Disclosed is a provisioning tool and a method for implementing an operating a communications network, particularly a broadband communications network which is arranged to provision a service for a user based on information available via another user connection; this facilitates provision. In a preferred embodiment, a user device address is obtained from a user IP address. Provisioning and other network tools with additional or alternative advantageous features are disclosed and the provisioning tools disclosed may communicate with a variety of other tools including planning and inventory applications and agents associated with equipment, all of which are also independently provided, enabling provision of a variety of novel services and features dealing with a spectrum of problems arising in a communications environment, particularly a broadband environment.