GIS in Telecommunications

Telecommunications is a thriving technology and business, accounting for a significant percentage of technical advances and revenue around the globe. GIS has emerged as a crucial tool in the telecommunications field for maintaining existing entities, planning for additional ones, and for gaining an advantage in this very competitive marketplace. The use of GIS in the telecom industry continues to grow because GIS technology accommodates the many CAD programs and drawings representing plant and transmission towers/coverage as well as the geographic representations of those items. Only a few years ago, introducing GIS into a telecom business required significant cash outlay, but through less expensive hardware and more user-friendly software, now even a modest CLEC can implement an effective GIS. This course exposes students to the various applications and uses for GIS in the telecom arena by breaking down the miscellaneous telecom requirements into GIS components and technological solutions. This course emphasizes specific telecom technology application requirements and allows students, through hands-on-lab work, to discover the power of GIS in delivering superior telecom solutions. This course also focuses on OSP/ISP applications and solutions, network connectivity issues as well as the exploding future of wireless technology. Prerequisite: GIS 4101 or similar GIS course and/or work experience.