Industry
Communications, Media and Information Services
Connect. Curate. Comprehend: Unlocking Value Beyond Boundaries
Highlights
- TCS modernised Liquid Intelligent Technologies’ (LIT) geographic information systems (GIS) platform, delivering faster performance, stronger data accuracy, and a future‑ready foundation for digital growth.
- The transformation improved operational efficiency with up to 75% faster processing and streamlined workflows across planning and field operations.
- By enhancing automation and leveraging existing technology investments, LIT reduced costs, improved service delivery, and enabled scalable innovation automation. The modernisation enhanced governance control and set the foundation to initiate AI‑driven pilots to boost operational efficiency.
Overview
Liquid Intelligent Technologies (LIT), a leading telecom operator in Africa, sought to modernize its Geographic Information System (GIS) landscape to support growing network demands and strengthen service delivery across markets.
With its legacy GE Smallworld platform reaching performance limits, LIT required a future‑ready system for its connectivity business that could deliver real‑time visibility, stronger data integrity, and seamless integration with modern digital applications forming a strong foundation for AI-led network initiatives.
TCS partnered with LIT to upgrade and streamline its GIS environment, implementing a modern Smallworld‑based platform designed for speed, accuracy, and scalability. The transformation has empowered LIT with improved operational efficiency, enhanced user experience, and a solid foundation for next‑generation innovation.
Challenge
LIT’s existing Smallworld GIS system was unable to keep pace with growing network complexity and rising data volumes.
With the technology stack nearing end‑of‑support, operational risk and maintenance costs increased. These combined issues hindered efficiency, delayed service delivery, and restricted LIT’s ability to scale operations or introduce new digital capabilities.
The adage – ‘no man is an island’, perfectly captures the spirit of the collaboration between Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a business of Cassava Technologies, and TCS. To ensure that our connectivity business is future-ready, we partnered with TCS to upgrade our Geographic Information System (GIS) landscape. This wasn’t just a technical upgrade; it was a strategic move to meet surging network demands and sharpen our service delivery across all markets. Our partnership with TCS colleagues across South Africa and Mumbai (India) demonstrates how global teamwork drives innovation and highlights the strength of our collaborative efforts. This project has advanced the business and delivered exceptional results. I want to congratulate and thank everyone involved for seeing it to fruition.
Solution
TCS executed a comprehensive GIS modernisation program built on data quality, phased upgrades, and enhanced user experience.
- A structured cleanup initiative removed outdated and duplicate records, dramatically improving system speed and accuracy.
- A phased upgrade of the Smallworld platform eliminated unnecessary customisations, strengthened stability, and improved integration compatibility.
- TCS introduced a mobile‑friendly portal enabling field teams to log faults, confirm fixes, and access key features like cable routing and fibre pair reservation.
- An AI‑enabled virtual assistant further boosted adoption by offering instant guidance, reducing support dependency, and accelerating training, creating a modern, efficient, and user‑centric GIS environment.
This legacy GE Smallworld application upgrade and transformation initiative stands out as one of the most well-executed programmes we have delivered to date, enabled by a strong and trusted partnership with TCS. By consciously applying the lessons learned from earlier, more complex engagements, the team was able to achieve a smooth, disciplined, and predictable delivery. A critical success factor was the team’s ability to ask the right questions early and proactively identify and mitigate risks before they escalated. This foresight helped maintain momentum and ensured the programme remained firmly on track throughout its execution.
Business Benefits
The upgraded GIS platform significantly improved operational efficiency, enabling LIT teams to plan, troubleshoot, and deliver services faster and with greater accuracy.
- Faster, more efficient operations: Modernised GIS workflows and cleaner data significantly accelerated planning, troubleshooting, and service delivery.
- Up to 75% faster system performance: Enhanced processing speeds improved responsiveness across field and business operations.
- Improved data accuracy and decision‑making: Higher data integrity reduced errors, strengthened planning, and boosted service reliability.
- Reduced manual effort and lower costs: Automation streamlined daily tasks, while reusing existing licenses minimised new spend and improved ROI.
- Future‑ready digital foundation: A modern GIS platform built to support AI‑driven insights, predictive analytics, and scalable innovation.
Collectively, these outcomes position LIT with a resilient, high performance GIS capability, one that not only delivers immediate operational value, but also provides a robust platform to support next generation digital services and long term growth.