Assessing the Accuracy of Freeware Geocoding Tools for Telecommunications Design in Cabezon, Rio Rancho, New Mexico

This study evaluates and compares the performance of two freeware version of geocoding platforms – Geoapify and OpenCage. The objective was to examine how their outputs impact the projected cost of a hypothetical fiber optic network design in Cabezon, Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The research was conducted in two phases: first, comparing the offset distance between each platform’s output and ground truth points to determine geocoding accuracy. Second, estimating the material cost of a fiber-to-the-home design based on those outputs. The study found that Geoapify produced the most accurate coordinates with an average offset of 398.06 feet, compared to OpenCage’s 1042.24 feet. Geoapify also produced a lower estimated connection cost of $86,106.80 versus OpenCage’s $95,409.10. These findings demonstrate the importance of geocoding accuracy in the telecommunications industry.