- Mike Woods wants to prepare operators’ physical network records for AI.
- IQGeo’s survey found 24% still rely on spreadsheets, CAD or paper records.
- The former CSG executive became IQGeo’s CEO on Oct. 5.
Before network operators can hand more control to AI, many still need to get their records off paper and out of spreadsheets. That is an early priority for Mike Woods, the new CEO of geospatial software developer IQGeo.
Woods told FNTV he wants to help operators modernize the way they track physical assets and prepare for autonomous networks. He became CEO on Oct. 5, succeeding interim chief Noel Goggin, who remains executive chairman.
He previously served as an EVP and president of North America Communications, Media and Technology at CSG. “I was in the BSS world for a long time,” Woods said, referring to business support systems.
The company’s 2026 Ground Truth survey shows how much work lies ahead. Conducted by Vanson Bourne for IQGeo, it covered 500 senior telecom decision-makers in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Some 24% relied on spreadsheets, CAD systems or paper records to manage their physical networks; over half kept records across multiple systems.
All respondents reported business impacts from inaccurate physical network data over the previous 12 months, according to IQGeo’s survey announcement. Yet 63% expected their data, processes and systems to be mature enough for fully autonomous networks by 2030.
“So what we’re looking to do is say, hey let’s help you guys get to something more modern so you can track these assets and really prepare yourself for an AI world,” Woods said.
He wants IQGeo to be an AI-driven network intelligence platform that helps operators move toward closed-loop autonomous networks.
Let’s get physical
Fiber is “a top area of expertise” for IQGeo, Woods said, adding that “we do legacy copper networks as well.” He also pointed to utilities: “We also have a large and growing business in the utility sector, where we help power networks manage their physical assets.”
Customers Woods named included Brightspeed, Conterra Networks, Deutsche Telekom, Lightpath, SaskTel, Swisscom and Virgin Media O2. IQGeo says it serves more than 500 customers worldwide.
Other offerings in the market include Esri’s ArcGIS, 3-GIS and GE Vernova’s Smallworld. These are not always either-or choices: IQGeo says its software can also work alongside existing Esri and Smallworld systems.
For an example of operational gains, IQGeo points to Deutsche Telekom’s use of IQGeo's Comsof Fiber. IQGeo's customer case study says the planning and design software reduced the operator’s overall planning time by 75%.
Read more about telco data and IQGeo on Fierce Network
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