GIS mapping for fiber networks, utility infrastructure, BEAD broadband programs, and as-built records — spatial data that drives engineering decisions, grant compliance, and construction management. QGIS, ArcGIS Pro, and Katapult workflows across all 50 U.S. states.
Draftech provides GIS mapping services for telecom & utility infrastructure — capturing, managing, and analyzing the spatial data that fiber networks, electric cooperatives, and BEAD subgrantees depend on for engineering decisions, grant applications, and regulatory reporting. GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping is the discipline behind that spatial data. For telecom and utility companies, GIS data is the foundation for engineering decisions, grant applications, regulatory reporting, and construction management. A well-structured GIS dataset doesn't just show where infrastructure is located — it connects every asset to a queryable record that can drive network management, maintenance dispatching, and compliance documentation.
GIS mapping goes far beyond drawing maps. It is the creation of a structured, queryable spatial database that ties infrastructure records to geography. When a fiber route is mapped in GIS, the result is not a static image — it is a dataset of georeferenced line segments, point features, and polygons, each carrying attribute data about cable type, count, ownership, installation date, and design specifications. That dataset can be queried, analyzed, updated, and integrated into network management platforms in ways that a PDF or CAD drawing cannot.
The range of GIS mapping work in telecom and utility infrastructure is broad: fiber route planning and route corridor analysis, as-built network records that document what was actually constructed, BEAD broadband coverage maps and service area shapefiles required for grant compliance, utility corridor and easement mapping, pole and structure inventories, field data collection using mobile GIS platforms, and CAD-to-GIS conversion for legacy documentation. Draftech delivers all of these disciplines as part of an integrated engineering and spatial data practice — not as siloed mapping work detached from the engineering process.
Draftech provides GIS mapping as an integrated part of telecom and utility engineering — not a separate department producing disconnected deliverables. Our GIS work is tied directly to field survey data, OSP design, and as-built construction records.
Spatial mapping of fiber routes, splicing locations, equipment sites, and network topology for ISPs and telecom operators.
BEAD broadband availability and coverage maps formatted for NTIA/state program reporting requirements.
GIS mapping of utility corridors, easements, pole lines, conduit systems, and underground infrastructure.
Conversion of construction as-built data into GIS-formatted records for network documentation and regulatory compliance.
Spatial analysis for fiber route selection — evaluating terrain, ROW availability, crossing complexity, and construction cost factors.
Field-based spatial data collection using mobile GIS platforms for pole inventories, infrastructure surveys, and condition assessments.
Conversion of AutoCAD and other design file formats into GIS-compatible spatial datasets for network management systems.
Spatial data quality review, topology correction, attribute verification, and database maintenance for existing GIS datasets.
BEAD subgrantees face specific GIS deliverable requirements that go beyond what typical network design documentation provides. NTIA and state BEAD program offices require coverage maps that define funded service areas, shapefiles delineating project boundaries, and as-built GIS records that document the infrastructure constructed with grant funds. These deliverables must be spatially accurate, properly formatted, and consistent with the project's engineering design — a requirement that is difficult to meet when GIS mapping and engineering are handled by separate vendors with no data continuity between them.
Draftech's integrated engineering and GIS capability means the spatial data stays consistent from route design through as-built. The fiber routes designed in the engineering phase are spatially referenced from the start, field survey data flows directly into GIS, and as-built records are produced as both CAD documentation and GIS deliverables from a single unified dataset. For BEAD subgrantees with strict closeout documentation requirements, this integration eliminates the reconciliation problems that arise when as-built conditions don't match the GIS records submitted to the program office.
In practice, NTIA requires subgrantees to demonstrate coverage at the address level — every location identified as unserved or underserved in the FCC Fabric has to be shown as either passed or excluded with documented justification. The BSL (Broadband Serviceable Location) layer needs to sit in the correct coordinate reference system (WGS 84 / EPSG:4326), carry the correct technology-type attributes, and reconcile against the current Fabric version, which updates quarterly. We also support FCC Fabric challenge documentation — identifying locations where the Fabric has placed an address incorrectly and preparing the spatial evidence needed to submit a challenge, so real serviceable locations aren't left outside a funded coverage area.
Platform choice depends on the deliverable, not preference. Here's how we match GIS software to telecom and utility mapping requirements.
Open-source deliverables in GeoPackage, shapefile, and GeoJSON — interoperable with any downstream GIS environment and no licensing barrier for state broadband office submissions.
Esri-native workflows for clients with existing ArcGIS infrastructure — File Geodatabase and shapefile output for state programs that prefer Esri format.
