modern telecom organizations. These aren’t abstract concepts. Networks have become national assets, and leaders are being asked difficult but necessary questions: What do we own? Where is it? How does it perform? And what happens if it fails?

When your planning happens inside ArcGIS with Cellular Expert, you can answer all of them, clearly and confidently.

One Foundation, Many Missions

Every organization approaches network planning differently, but they all want the same thing: reliable service, measurable results, and responsible investment. Whether it’s a state broadband office, a defense agency, or a private provider, they all have a need for accurate geospatial data to make informed decisions.

Public agencies: Broadband programs and emergency networks need traceable coverage and reliability data. With Cellular Expert in ArcGIS, agencies can model improvements, track grant outcomes, and report with confidence, all within the same platform they already use for assets and environmental oversight.

Commercial service providers: Modernization means impact. Cellular Expert helps pinpoint where small changes make the biggest difference in experience or efficiency. Integrated with ArcGIS workflows, it ties planning directly to permitting, field operations, and asset management, creating a seamless flow from concept to customer.

Detailed rooftop signal coverage model in Cellular Expert within ArcGIS. The visualization highlights RF exposure levels and coverage intensity to support network compliance, site safety, and performance validation.

Defense and national security: When communication equals survivability, every signal matters. Cellular Expert lets mission planners model line-of-sight, interference, and survivability in contested or degraded environments, right alongside the situational awareness tools they already use in ArcGIS.

Utilities and critical infrastructure: Private LTE and 5G are now essential to safety and resilience. Cellular Expert supports precision RF planning, while ArcGIS provides real-time visibility into assets and field status. Together, they help operators manage risk and keep critical services online.

This shared visibility builds alignment from the top down. Executives, planners, and field teams see the same information and can act on it together. That transparency fosters confidence both inside the organization and with customers, partners, and regulators.

Control, Clarity, and Confidence

Every successful network depends on more than engineering precision, it depends on trust. Leaders need confidence that their data is secure, their workflows are governed, and their teams are working from a single source of truth.

Because Cellular Expert operates inside ArcGIS Enterprise, those assurances come standard. Organizations retain complete control over users, permissions, and change history while staying aligned with existing IT and compliance frameworks.

That shared visibility builds confidence across the organization. Executives, planners, and field crews see the same data, understand what it means, and act on it together. Transparency of that kind doesn’t just improve operations, it strengthens relationships with customers, partners, and regulators alike.

Precision with purpose

At Waypoint 33, we believe clarity drives confidence. When you understand how your network behaves and can predict performance before you build, every decision becomes stronger. You reduce waste, improve service, and earn the trust of the people who depend on connectivity the most.

Cellular Expert and ArcGIS make that possible. They give organizations the precision to plan with data and the purpose to act with integrity. This isn’t just about better networks, it’s about building reliability, accountability, and trust into every connection.

The future of network planning will belong to leaders who combine strategy with spatial intelligence. The tools are ready. The only question left is who’s ready to use them.

Every journey starts with a conversation. If you’d like to explore how these ideas could fit your strategy, I’d love to connect. You can reach me directly at randall@waypoint33.com.

— Randall René Founder & Chief Consultant, Waypoint 33

Content Referenced:

This article draws on both my own experience working across the telecom ecosystem and current market research from trusted industry leaders. The insights below reflect the shared trends, challenges, and innovations shaping how organizations plan, build, and operate modern networks

Esri – GIS for Telecommunications: How ArcGIS supports strategy, planning, field operations, and reporting in one connected platform.

Cellular Expert – ArcGIS Partner Solution: An Esri partner extension that delivers RF planning, microwave design, and network optimization directly inside ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Enterprise.

PwC – Global Telecommunications Outlook 2025–2028: Industry analysis of capital efficiency, 5G monetization, and growth expectations through 2028.

Deloitte – 2025 Telecommunications Industry Outlook: Trends shaping telecom modernization, operational efficiency, and customer experience.

EY – Global Telecommunications Risk Radar: Insights on trust, cybersecurity, and resiliency as key performance and governance priorities.

Accenture – Network Strategy for a 5G World: Guidance on network planning accuracy, data-driven optimization, and infrastructure performance.