The verdict in three sentences
For an FTTH subcontractor in Singapore, the real cost is not the software but the cash stuck with operators because each installation is not fully evidenced (termination point photo, optical power reading, customer sign-off). Custom field operations software for this work sits, as a 2026 order of magnitude, between SGD 120,000 and 250,000 (about USD 90,000 to 185,000) for a 10 to 14 week project. At 1,500 installations a month, cutting payment time from 45 to 20 days frees more working capital than the project costs.
Why spreadsheets break at 60 technicians
A subcontractor receives work orders from several operators and network builders, each with its own format, failure codes and evidence rules, plus the reporting expectations tied to the national fibre network. With 60 technicians spread across HDB estates and commercial buildings, evidence arrives through messaging apps, power meter readings are retyped and month-end invoicing is a manual reconciliation. A typical result: 8 to 12 % of jobs are disputed at invoicing time, and each dispute pushes payment back one full cycle.
| Metric | Messaging apps + Excel | Field operations software |
|---|---|---|
| Time from job closure to invoice | 15 to 25 days | 1 to 3 days |
| Jobs disputed by the operator | 8 to 12 % | 1 to 3 % |
| Average payment time | 45 days | 20 days |
| Admin time per technician per day | 40 to 60 min | 10 to 15 min |
| Photos and readings retrievable on request | partial | 100 % time-stamped and geotagged |
| Supervisor visibility | phone calls | live dashboard |
These are 2026 estimates seen across Asia-Pacific and African subcontractors; actual results depend on operator data quality and field discipline.
What the software must do, module by module
Five blocks cover the useful scope. Work order import pulls each operator's files or API and normalises them. The technician mobile app, which must work offline inside basements and riser shafts, guides the job step by step: riser photo, termination point photo, optical power reading (for example between -15 and -25 dBm), customer signature. Dispatch assigns jobs by zone, skill and access windows. Billing reconciliation matches validated jobs against each operator's rate card. Reporting produces the exact exports operators require.
| Module | Key function | Share of budget (estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Work order import and normalisation | per-operator connectors, deduplication | 15 % |
| Offline mobile app | guided flow, photos, readings, signature | 30 % |
| Dispatch and scheduling | zone, workload, skills, building access | 15 % |
| Quality control | automatic rejection rules, reading thresholds | 10 % |
| Reconciliation and invoicing | rate cards, credit notes, reminders | 20 % |
| Operator reporting | formatted exports, dashboards | 10 % |
For reference, packaged field service tools in Singapore typically cost USD 40 to 90 per user per month, or USD 29,000 to 65,000 a year for 60 technicians, without operator-specific import or rate card reconciliation. At Kolonell, this kind of project falls into the complex application band, from 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR), with the exact scope set in a detailed quote. See our custom web applications page.
A realistic 10 to 14 week plan
Two weeks of scoping with real work order files and rate cards, 6 to 8 weeks of build, a 2 week pilot with 10 technicians, then a staged rollout to all 60. The pilot is where you tune reading thresholds, photo compression and the typical failure cases (customer not home, blocked conduit, full distribution box, no building access).
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Wei Lin, operations director of a Singapore FTTH subcontractor, completes 1,500 installations a month at an average SGD 180 per job, or SGD 270,000 invoiced monthly. At 45 days payment time, she carries about SGD 405,000 in receivables. At 20 days, that drops to SGD 180,000: SGD 225,000 of working capital released. The dispute rate also falls from 10 % to 2 %, so SGD 21,600 a month no longer slips to the next cycle. Even at the top of the market range, payback is measured in months, before counting the 30 to 45 minutes of admin saved per technician per day.
FAQ
Does the app work without signal in basements and risers?
Yes, jobs, photos and readings are stored on the device and sync when the connection returns. A compressed photo weighs about 150 to 300 KB.
Can we handle several operators with different formats?
That is the core of the project: each operator gets its own import connector and export format. Allow roughly 1 to 2 weeks of build per additional operator.
How long does it take to train 60 technicians?
Half a day per team of 10 is enough with a guided flow. Full rollout usually takes 3 to 4 weeks after the pilot.
Can optical readings be captured automatically?
Depending on the meter, values are typed or imported from the meter's export file. The software then applies a threshold, for example rejecting anything worse than -27 dBm, before submission.
Where is the data hosted?
Hosting is chosen in the quote according to operator requirements, with daily backups. Kolonell maintenance ranges from 35,000 to 120,000 FCFA per month (53 to 183 EUR) depending on the support level.
Let's scope your project. Send us a sample of work orders and your rate cards, and we will scope the operator connectors and the pilot plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
