GETAC USE CASE
How Did a National Telecom Provider Deploy 19,000 Rugged Devices and Cut Failure Rates to Below 1 Percent?
Telecommunications providers expanding fiber infrastructure rely on rugged mobile computers to support engineering and construction teams working in demanding outdoor environments.
In this deployment, a national U.S. telecom provider equipped field teams with Getac K120 fully rugged tablets and Getac B360 fully rugged laptops to survey terrain, access GIS mapping data, and manage fiber installation projects efficiently in the field.
Telecom Fiber Network Deployment Use Case Summary
A national U.S. telecommunications provider deployed Getac K120 fully rugged tablets and Getac B360 fully rugged laptops to support engineering and construction teams during a large-scale fiber network expansion project.
These rugged computers enable telecom field teams to access GIS data, survey terrain, manage engineering documentation, and coordinate fiber infrastructure installation directly in the field.
Customer: National U.S. Telecommunications Provider
Industry: Telecommunications
Solution: Getac K120 Rugged Tablets and Getac B360 Fully Rugged Laptops
Primary Use Case: Fiber network expansion and field service operations
Key Result: Reduced device failure rates, improved technician productivity, and accelerated fiber infrastructure deployment.
Engineering teams use the Getac K120 rugged tablet to survey terrain, overlay GIS mapping data, and review engineering plans in real-time. Construction crews rely on the Getac B360 rugged laptop to coordinate fiber installation, track progress, and document project activity across distributed work sites.
What rugged computers do telecom field teams use for fiber network deployment?
Telecommunications providers often deploy rugged tablets and laptops such as the Getac K120 fully rugged tablet and Getac B360 fully rugged laptop to support telecom field teams installing fiber infrastructure in demanding outdoor environments. These rugged computers enable technicians to access GIS mapping data, engineering drawings, and project documentation while coordinating fiber installation across distributed construction sites.
What Do Telecom Field Operations Require From Mobile Computing?
Telecommunications providers expanding fiber infrastructure rely on rugged mobile computers to support engineering and construction teams working across large geographic areas.
Telecommunications field operations require reliable rugged mobile computing platforms capable of supporting GIS mapping, engineering documentation, and real-time infrastructure deployment workflows. Devices such as the Getac K120 rugged tablet and the Getac B360 fully-rugged laptop enable field technicians to access critical project data directly in the field.
Telecom Field Teams Must Access:
- GIS mapping tools
- Engineering drawings and CAD files
- Project documentation
- Real-time operational data
These tasks often occur in harsh outdoor environments where devices are exposed to dust, vibration, weather, and constant handling.
By deploying rugged computing solutions such as the Getac K120 rugged tablet and Getac B360 rugged laptop, telecom organizations ensure field teams maintain reliable access to mission-critical systems while supporting fiber network expansion and ongoing infrastructure maintenance.
What Key Outcomes Did the Telecom Provider Achieve?
Deployment of Getac K120 rugged tablets and Getac B360 fully-rugged laptops improved operational efficiency and reliability for telecom engineering and construction teams supporting fiber network expansion.
Key outcomes included:
- Improved reliability of rugged mobile computing devices used by engineering and construction teams
- Reduced device failure rates to below 1% and operational disruptions in demanding outdoor environments
- Enabled field technicians to survey terrain, access GIS data, and document installation progress directly from job sites
- Faster access to engineering documentation, CAD drawings, and real-time operational data
- Increased productivity across large-scale fiber network expansion projects
What Was the Provider’s Field Technology Environment Before Getac?
A nationwide telecommunications provider was expanding critical fiber infrastructure across multiple regions to meet growing demand for high-speed connectivity. Engineering and construction teams were responsible for surveying terrain, mapping fiber routes, digging trenches, and installing network infrastructure across diverse outdoor environments.
Reliable mobile computing was essential for accessing engineering documentation, coordinating field operations, and documenting installation progress throughout these projects. However, the organization’s existing field technology was not designed to withstand the demanding conditions technicians encountered in the field.
