Highlights:
- Controls and monitors remote site subsystems
- Optimizes business processes, asset management, and resource management systems
- Dramatically lowers operational costs at remote sites and networks
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Solution overview
The worldwide explosion of wireless telephone service represents one of the most phenomenal communications advances ever. As cellular towers spring up to meet market demand, so too does the need to ensure flawless service while protecting these valuable assets.
Operators cannot afford to have sites go down because of power outages, failing equipment or other causes. CommScope supplies the technologies that enable them to monitor cell sites remotely for performance degradation before it affects network integrity. By employing CommScope solutions like OneBase InSite Connect, customers prevent problems from becoming major disruptions while also avoiding costly dispatches of emergency repair crews.
InSite Connect is a comprehensive turnkey system that fully manages remote site subsystems by providing centralized notification of equipment status and site alarms as well as configuration, reporting, and maintenance of remote site equipment. It is OEM agnostic so that it can control and monitor a wide array of devices from leading subsystem manufacturers.
CommScope’s partnership with IBM dramatically expands the usefulness of the data from these networks to meet a broad variety of business needs.
IBM views CommScope as a valued partner, capable of providing the instrumentation to drive efficiencies within telecommunications networks. Collected data, when interconnected with the processes and operations of each facility via ISO, an open, scalable, flexible operating environment from IBM, provide the foundation of IBM’s Smarter Planet™ solution. When integrated into the IBM framework’s software products including Netcool® and Tivoli®, the data are used to optimize business processes, asset management, and resource management systems.
By "instrumenting” this environment, telecom networks make a critical leap from the world of efficiency to one of true optimization. Passive and active information can be correlated among sites, interconnecting with IBM software and enabling managers to respond intelligently to any activity that might occur within a tower. At that point, business intelligence capabilities can be added to transform the network by adopting best practices, breaking down silos, and discovering vital new patterns of information.
In short, the solution epitomizes the "three I’s" of IBM’s Smarter Planet initiative by being instrumented (we now have the ability to measure, sense and see the exact condition of everything), interconnected (people, systems and objects can communicate and interact with each other in entirely new ways), and intelligent (we can respond to changes quickly and accurately, and get better results by predicting and optimizing for future events).
By achieving optimization, mobile networks meet IBM’s standard of ISO for telecommunications and reach a level of sophistication that provides life cycle and maintenance control of all assets at a cell site, through efficiently integrated processes produced by asset management software. In addition, data integration capabilities can provide cost-saving efficiencies such as maintaining appropriate stock levels or reducing truck rolls.
"IBM adds a vital dimension to the partnership by providing communications companies with a rich universe of important uses for the data obtained by CommScope. CommScope’s portfolio of end-to-end solutions help companies connect and evolve their networks for the business of life at home, at work, and on the go."
— John Baker, VP & GM Network Solutions, CommScope
The CommScope and IBM solution: a closer look
InSite Connect consists of two main components: a rack-mounted Remote Controller Unit (RCU) deployed at each base station site and a centrally-located Control Management System (CMS). Each RCU can manage and monitor up to 88 individual subsystems, continuously feeding that information into the CMS where it is presented to the customer in a single, complete, ready-to-use database. CommScope can also leverage the look and feel of IBM’s software including Netcool and Tivoli, or repackage and format the data in other fashions.
For an appreciation of the partnership, consider an alarm signal that is indicating rising temperature at a remote facility. It is of limited use by itself to any controller. But when it is correlated with indicators about other ongoing events at the site via IBM software, a controller can assess the true source and optimize an intelligent response. In short, the facility can vault from being merely efficient to being truly optimized.
The network can even advance further into the realm of intelligence and analytics with the addition of IBM Cognos® business intelligence and financial performance management software, and IBM SPSS Statistics software for predictive analytics.
In addition, carrier networks become more complex as they expand. Scheduled maintenance becomes more important. Operators are increasingly challenged to improve and manage their distributed network infrastructure while shaving expenses where possible to maintain their competitive edge. Among their top expense management concerns are:
- Energy. In the wake of continually rising energy costs, operators are seeking ways to reduce site energy demands. Studies show that a reduction of just one degree at a single cell site will result in significant savings over a year’s time. Maintaining that appropriate temperature can be efficiently performed. Crime. Managing theft and vandalism continues to be a costly problem at remote cell sites.
- Intangibles. Reduction of quantifiable operational expenses goes directly to the bottom line. But locating less quantifiable efficiency opportunities is also a priority. They include the relationship between cell performance (blocks, drops, etc.) and lost revenue due to resulting customer churn and reduced airtime. Due to ineffective reporting or alarm capabilities, carriers may be unaware of underperformance at a particular cell site, which could induce customer churn and/or reduced customer airtime. In an ISO, such incidences can be anticipated so problems do not happen.
- Regulatory Reporting. Another difficult-to-quantify cost involves the impact of inefficient cell site status reporting on certain demands by regulatory agencies. For example, without a source of data, it is very difficult to prove compliance to any regulatory requirement for minimum emergency backup power. With IBM’s flexible environment, such functions are entirely automated.
Another clear benefit of the versatile partnership between the InSite Connect solution and the IBM framework is its dramatic return on investment (ROI), and the ease at which ROI is calculated. For example, savings from reduced maintenance calls and other site visits, remote control of generators and thermostats, and improved security can be quickly and accurately determined from data provided by InSite Connect and tracked by Netcool and Tivoli software.
Case in point: with InSite Connect in control of the HVAC thermostat at cell sites, users can ensure that site temperatures are maintained at optimum settings. In addition to saving money in normal daily operation, it eliminates the costly problem of technicians raising site temperatures during maintenance and forgetting to reset the thermostat. By knowing the monthly cost per degree over or above spec, those savings can be easily calculated.
Rely on CommScope and IBM experience
Between them, CommScope and IBM have decades of experience in communications, hardware, and software solutions in support of telecommunications providers throughout the world. Importantly, the partnership extends well beyond the telcom market to embrace customers in virtually any field where managing and monitoring of network sites and remote equipment is needed. Examples include data centers, broadband providers, security providers for fuel tanks and other installations, power utilities, tower companies and even wind turbines.
OneBase InSite Connect from CommScope
- Technology – CommScope supports the emerging mobile society with a comprehensive portfolio of complete wireless solutions that span the entire RF landscape, helping wireless carriers manage increasing cell site complexity and optimize network planning, capacity, coverage, and performance.
- Global applicability – CommScope is positioned to succeed throughout the world with a network of employees and business partners in 125 countries.
- Sector experience – CommScope’s acquisition of Andrew Solutions makes it a world leader in support of the emerging mobile society, with its comprehensive portfolio of complete wireless solutions.
IBM’s Intelligent Site Operations
- Flexibility – ISO integrates data and systems across operations to help customers improve the availability of services, reduce operational expenses, improve revenue streams, and intelligently manage their energy and
carbon footprint.
- Versatility – IBM provides an open, scalable, flexible and service-oriented architecture (SOA)-based telcom industry framework. Horizontally integrated, it accelerates the end-to-end telcom service.
- Global experience – IBM has vast experience in assisting organizations throughout the world with its insights for their enterprise assets.
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IBM Partnership
