The telecom industry has long grappled with a key contradiction: the rapid pace of innovation vs. the slow, costly grind of legacy network transformation. Between managing sprawling, multi-vendor infrastructure and navigating delayed modernization initiatives, many Tier 1 operators face mounting costs and operational roadblocks.
LightRiver’s nIO™ (Network Inventory Optimization) service was built to change that. Designed to accelerate modernization initiatives, eliminate unnecessary legacy spend, and unlock real-time visibility across complex network ecosystems, nIO is proving to be a mission-critical asset for Tier 1 operators looking to move at speed—without disrupting current services.
What Is Network Inventory Optimization?
nIO is a software-enabled service that integrates real-time network data from Prism and netFLEX™ with static inventory records to create a unified view of all legacy and modern network assets. That end-to-end visibility allows operators to:
- Identify unused or underutilized equipment
- Map cross-vendor circuit paths
- Prioritize modernization efforts across metro regions
- Harvest and repurpose valuable hardware
- Plan phased migrations based on ROI potential
Unlike traditional spreadsheets or siloed inventory databases, nIO turns fragmented datasets into intelligent, actionable insights. The result? Faster transformations, stronger financial outcomes and more reliable service delivery.
Real-World Impact: From Manual Gridlock to Scalable Transformation
When one Tier 1 U.S.-based telecom provider, serving over 100 million subscribers, faced persistent delays in their legacy network migration, they turned to LightRiver’s nIO service for help. Learn more below.
The Challenge
Despite years of effort, the provider had struggled to migrate over 220,000 legacy SONET and DACS elements spread across more than 150 geographical regions. Internal projects had stalled. Spare parts were being purchased unnecessarily. Migration was moving at a snail’s pace, with the first site taking over a year to complete.
The nIO™ Solution
LightRiver began by analyzing offline inventory data and augmenting it with live insights from Prism and netFLEX, delivering a powerful picture of network usage and hardware location. A data-science driven segmentation of the network helped categorize sites by migration complexity, prioritizing “low-hanging fruit” to build early momentum.
As the engagement expanded, nIO delivered:
- A 97% reduction in redundant equipment at a single central office
- $500M+ in identified savings from unused assets, reduced maintenance, and eliminated spare card purchasing
- A 200% acceleration in transformation progress in 2025
- Improved energy efficiency and support for the provider’s carbon neutrality goals
- A dramatic improvement in service reliability, reaching 99.999% uptime
The Tier 1 provider’s network transformation didn’t just gain traction, it gained velocity. And the savings delivered measurable quarterly ROI.
Why nIO Is Different
nIO is the only inventory optimization solution with the ability to analyze and visualize all legacy equipment, across all vendors and generations, in one intelligent platform. By delivering a live, traceable understanding of every element and interconnection, nIO enables smarter investment, faster site retirement, and better alignment with sustainability mandates.
It’s not just about cleaning up old hardware. It’s about unlocking the path to modern network architecture with clarity, control, and confidence.
Ongoing Partnership, Continuous Results
Today, the Tier 1 provider continues to leverage nIO for ongoing transformation planning, spares analysis and strategic migration roadmaps. As more LATAs and service regions undergo modernization, nIO remains a scalable and trusted tool to ensure no opportunity is left behind.
Want to learn how nIO™ can maximize your network’s potential? Explore the full case study: From Manual to Momentum: Achieving Scalable Network Transformation with nIO.
If your organization is looking to modernize with less risk, faster results, and more control, nIO is your answer and LightRiver is the right choice. Want to see how it works? Review our nIO solution and connect with us to begin your network inventory optimization today.