To support the scale and complexity of its large-scale fiber deployment initiatives, the provider needed a rugged computing platform capable of supporting distributed field teams and maintaining reliable access to mission-critical systems.
Devices such as the Getac K120 fully rugged tablet and Getac B360 fully rugged laptop provide telecom field teams with mobile computing platforms designed to operate in harsh outdoor environments while minimizing device failures and operational downtime.
What Challenges Was the Provider Facing With Its Field Devices?
The telecommunications provider faced several challenges with its existing mobile computing systems as engineering and construction teams worked to expand fiber infrastructure across demanding outdoor environments.
Field technicians relied on mobile devices to access GIS mapping tools, review engineering drawings, plan fiber routes, and document installation progress. However, the laptops and tablets previously used in the field were not designed to withstand the harsh conditions encountered during these projects.
Unlike purpose-built rugged computers, these devices frequently failed when exposed to dust, vibration, and extreme weather.
As a result, teams experienced several operational challenges:
- Field devices frequently failed when exposed to harsh outdoor conditions
- Limited battery life interrupted critical field workflows
- Repair cycles often required two to three weeks, delaying infrastructure projects
- Device failures caused costly downtime for field technicians
To keep fiber deployment initiatives on schedule, the organization required a rugged mobile computing solution capable of supporting telecom field operations in harsh outdoor environments while reducing device failures and operational downtime.
How Did Getac Solve the Provider’s Device Failure Problems?
After evaluating multiple rugged computing solutions, the telecommunications provider deployed 11,000 Getac K120 rugged tablets for engineering teams and 8,000 Getac B360 fully rugged laptops for construction crews supporting nationwide telecom fiber expansion projects.
The devices were selected for their ability to support demanding outdoor workflows and deliver reliable performance in harsh field environments.
Key capabilities included:
- Sunlight-readable LumiBond® displays, rated at 1,200 nits on the K120, that allow technicians to work outdoors in bright conditions
- Hot-swappable batteries that support uninterrupted field operations during long shifts
- MIL-STD-810H and IP66 certification with 6ft (1.8m) drop resistance, tested to withstand vibration, weather, and constant handling on construction sites
- Advanced connectivity that enables access to engineering systems and operational data in real time
These rugged computing capabilities enabled field teams to work efficiently across diverse environments while maintaining reliable access to critical project data. The deployment supports thousands of field technicians responsible for surveying terrain, installing fiber infrastructure, and documenting network expansion projects nationwide.
Getac K120 – Engineering Teams
Engineering teams use the Getac K120 rugged tablet to survey terrain, overlay GIS mapping data, review engineering drawings, and access project documentation directly at fiber installation sites.
Getac B360 – Construction Crews
Construction crews rely on the Getac B360 fully rugged laptop to coordinate installation work, access network design documentation, manage work orders, and document project progress in real time.
What Results Did the Provider Achieve With the Getac K120 and B360?
The deployment of Getac K120 rugged tablets and Getac B360 fully rugged laptops significantly improved the reliability and productivity of the telecommunications provider’s field operations.
Device reliability improved dramatically, with failure rates dropping to below 1 percent. Repair turnaround times were also reduced from two to three weeks to less than 72 hours, minimizing downtime for engineering and construction teams.
Field technicians can now access critical project data without interruption, enabling them to survey terrain, map fiber routes, and document installation progress directly from job sites.
These improvements have helped the telecommunications provider accelerate fiber network deployment while reducing operational disruptions and project delays across large-scale infrastructure projects.
Why Is Device Reliability Critical for Telecom Field Teams?
Telecommunications infrastructure projects often require technicians to work in demanding environments where devices are exposed to weather, vibration, dust, and constant movement. Reliable rugged computing is essential for organizations managing large-scale fiber deployment projects, where telecom field teams must remain connected to engineering systems and operational data at all times.
By deploying Getac K120 rugged tablets and Getac B360 fully rugged laptops, the telecommunications provider strengthened the reliability of its field technology environment and ensured engineering and construction teams could complete critical fiber infrastructure projects without technology disruptions.
Why Do Telecom Providers Choose Getac for Fiber Deployment?
