Internet service providers and fiber network consultants are involved in the rather difficult task of planning, designing and managing fiber optic networks, while local governments are busy collecting broadband network data, property information, and community data so that they can plan and design additional broadband capacity. Given the enormity of the task, to what extent is this actually possible?

Software engineering firm, ElanTech, firmly believes that the just released GIS-based planning and management Web application -SAGE Broadband, version 1.5-, which has the ability to aggregate and analyze current network infrastructure, will be able to live up to the challenges.

This Web app claims to be capable of displaying existing and proposed networks, planning networks and estimate installation costs, and also analyzing the impact of broadband availability on community, business, and revenue.

"The application brings the powerful ability to use this information as a backdrop in planning, designing, and estimating the cost of new fiber and wireless networks, and this results in an increased ROI on broadband network investments," observed Michael Salonish, vice president at ElanTech.

In fact, local governments in Baltimore City and Howard County, Maryland are using SAGE Broadband explicitly for the purpose of collecting current and future fiber and wireless networks, and also helping to design additional broadband capacity.

This application is also being used by broadband technology opportunity program (BTOP) federal grant recipients to deploy broadband plans and supply high-capacity connections to businesses and institutions that require increased bandwidth.

 ElanTech specializes in geo-intelligence solutions for military, federal, state, local and commercial applications.

Very recently, ElanTech, Inc. announced the acquisition of the exclusive domestic and international distribution and future development rights to the product portfolio of Fresno, California-based DataTech911 Software Solutions, Inc.