Field-collected GPS data from Katapult ingested and attributed directly into the GIS build — pole inventories, attachment heights, and make-ready status without manual re-entry.
| Platform | Typical Output | BEAD Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| QGIS 3.28 | GeoPackage, Shapefile, GeoJSON | Excellent — no licensing barrier for state submission |
| ArcGIS Pro 3.1 | Esri File Geodatabase, Shapefile | Excellent — many state broadband offices prefer Esri format |
| Katapult | Esri Shapefile, KMZ, JSON | Good — strong for pole inventory, weaker for route topology |
| Google Earth Pro | KMZ/KML only | Limited — KML isn't accepted by most state broadband offices for BSL submission |
Aerial and underground fiber networks carry different spatial documentation requirements — different geometry types, attribute schemas, and as-built verification methods. Most networks are a mix of both, and the GIS has to handle the transition points cleanly.
Aerial plant is documented as strand centerline routes snapped to pole locations, with attachment height attributed on each pole feature. Span lengths derive from the pole-to-pole distance in the GIS, which is why pole location accuracy matters — a pole that's off by 25 feet in the GIS produces a span-length error that ripples into the bill of materials and the make-ready drawing.
Underground plant requires conduit centerline routes, vault and handhole locations as point features, and depth documentation where permits specify it. Road, railroad, and waterway crossings get their own attributed feature class with permit reference numbers and crossing method. The handoff points, where aerial plant transitions to underground, are documented as their own attributed feature class linked to both route types they connect — they're small, spatially precise, and they're where the splice records live.
Both GIS mapping and CAD drafting are essential disciplines in telecom and utility infrastructure — but they serve different purposes, and understanding the difference matters when specifying deliverables for a project.
Most telecom construction projects require both. CAD drawings are the construction deliverable — they contain the level of detail that builders need to execute work in the field. GIS data is the record-keeping deliverable — it documents the network spatially in a format that can be maintained, queried, and reported against over the life of the infrastructure. Draftech delivers both as an integrated package, ensuring that the CAD and GIS records represent the same constructed network without manual reconciliation between systems.
Draftech's GIS mapping is not a separate department producing standalone deliverables. It is integrated into the OSP engineering workflow from the beginning of a project. Field survey data collected during make-ready walkthroughs and infrastructure inventories is captured in spatially referenced formats that feed directly into GIS. Route design is produced with geographic coordinates from the start, so the transition from design GIS to as-built GIS is a data update rather than a re-mapping exercise.
On construction projects, as-built records are delivered as both CAD and GIS from the same source dataset. This means the pole coordinates, cable routes, and equipment locations in the as-built GIS match the CAD documentation precisely — eliminating the discrepancies that occur when CAD drafters and GIS technicians work from different field data sources. For clients that maintain enterprise network management systems or submit regulatory reports tied to spatial records, this data consistency is the difference between a GIS dataset that can be trusted and one that requires constant manual correction.
Shapefile (.shp), GeoJSON, KMZ/KML, File Geodatabase (.gdb), and CSV with coordinates — depending on client requirements. We also produce map exports as PDF and georeferenced TIFF when needed for reporting.
Yes. We produce BEAD coverage maps, service area shapefiles, and as-built GIS records formatted for NTIA and state BEAD program office requirements.
Yes. We convert AutoCAD network drawings and OSP design files into GIS-formatted spatial datasets, including attribute population and topology validation.
As-built documentation records what was actually constructed — often in CAD. GIS mapping takes that same data and georefences it into a spatial database. Draftech delivers both as an integrated package on construction projects.
Yes. Our field teams collect spatial data using mobile GIS platforms for pole inventories, structure surveys, and infrastructure condition assessments.
Our primary platforms are QGIS 3.28 LTR for open-format deliverables with no licensing barrier, ArcGIS Pro 3.1 for clients who need Esri-native workflows, and Katapult for integrating field-collected GPS data. We don't lock clients into a single platform — the tool follows the deliverable requirement, including the format your state broadband office or network management system expects.
ARE YOU A GIS MAPPING FIRM?
If you provide GIS mapping or spatial data services for telecom and utility infrastructure and are looking for a consistent subcontract pipeline, we have ongoing capacity needs.
Whether you're mapping a new fiber deployment, building BEAD compliance deliverables, or converting legacy CAD records to GIS, our team can scope the project and deliver spatially accurate data you can actually use.
Contact Our GIS TeamOr email us directly at info@draftech.com — we reply within one business day.
SERVICE AREAS
Active in 22 states and deployable across all 50 U.S. states — including our highest-volume BEAD markets:
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