Mobile Service Assurance

Aricent Enables UK’s Leading Mobile Service Provider to Deliver High Quality 3G Services

The client is one of the world’s top telecommunications companies, with a significant presence in Continental Europe, UK, USA and the Asia Pacific region, through its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associated undertakings. Competitive pressures continue to drive the need to improve operational efficiency and service quality.

The mobile service provider faced several challenges while managing the network environment effectively. The client maintained over 160 disparate systems to manage the evolving 2G and 3G network and services. Most of these systems were homegrown, poorly documented and minimally integrated with other systems. The limited ability to view real-time service problems restricted the service provider from guaranteeing quality services delivery. Moreover, there was minimal linkage between user experience, service quality and network availability - limiting their ability to quickly identify, diagnose and repair service problems. Further, challenges existed due to segregated operations and limited performance related reporting.

Aricent Solution

Aricent provided a comprehensive mobile service assurance solution for the operator. The solution included end-to-end systems integration services and customer experience management as highlighted below.

Application Decommissioning

A cost/benefit analysis of the overlapping applications suggested immediate de-commissioning of redundant functionality. More than 25 applications were removed from service, which had an immediate positive impact on the Operational Expenditure (OPEX) and greatly simplified vendor management, interface maintenance and release coordination tasks. The remaining applications, including the service assurance solutions, were enhanced to replace the functionality of the decommissioned systems. There was zero net-loss of functionality for the users, and the operations environment benefited from fewer systems, interfaces and unified user interfaces.

Site Management Solution

The service provider used a homegrown system for site management of network elements. Aricent provided requirements specifications and cost/benefit analysis for retirement of this tool. A systematic migration plan of the in-house system to other strategic products was provided that considerably optimized management of network elements.

Customer Experience Management Solution

Aricent was involved in the design, implementation, testing and delivery co-ordination of the Customer Experience Management (CEM) platform involving large number of suppliers and data sources. Aricent engineered a Quality of Experience (QoE) Management solution for the next generation IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network. This included detailed technical recommendations for optimizing the Quality of Service (QoS) monitoring to enable Voice Over IP (VoIP) services to business customers over traditional access methods.

Site Rollout – Systems Integration

Aricent analyzed the effectiveness of multiple systems involved in the site rollout process. The solution involved migration of existing network elements and applications, configuration of network elements, applications and business rules and testing, and finally commissioning and monitoring of the complete system. The site rollout automation ensured resource optimization and the subsequent savings in manpower and time. The integrated system also ensured data consistency between inventory systems and full support in the service assurance systems.

Results

As a result of implementing the proposed solution from Aricent, the service provider experienced several key benefits, including:

Reduced OPEX and Optimized CAPEXM

  • Reduction in OPEX through application decommissioning and effective monitoring of the hardware and infrastructure;
  • Rolling out a generic data model framework ensured fastertime-to market for new 3G services.

Lowered Total Cost of Ownership

  • Reduced expenses due to optimized operations and focus on service delivery;
  • Process and systems automation resulted in reduced manual errors and delays.

Ensured Global Alignment

  • Improved client’s global alignment of Network Management Solutions;
  • Enhanced Key Performance Indicator (KPI) measures supporting troubleshooting.

Improved Customer Satisfaction

  • Rapid time to market for adding new subscribers;
  • Improved customer experience by enhancing network quality information & planning.