Precision With Purpose: The Geospatial Advantage in Telecom Network Planning

Telecom networks are no longer planned or evaluated in isolation. As 5G, private LTE, fixed wireless, and mission-critical communications expand, operators are expected to deliver stronger coverage, higher reliability, and demonstrable performance—often while managing complex technologies and constrained resources. Regulators, customers, and public agencies are increasingly focused on outcomes that can be measured and validated, not projections alone. What matters now is whether networks perform as intended when they are deployed, and whether decisions can be supported with clear, data-backed evidence.

That reality raises a critical question: how do telecom leaders plan networks that actually perform in the real world—before the first tower is built or a dollar is spent?

Welcome to Waypoints Unlocked. In this episode, learn how telecom leaders are using geospatial intelligence and precision RF planning to design networks that deliver reliable performance, measurable outcomes, and smarter investment decisions.

Host Randall René, founder of Waypoint 33, walks listeners through a recently published blog, unpacking how geospatial intelligence—specifically the integration of RF planning tools within the Esri ArcGIS ecosystem—is changing how telecom, public safety, utilities, and defense organizations design and manage modern networks.

Key highlights from the episode…

• Why traditional RF planning workflows no longer work in a world where network performance is publicly measured, regulated, and instantly compared.

• How geospatial intelligence creates a single source of truth, aligning engineers, operations teams, finance leaders, and executives around shared data.

• What precision RF planning enables before deployment, including modeling coverage, interference, line-of-sight, and reliability under real-world terrain and conditions.

Randall René, MBA, is a telecom and GIS strategy leader with over 20 years of industry experience spanning network planning, operations, and executive advisory roles. He previously led Esri’s global telecommunications industry strategy and held senior leadership positions at Comcast and ADP Resources, driving digital transformation, geospatial adoption, and operational modernization across complex organizations. As founder and Principal Advisor of Waypoint 33, he now advises executives on aligning technology, people, and partners to achieve measurable performance, data trust, and sustained execution during periods of change.

Article written by MarketScale.