Benefit from Converged Wireless IP Management

Next Generation Communications Blog

Benefit from Converged Wireless IP Management

By Mae Kowalke

It’s no secret that the telecom market is experiencing increasing demand for mobile broadband access that delivers a high quality of service (QoS). To meet this demand while keeping total cost of ownership (TCO) down, many operators are deploying 3G technology in dense urban areas, and complementing that elsewhere with EDGE services using 2G technologies.

As demand continues to grow, however, this approach will no longer be adequate. Bandwidth-hungry services increasingly require higher throughput, requiring IP backhaul via LTE.

“Depending on markets and time frame, the need for a combination of several technologies will be stronger, driven by subscriber density and investment opportunities, and leading to increased complexity and operational expenses for the management of such networks,” Alcatel-Lucent predicted in an application note, OAM Convergence in Wireless Networks.

Anticipating this market need, Alcatel-Lucent developed its High Leverage Network (HLN) architecture, designed to help operators combine wireless assets with end-to-end IP networking and management. Included within HLN is the Converged Wireless IP Network Management solution, which efficiently manages networks end-to-end.

The converged management solution has four main aspects, thoroughly described in an Alcatel-Lucent video, Wireless IP Network Management, and summarized below.

Provisioning

Traditional configuration tools rely on manual provisioning processes that significantly slow down revenue delivery. Alcatel-Lucent speeds up this process with its 5620 Service Aware Manager, which uses powerful script management for automation of provisioning.

"It copies base configuration data from an existing router, auto-generates and populates scripts, then distributes them to new network elements,” Alcatel-Lucent explained in the video. “For tasks that can't be fully automated, streamlined GUI workflows, service templates and bulk provisioning accelerate the process.”

Service Assurance

The subscriber experience is negatively impacted by reactive problem detection and slow resolution. Alcatel-Lucent gets around this issue using its 5620 SAM in combination with the 5650 Control Plane Assurance Manager. Together, these tools provide real-time visibility into multiple network layers.

“This improves visualization to pinpoint emerging issues and makes proactive resolution possible,” Alcatel-Lucent explained in its video. “Assurance is simpler, faster and more efficient. So your network is more available. Your services perform better. And your subscribers are more satisfied.”

Optimization

Over-engineered networks, where cost and customer satisfaction are not appropriately balanced, cost providers money. The same is true on the opposite end of the spectrum: under-delivery. Striking the right balance is a major challenge in the dynamic mobile broadband services market.

Alcatel-Lucent’s solution is a single, “AnyG” optimization software package that helps operators manage tasks across all RAN technologies. This is accomplished with the 9959 NPO (Network Performance Optimizer). 

“With complete visibility from detailed radio processing events to subscriber mobility attachment procedures, operators can instantly understand what’s happening in their network, and where they need to act first,” Alcatel-Lucent said in its video. “With a single, fast AnyG application, the RAN gets optimized faster. And so does the subscriber experience.”

Operational Fit and Flexibility

With the introduction of each new technology, and the entrance of each new vendor, there inevitably will be some wrinkles to iron out. For example, while existing back office and operations processes are overly rigid, creating and updating new OSS/BSS interfaces is a cumbersome task.

Alcatel-Lucent’s Converged Wireless IP Management solution is, by design, flexible enough to fit any operations environment, thanks to open interfaces and integration with existing systems. 

“Interoperability with market-leading independent software vendors is certified through the Alcatel-Lucent OSS Connected Partner program, to save money and time during integration,” Alcatel-Lucent noted in its video. “Smooth operational integration speeds the rollout of advanced technologies and services.”

Check out the complete transcript of the video here, Converged Wireless IP Network Management - transcript2.pdf

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. ITEXPO offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.


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