A single photo is now enough to capture all your meter data.
Who hasn’t dreamed of recording meter readings without manual entry? In telecom, this is a daily challenge for every network operator and towerco. Every minute matters. Accuracy drives everything.
Today, technicians waste huge amounts of time. They take photos. They type the numbers directly. The process is costly. It creates errors.
IT-Development has just taken a decisive step in automating these critical workflows. ClickOnSite now uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Large Language Model (LLM), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). This lets it turn a simple snapshot into usable data instantly.
This breakthrough, developed with a partner client, will revolutionize energy management for telecom infrastructures when there is no budget for IoT.
Manual readings slow down your operations
Technicians are under pressure
On the ground, reality bites. More sites to manage and stricter network demands put pressure on maintenance teams.
Each meter reading has several steps:
- Take photos of the screens
- Or enter data on a paper form/record data on an application
- Return to the office to enter the data if not done in the field
This process creates inefficiencies across the board. Technicians use 30% of their time on paperwork. They should focus more on value-added maintenance.
Worse yet, errors in manual entry can hurt the reliability of important data for maintenance planning.
Direct business impact
For mobile operators and tower companies, these inefficiencies result in increased operational costs. Base data becomes unreliable.
Generator running hours are a key metric. They allow teams to anticipate failures and plan preventive interventions. Without reliable data, predictions fail.
At the same time, regulatory pressure is rising. Energy reporting obligations and environmental constraints must ensure precise consumption traceability. In this context, a single error can jeopardize compliance and corporate reputation.
Existing solutions fall short
They tested several approaches. IoT promises full automation but requires heavy investment. Installing sensors on every meter is expensive. These devices also need maintenance and create new points of failure.
Proprietary systems, meanwhile, create data silos. They often don’t work well with current systems. This creates integration problems and limits how we can share data.
Our OCR and LLM innovation changes everything
A simple yet revolutionary concept
With ClickOnSite, your technician’s smartphone becomes a smart measurement tool. The process takes four steps:
- Take a photo.
- Automatic OCR recognition.
- AI-based data extraction.
- Instant integration into your system.
This innovation utilizes next-generation OCR algorithms designed specifically for telecom meters. The AI analyzes not only characters but also their context. It works effectively in poor lighting or when screens have partial obstructions.
Advanced technical features
The solution goes beyond character recognition. It identifies the meter type automatically. Then, it adjusts its algorithms based on that information.
ClickOnSite extracts the running hours and fuel gauge data, then transforms raw data into performance indicators. It generates energy KPIs, tracks trends, and feeds predictive maintenance models. A holistic approach eliminates traditional post-processing.
The Product Owners created the optimized ClickOnSite architecture for flexibility and interoperability. It works with all the top meter brands. Additionally, it seamlessly integrates into your system using standard APIs.
The solution functions offline as well. Technicians can record readings without network coverage. Synchronization occurs as soon as the system regains connectivity, ensuring seamless operations.
Immediate measurable benefits
Major operational gains
Early results are impressive. Beyond the time that workers save in the field, the biggest efficiency gains occur in the back office.
Automated data entry can cut this process time by up to 50%. This lets one or two technicians focus on other important tasks. As a result, the team frees up resources, boosting productivity.
Another major gain: error elimination. In our latest tests, our OCR algorithm achieved 96.8% accuracy. This is much better than manual entry and directly improves performance metrics.
Predictive maintenance revolutionizes
Automation transforms predictive maintenance. Machine learning algorithms use precise historical data to find subtle patterns. These patterns can signal early signs of potential failures.
This predictive capability improves planning and reduces unplanned downtime. We track generator running hours almost as they occur. This helps schedule preventive maintenance with precision.
Tangible ROI
The financial impact is clear: reduced data collection time and errors. Therefore, it delivers significant economic benefits in terms of maintenance costs.
A unique collaborative approach: co-creating innovation
A win-win partnership
This ClickOnSite innovation came from a visionary client. They played a key role in shaping our product roadmap. This collaboration serves as an ideal example of our development philosophy.
We start from real field needs. We design solutions that align precisely with business challenges.
The co-development process took several months. It involved collaborative design, iterative development, and intensive field testing. This agile method lets us take feedback right away and slowly improve performance.
Open innovation
We believe this is true: the best ideas come from teamwork between software providers and end users.
Our development teams collaborate closely with field teams. They aim to grasp operational limits. This goes beyond simple requirements gathering—it’s true co-design. Your business expertise meets our tech know-how. The result? Innovations that genuinely transform practices.
We don’t just digitalize the old ways. We revolutionize them.
Roadmap 2026: Shape the future with us
Call for co-innovation
This success motivates us to go further. That’s why we’re inviting all operators and towercos to help shape the 2026 ClickOnSite roadmap.
This open initiative looks for the next tech breakthroughs and works to bring them to life together. We’re actively seeking partners ready to engage. Participants will enjoy exclusive benefits:
- Early access to upcoming innovations
- Exclusive beta tester status
- Direct influence on product direction
Structured collaboration process
Our approach follows proven methods. Regular co-design workshops will identify the use cases to address. We’ll rank them together.
Selected field pilots will test innovations in real conditions before the full release.
This collaboration creates lasting competitive advantages. Early access to emerging technologies becomes YOUR edge. So does the ability to influence their development. The expertise gained is a strategic asset in a market that evolves rapidly.
The future of telecom maintenance starts now
Olivier Lespinasse, ClickOnSite expert, product owner of this new feature, comments:
“Automating readings with OCR and LLM marks the start of a profound transformation. This innovation opens the door to new approaches. Artificial intelligence helps field teams and the back office by taking away low-value tasks. This lets them focus on what they do best.
Data gathered automatically will soon drive advanced predictive maintenance systems. These systems aim to predict failures before any symptoms show up. This change is shifting infrastructure management from reacting to problems to preventing them. This shift leads to better predictive abilities.
Our industry is undergoing a major technological revolution. The most agile players will gain a lasting competitive edge. The question is no longer if these changes will happen, but who will lead them—and who will fall behind.”
Available Winter 2025
Jérôme PERRET, CEO of IT-Development, concludes:
“The automated OCR and LLM reading feature will be available starting in winter 2025. Operators and towercos can help shape our 2026 roadmap. They’ll also get special access to our upcoming innovations. We invite you to reach out. Let’s shape the future of telecom maintenance together. We can create tomorrow’s solutions.
The era of manual entry is coming to an end. The future belongs to those who turn operational efficiency into a competitive advantage.”