A Healthy Joint Use Blueprint Part 2: Managing Applications, Attachments, Transfers, and Innovation with Software

A couple of weeks ago, we started talking about the value of transparency, especially in terms of project workflows. No matter the specifics of the project, how we perform work and the level of transparency our processes allow shape both our teams’ experiences and our clients’ satisfaction. 

In our previous issue, we looked at using workflow management tools in Katapult Pro to address four of pole owners’ eight priorities within joint use. 

That issue emphasized the administrative and regulatory aspects of joint use. This week, we’re taking a closer look at the nitty-gritty of attachment work and what tools you can leverage to reduce friction and create value for utilities. 

The Application and Make Ready Process 

Between federal funding and the ongoing demand for continuous, high-speed internet, the make ready process gets a lot of attention. Utilities must create a process for submitting and receiving applications, managing engineering, performing construction, and following up once work is completed. With so much to communicate and manage, it can get messy very quickly. 

Using the model editor and application view in Katapult Pro, pole owners can set specific standards and workflows for various project types (including third-party attachment applications) and standardize the submission process. 

Set specific standard based on project types.

By hosting records within the platform, pole owners have the option to securely share asset info with contractors for detailed, informed engineering.

With a portal to track jobs and send automatic notifications, utilities can: 

• manage all incoming applications,

• resolve any issues as they arise,

• automatically notify attachers on project statuses,

• send billing and payment requests, 

• alert contractors to next steps and updates, 

• and move projects through a configured pipeline to save calendar days.  

This level of transparency creates a win-win-win-win:

• Pole owners and their primes improve their processes while relieving the burden on staff and maintaining compliance.

• Attachers get better visibility and clear communication from pole owners so they can build safely without sacrificing project timelines.  

• Contractors and engineering firms can go above and beyond to support their clients with tools that make their lives easier and help them create maximum value. 

• The industry improves as relationships improve, and the idea of “safe or speedy builds” becomes “safe and speedy builds”. 

Attachment Records and Data

Accurate records aren’t just about keeping files in the right folders. It’s about getting a real idea of who’s attached to the pole and maintaining those records. During servicing, in the event of structural failures, pole strikes, or other events, pole owners need to know who is attached so they can address any issues, perform maintenance work, and get the power on for customers. 

Within Katapult Pro, teams can perform system-wide telecom audits to correct data and get an accurate snapshot of the grid. Rapid audits give pole owners critical info on telecom networks, conditions, incumbents, and more. The back office crew can use photo annotations to trace attachments throughout the footprint and build out accurate records. 

When attachment audits don't require height measurements (like this one), staff can collect gather data on thousands of poles in just one day!

This also helps to avoid unauthorized attachments and the safety issues they create. Should an unauthorized attachment be discovered, it can easily be administered through the engineering process within Katapult Pro. 

This data can be updated with other records, too. New streetlights added to poles? Double wood resolution underway? Referring to and updating photo documentation keeps a living record of assets and their true state. It provides valuable insight for storm response, grid upgrade initiatives, veg management projects, and more.

Attachment Transfers and Double Wood Conditions

Speaking of double wood, as more and more attachments get added to a pole, pole replacements and attachment transfers get more and more complicated. 

Double wood arises because of a communication issue or missing data records. Poles are replaced due to failures or pole strikes, but the transfer process lags due to miscommunication, or a ticket is never closed because records never get updated. It’s not just unsightly—it’s costly and unsafe. 

Using a portal, teams can set up auto-notifications, emails, alerts, status changes, and more to help prompt each attacher to transfer their cable and reduce calendar days. By adjusting records with the new status (when the replacement happens, when attachments are moved, when stub poles are removed, etc), you can keep your data accurate and up-to-date. 

Use automatic notifications to alert parties to completed work and keep the process moving quickly.

Continuous Improvement with Joint Use Software

We’re seeing some enormous steps forward in grid technology, telemetry, distributed energy resources, EVs, and reliability. Our world is constantly evolving, and our grid must evolve as well to keep up with new demands. 

Joint use is no different. Building the right process is just step one. We’ll never reach a point where issues are solved and set on the shelf—we need to constantly be looking for new ways to improve, better best practices, more efficient technology, and greater reporting (to name a few). 

We’re always going to be adjusting, tweaking, and adapting, using iterations to meet the changing needs of our world. As you look ahead to see the changing tides and coming advancements, you can start improving joint use today: 

1. Provide good data. Maybe it sounds obvious, but pole owners need accurate, high-quality data on their footprint. Attachment audits are a critical piece to make sure that the grid can handle new upgrades, address storm response, and more. 

2. Report on everything. Between bidirectional flow, smart meters, and DERs, we can gather hundreds of thousands of data points every minute. That data doesn’t just give crucial information into power flow. Outages, interruptions, services, upgrades, and maintenance affect third-party attachments as well. A healthy grid means healthy electricity and healthy joint use programs. 

3. Create the right processes. How we do work is just as important as getting work done. Reliability isn’t just smart sensors or deployment projects. It’s the processes and workflows we use to bring utilities to people and maintain those services. Transparency, good engineering, accurate data records, clear communication—together, they create a robust grid. 

Anything that affects the grid affects reliability. Joint use plays a huge role in building a robust grid. Katapult Pro is built to help you improve project workflows and processes, whether it be joint use programs, reconductoring projects, or storm response. 

Joint use doesn’t have to create pain. Leverage Katapult Pro software and workflow management tools to build healthy, robust joint use programs.

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Learn more about how to leverage tools and features for joint use management!