Telkom has officially launched its National Network Operations Centre (NNOC), which played a central role in the company`s Y2K monitoring.
Now almost fully stocked with its complement of technologists and network snoops, Telkom says the Centurion-based NNOC will help it move from reactive to proactive network management.
"That`s not to say that the NNOC is a magic wand that will instantly transform our service delivery and quality to a state of perfection," admitted CEO Sizwe Nxasana at the opening. "Rather, the NNOC represents another step, albeit a large one, in our quest to deliver on your expectations."
Telkom will not release a precise figure for the cost of setting up the centre, but says over R100 million was invested.
The centre is focused around its single control room, where various experts keep an eye on the Telkom network and handle congestion and other crises as necessary.
Real-time data and graphic representations on the status of all core network elements are instantly available and repair teams can be dispatched directly by the controllers on duty. The room, dominated by a massive video wall, is also to house the team that will keep major corporate clients informed during service breakdowns.
"There will be problems but the way you manage them is important," says NNOC executive Pierre Marais. He promises that clients will receive regular updates, as often as every five minutes, when their voice or data services are interrupted for any length of time.
The company is anxious to show its concern for business clients. "There are perceptions among some members of the business community that Telkom is concentrating too heavily on serving previously marginalised and under-serviced communities at the expense of your requirements," Nxasana says. He notes that all customers will be serviced and that one group will not be neglected to focus on another.
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