Telecom providers choose Getac because the K120 and B360 solve device durability, outdoor readability, shift-length power, and repair turnaround as one platform, the areas where general-purpose laptops and tablets fail on fiber construction sites.
Verified durability, not marketing language: MIL-STD-810H and IP66 certified with 6ft (1.8m) drop resistance, tested rather than just labeled rugged, on a deployment where the previous fleet failed under dust, vibration, and weather.
Failure rates that changed the math: Device failure rates dropped below 1 percent across 19,000 deployed devices, ending the downtime cycle that was delaying fiber projects.
Repairs in days, not weeks: Repair turnaround fell from two to three weeks to under 72 hours, so a failed device no longer sidelines a crew for most of a month.
Readable and powered through a full shift: Sunlight-readable LumiBond® displays keep GIS data and engineering drawings legible outdoors, and hot-swappable batteries keep crews working without a mid-shift stop.
The right device for each team: 11,000 K120 tablets went to engineering teams surveying terrain and overlaying GIS data; 8,000 B360 laptops went to construction crews managing work orders and installation documentation.
When a fiber deployment stalls because a device failed in the field, the cost is not a repair ticket. It is delayed projects, idle crews, and missed activation timelines. Across thousands of devices and distributed field teams, that gap compounds fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What problem did the telecommunications provider need to solve?
The telecommunications provider needed reliable mobile computing to support engineering and construction teams expanding fiber infrastructure across demanding outdoor environments. Existing laptops and tablets frequently failed in the field, causing downtime, delayed projects, and limited access to critical engineering systems.
What rugged computing solution was deployed?
The organization deployed Getac K120 rugged tablets for engineering teams and Getac B360 fully rugged laptops for construction crews to support telecom field operations during large-scale fiber network expansion projects.
How are rugged devices used in telecom field operations?
Engineering teams use rugged tablets such as the Getac K120 to survey terrain, overlay GIS mapping data, and review engineering drawings directly in the field. Construction crews rely on rugged laptops such as the Getac B360 to coordinate installation work, access network documentation, manage work orders, and document fiber installation progress in real time.
What results did the telecommunications provider achieve?
After deploying rugged mobile computing, device failure rates dropped to below 1 percent, and repair turnaround times were reduced from two to three weeks to less than 72 hours. These improvements reduced downtime and allowed field teams to complete fiber deployment projects more efficiently.
Why are rugged computers important for telecom infrastructure projects?
Telecommunications infrastructure projects require technicians to work in environments where devices are exposed to weather, vibration, dust, and constant handling. Rugged computers provide the durability and reliability needed to maintain continuous access to engineering systems, GIS data, and project documentation while working in these demanding conditions.
What certifications does the Getac K120 carry for telecom field work?
The Getac K120 is MIL-STD-810H and IP66 certified, MIL-STD-461G certified, and rated for vibration and 6ft (1.8m) drop resistance, with a 1,200-nit LumiBond sunlight-readable display. It ships with a 3-year bumper-to-bumper warranty covering accidental damage as standard.
What computers do telecom field engineers use for fiber network deployment?
Telecom field engineers often rely on rugged tablets and laptops such as the Getac K120 fully rugged tablet and Getac B360 fully rugged laptop to access GIS mapping tools, review engineering plans, and document fiber installation progress while working in harsh outdoor environments.
Download the Telecom Fiber Deployment Use Case
Learn how a national U.S. telecommunications provider improved field operations during large-scale fiber network expansion by deploying Getac K120 rugged tablets and Getac B360 fully rugged laptops. Download the full use case to see how rugged mobile computing helps telecom field teams access GIS data, engineering documentation, and project information in demanding outdoor environments.
Learn More About The Getac B360
GETAC B360
Designed for demanding field environments, the Getac B360 fully rugged laptop delivers powerful performance, reliable connectivity, and durability for mission-critical operations. With advanced Intel® Core™ processing, hot-swappable batteries, and a sunlight-readable display, the B360 enables professionals to access real-time data and stay productive in patrol vehicles, industrial sites, and other challenging work environments.
