The challenge of bridging the digital divide in rural America presents a unique paradox for Internet Service Providers: success itself can become the biggest obstacle. As providers secure funding and race to connect underserved communities, the sudden influx of thousands of new subscribers and the logistical complexity of building out new infrastructure can quickly overwhelm legacy operational systems. For Resound Networks, an ISP expanding its fiber and fixed wireless footprint across eight states, this scenario became a pressing reality. Fueled by significant funding from the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), the company faced the monumental task of managing parallel network construction projects, accelerating subscriber onboarding, and launching modern self-service tools, all under immense pressure to deliver on its commitments. This rapid growth exposed the limitations of its existing processes, creating an urgent need for a foundational shift toward a more scalable and automated operational backbone capable of sustaining its ambitious expansion plans.
Embracing a Unified Platform for Growth
Faced with the operational bottlenecks that threatened to stifle its expansion, Resound Networks initiated a strategic migration to a unified Operations Support System (OSS) and Business Support System (BSS) platform. The core objective was to find a solution that could not only handle the immediate demands of its RDOF-fueled growth but also provide a long-term, scalable foundation for future endeavors, including potential ISP acquisitions. The company’s hybrid deployment model, which incorporates both cutting-edge fiber optics and robust fixed wireless services, required a platform versatile enough to manage disparate technologies seamlessly. The selection of gaiia was driven by its capacity to provide a comprehensive suite of modern operational tools within a single, integrated environment. This move was not merely an upgrade of existing software but a fundamental modernization of Resound’s entire operational workflow, designed to replace fragmented, manual processes with streamlined, automated systems that could support an aggressive, multi-state rollout without compromising service quality or efficiency.
The transition to a unified platform was pivotal in empowering Resound to manage the intricate logistics of its network buildout and subscriber activation at scale. The new system provided the necessary framework for real-time service orchestration, allowing for dynamic management of resources and services across its expanding territory. By centralizing its operational data and workflows, Resound could break down silos between its IT, engineering, and field operations departments, fostering greater collaboration and visibility. This integrated approach was crucial for handling the parallel challenges of constructing new fiber lines while simultaneously onboarding thousands of new customers. The platform’s inherent scalability ensured that as the company continued to grow, its systems would not only keep pace but also provide the robust support needed to explore new opportunities, such as integrating acquired ISPs into its network with minimal disruption. This strategic investment in a modernized OSS/BSS solution positioned Resound to transform its operational challenges into a competitive advantage.
The Transformative Impact of Integrated Automation
A cornerstone of Resound’s operational transformation lies in the implementation of advanced automated provisioning. This feature was instrumental in streamlining the entire subscriber lifecycle, from the moment a customer signs up to the final configuration of their Customer Premises Equipment (CPE). The platform’s ability to integrate deeply with Resound’s existing technology stack—including key systems like Calix for fiber management, Cambium QoE for wireless service quality, InfoBlox for dynamic IP address management, and NetBox for network documentation—created a cohesive and automated ecosystem. This integration effectively eliminated the need for manual intervention at multiple stages of the activation process, drastically reducing the potential for human error and significantly shortening installation timelines. Automated workflows now handle tasks that previously required hours of coordinated effort, enabling field technicians to complete more installations accurately and efficiently, thereby accelerating the company’s ability to connect new subscribers and begin generating revenue faster.
The successful deployment of the new system was ensured by a hands-on, collaborative “go-live” event in Pampa, Texas. During this crucial week, technical and customer success teams worked on-site alongside Resound’s own staff, providing direct support and tailored guidance. This immersive approach allowed for real-time data validation, meticulous configuration of automated workflows, and comprehensive, department-specific training sessions. By involving the IT, engineering, and field operations teams directly in the final stages of implementation, the process fostered a sense of ownership and confidence among the employees who would use the system daily. This meticulous planning and on-the-ground support were critical in ensuring a smooth transition, minimizing disruptions to ongoing operations, and empowering every department to leverage the full capabilities of the new platform from the very first day, setting the stage for the immediate realization of operational efficiencies.
A Foundation for Data-Driven Decision-Making
The operational improvements realized by Resound Networks extended far beyond the initial efficiencies gained from automated provisioning. One of the most significant impacts was felt within the inventory management team, which gained unprecedented visibility into equipment and assets across all of the company’s warehouses and service locations. This clear, centralized view of inventory levels and movements allowed for more precise tracking of CPE and other critical hardware, leading to a marked reduction in equipment shrinkage and optimizing procurement processes. In parallel, the field operations team began leveraging the platform’s integrated workforce management tools to coordinate installations and service calls with greater precision. This enhanced coordination improved dispatching, scheduling, and route optimization, directly contributing to better adherence to service level agreements (SLAs) and ultimately elevating the overall customer experience by ensuring timely and effective service delivery across its vast operational footprint.
Ultimately, the migration to a unified platform provided Resound’s leadership with a powerful new lens through which to view the entire organization. By leveraging real-time reporting and analytics powered by the Snowflake data platform, executives and managers gained a consolidated, holistic view of key performance indicators from across the business. This access to timely, accurate data broke down information silos and enabled a more agile, data-driven approach to decision-making. Instead of relying on disparate reports and historical data, the leadership team could now monitor operational health, track subscriber growth, and assess financial performance in real time. This capability proved indispensable for navigating the complexities of rapid expansion, allowing the company to proactively identify trends, address potential issues before they escalated, and make strategic decisions with confidence, thereby solidifying its ability to continue its growth trajectory in a sustainable and efficient manner.
