Author: Carrie Ferrero, VP of Product, Connectbase
Confidence. When it comes to connectivity transactions, sellers want to be trusted so they can stand out as a preferred partner amongst all bidders trying to win an RFP opportunity. Buyers want to believe in the accuracy of the bids on which they will risk their investment to make final purchasing decisions. In November, Connectbase™ launched Location Truth™ Certification, a new program intended to foster confidence on both sides of the business.
Introducing the Location Truth Certification Program
In essence, this certification program requires sellers to meet a set of defined criteria in order to earn a badge for specific locations and services in their footprint. When the requirements are satisfied, sellers receive a badge graphic that they can add to quotes, websites, social media posts, and other promotional materials. An icon will also appear next to the badged location within The Connected World™ platform.
When buyers see the badge, they will know that the location and the services offered have been validated by Connectbase. It will stand as proof that the seller took the extra steps necessary to ensure the highest level of accuracy in the data provided. Therefore, buyers can make better purchasing decisions without risking profitability or fallout.
One of the first requirements of the certification process is a complete on-net and near-net analysis using the right-of-way (RoW) methodology.
Understanding Right-of-Way Near-Net Analysis
Let’s unpack RoW. Traditionally, service providers would use what’s known as line-of-sight (LoS) calculations. To do this, they would simply define two endpoints and draw a straight line between them (see figure below). That line represented the distance used to determine a cost for connecting an unserviced location to the supplier’s existing network. However, these costs were often wrong, hiding the true route necessary to connect the endpoints and ignoring obstacles.
Recognizing the inaccuracy of LoS calculations, Connectbase pioneered a new approach: right-of-way. RoW looks at the whole picture and defines a path between the endpoints that follows existing network routes and accounts for impediments like waterways, railroad crossings, and highway ramps (see figure above). As you can see, this distance is much different – and greater – than what a LoS assessment would show. Thus, by using the RoW analysis, buyers would get much more accurate cost information from the start. Such knowledge reduces surprise costs later and can therefore reduce fallout.
Real Location Truth Means Accuracy
The Connectbase ecosystem has location truth at its very foundation. Every month, we process approximately 4TB of data from multiple public and private resources to ensure the data in our platform is the most accurate and up-to-date. Our commitment is to offer both buyers and sellers the quality of information that will truly enhance their success. That’s why we’ve introduced innovations like RoW methodology and location truth certification to the market. Learn more from the resources below.
