Ericsson's SON Optimisation Manager to extend benefits of network automation to SingTel's WCDMA networks
SingTel and Ericsson have announced the successful deployment of Ericsson's self organising networks (SON) Optimisation Manager for SingTel's WCDMA networks.
New technologies such as heterogeneous networks and new traffic patterns driven by changing subscriber demands and the greater availability of innovative services, means it is becoming increasingly complex for operators to run well optimised services, stated Ericsson.
Self organising networks (SON) addresses these challenges by introducing automation in the network in the areas of configuration, healing and optimisation, Ericsson claimed.
Tay Yeow Lian, SingTel's vice president of mobile core engineering, said: 'With SON and other network enhancements, our customers will enjoy up to 20% faster internet access in crowded places that are prone to network congestion. The chances of encountering a dropped call at these packed locations will also be reduced by as much as 40%.
'SingTel has invested heavily in its networks to deliver the fastest mobile services in Singapore. We are the only 4G service provider to offer speeds of up to 150Mbps and nationwide dual-band coverage. By investing in new technologies, we seek to provide our customers with an even better experience with their communications and multimedia applications,' Lian added. Nicholas Seow, president and country manager at Ericsson Singapore, commented: 'Self organising networks are a critical enabler for the widespread deployment of mobile broadband technologies. Network complexity has reached the stage at which self configuring, self optimising and self healing functions are now indispensable for running a modern mobile network. Multiple standards and an expanding ecosystem of equipment providers need the automation of as much network planning, design, build and optimization as possible.'
Ericsson's SON solution includes self optimisation features such as coverage capacity optimisation and load balance (CCLB), and automatic neighbour relation (ANR) handling. Self healing functions are being developed to automatically compensate for cell outages by adjusting the neighbouring cells to find the optimal configuration. These features help to maintain a high performing network that can deliver a more consistent experience for SingTel customers with faster download speeds and reduced drop calls.
Using these optimisation algorithms delivers a more consistent customer experience by intelligently adapting the network configuration to traffic conditions to achieve optimum coverage, capacity and quality at all times, Ericsson claimed.
With this system, SingTel and Ericsson optimise multiple network elements and domains, allowing the integration of multiple technologies 2G, 3G and 4G into a single optimisation model.
