Remote site management in the new converged telecommunications network

"We have everything under control." This is one of the first comments one comes across when broaching the subject of network management and remote site management. It shows that most telecommunication companies (telcos) believe their networks are managed pretty well. While this is often true from a core network technology perspective, real life networks consist of much more and the telco dares ask the question, "what am I missing?".

Often, large parts of a telco`s network are not being properly managed, but merely monitored with no south bound management or controls. While a telco might purchase an intelligent technology for deployment in their networks, they have no reliable channel to back haul management information from a remote site to a network operations centre. Consequently, the element managers are unable to communicate with the network elements, the intelligent, manageable technology is not managed and the investment is at risk.

The problem is made worse by peripheral site devices that require management for reliable service delivery. Environmental, facility, power, physical security and access control devices are being monitored in the most rudimentary fashion on diverse management platforms, if they get monitored at all.

Increased competition due to deregulation, granting of new network licences, convergence and allowing wireless networks to effectively compete with wireline networks for voice, video and data services, spell huge challenges for telcos around the world, including:

* Accelerated subscriber growth or subscriber loss due to migration to the competition.
* More sophisticated customers demanding a better quality service as well as service level agreements.
* Heated competition to deploy next-generation technology and services, placing severe demands on network core capacity and extra workload on staff.
* Increasing the core capacity of the network - critical to handling increased traffic volumes.
* Deployment of high-speed data services, including diverse technologies such as 3G, HSDPA, FTTx or xDSL, means more technologies and services have to be managed.
* The number of remote sites continues to increase due to greater demands on better network penetration.
* Staggering upgrade costs, forcing service providers to choose between adding to their current network infrastructure and adapting it to meet new standards.
* Doing more with less.
* Constant pressure to lower operation costs and increase efficiency.

Cost per call has decreased steadily over the past several years in real terms and subscriber revenue is also on the decline. The future acceptance and use of voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) will also put pressure on subscriber revenue. One way providers have responded is by reducing their operational budgets at a time when their resource needs are on the rise.

The shortage of trained and skilled staff to build and maintain these networks and high workforce turnover due to health issues in Africa result in higher staff costs due to lost productivity and continuous training of replacement staff.

Service providers have the daunting task of having to balance the three main conflicting market forces: to deploy new services, control operating costs and improve quality of services.

Options for dealing with these conflicting market forces do exist. One approach for telcos is to choose to ignore one or more of the market forces, such as service quality, and work with the status quo or simply upgrade their networks on an as-needed basis. Using a reactive approach in a highly competitive environment however puts the provider in danger of being run out of the market. Service quality is at the greatest risk as preventative maintenance is not being performed.

The targeted cost reduction approach enables providers to target one or more aspect of their network that holds the greatest potential for reducing operating expenses and attempt to leverage it as a competitive advantage.

Risks associated with this strategy come from underestimating the power of the market forces that are not addressed. Like the approach above, service quality is at the greatest risk of being compromised.

The network management approach - the only viable option for forward-looking service providers - successfully addresses current and inevitable near-future market challenges. This approach allows embracing the opposing market forces by using efficient network management - specifically, converged remote site management.

By enabling providers to manage their growing networks more proactively and cost-effectively, this strategy addresses the opposing market forces and represents the greatest reward and the least amount of risk compared to other approaches. Additional security comes from the fact that unified network management is a proven strategy.

Experience in other markets has resulted in a me-too approach - service providers without a sound network management strategy started losing market share due to quality issues and are now adopting management strategies implemented by their competitors.

Converged remote site management allows the operator to see the health and status of every network element tied to the network, allowing them to know where the problems are, to prioritise problems and to give operations people access to the right elements at the right time to resolve efficiently.

It also enables virtual IP address allocation to other non-IP addressable technologies on a remote site which can cover anything from legacy systems, rectifiers, batteries, generators, air-conditioners and door alarms. By collecting all the site alarms and event information and mediating it onto an IP enabled network, full site visibility is made available simultaneously to any person or department authorised to do so. This visibility into all remote sites also allows the service providers to see the network from a customer point-of-view. By proactively managing and monitoring all remote elements and facilities within their network, providers are able to run their networks much more efficiently - enabling key benefits to be realised.

Remote site management reduces operational expenses primarily through fewer truck rolls, particularly significant in Africa with its high vehicle and fuel costs and poor road infrastructure. It also improves the quality, quantity and speed of information available to the network operations centre (NOC). On-site visits and associated costs can be reduced up to 50% - financial benefits that are magnified as the network grows.

Due to proactive management of their networks, service providers are able to identify and correct potential problems before customers experience a disruption in service quality.

Higher service quality increases customer retention, which drives profitability. Additionally, network upgrades can be accelerated through remote provisioning, allowing providers to turn-up new subscribers faster.

As service providers increase capacity - through building out the network on their own or acquiring other networks and consolidating them - network management can be expanded to include new elements. Remote management enables a holistic view of the health of the network, regardless of size.

New services can be added with fewer headaches, with a means to manage the additional network elements required to support the new services.

Maintenance costs are also reduced as providers can proactively identify and at times, remotely fix or provision a troubled network element.

The ability to converge all network management onto a single IP-enabled network allows disparate network elements to integrate into a single converged operational support system. All devices on-site are IP-enabled with a single device, aggregated and connected to the NOC. This hugely simplifies the management of all remote site elements and allows service providers to do more with less.

The Applied Innovation solution enables all existing technologies with anything from contact closure, serial interfaces through to IP and OSI interfaces to be managed remotely via an IP WAN. It also enables remote management capabilities for all environmental and facility management requirements. This allows for complete remote site visibility and the ability to intelligently control remote site devices. Intelligence at the remote sites allows automation. Applied Innovation has been providing network management solutions for 23 years and has perfected remote site management over a period of six years. Solutions are telco grade for the best reliability and software-based application modules are flexible to adapt to any customer`s need.

By implementing the advanced remote site management technologies available from Applied Innovation and integrating a wide range of switching, transmission, access and facility technologies to the Applied Innovation solutions, customers have been able to realise real benefits through improved network operations and leveraging existing resources.

Who is AccessTel?

AccessTel provides turnkey solutions for network convergence and total management of all elements within a network for IT, broadcasting and telecommunications markets. Customer-driven solutions help clients manage their networks more effectively, optimise network capabilities and capacity as well as foster cost reductions. "Effective management of a converged infrastructure can alleviate much of the pressure on organisations to make better use of their existing resources while growing and improving services and keeping costs in check," says AccessTel managing director Harry Lombard.

A South African company, AccessTel was founded in 1995 and has offices in Pretoria as well as in Melbourne, Australia. AccessTel markets, sells and supports solutions using in-house expertise. Strategic partnerships are formed with companies that complement its product and service offering to expand its presence to global markets. This approach ensures cost competitiveness in a challenging industry. AccessTel currently supplies and maintains a management network for the largest telecoms service provider in South Africa.