Effective Network Planning and Optimization Can Help Mobile Operators Free Up Stranded Capacity, More Effectively Use Existing Resources and More Strategically Build Out Their Networks
PARIS, France and HERNDON, Virginia—October 10, 2013—Infovista, the global leader of IP and RF planning, assurance and optimization software solutions, and analyst firm Analysys Mason have released a new whitepaper exploring how communications service providers (CSPs) can plan and ensure high-performing, cost-efficient networks by implementing a modern, automated planning and optimization software system.
CSPs are facing immense pressure to increase network capacity in order to support consumers’ growing mobile data consumption rates. However, with the introduction of new mobile access technologies like small cells, HSPA, HSPA+ and Wi-Fi data offload, mobile operators are forced to increase their network planning exercise frequency. Consequently, CSPs must dedicate significant resources to collect performance data in order to prevent poor quality network plans, inaccurate allocation of network resources and stranded capacity.
This whitepaper proposes that a strong optimization automation software solution can recover as much as 20 - 40 percent of stranded capacity and improve CAPEX and OPEX efficiency by utilizing real-time and predictive network intelligence. As a result, mobile operators will be able to ensure more efficient and capable networks, thus delivering high quality of experience (QoE) to end users without sacrificing their margins in the process.
Key Facts
- The introduction of network planning systems capable of leveraging the availability of advanced performance information from the network equipment itself is making the network planning and optimization process faster and more accurate. By leveraging these in combination, CSPs can see great improvements in their network planning efforts.
- 3G and 4G small cells, femtocells and Wi-Fi offloading capabilities, among other new networking technologies, will result in increasingly heterogeneous networks (HetNets), making network planning more complex – yet more important for CSPs’ success. Automation capabilities can help reduce the complexities of HetNets, and will thus be incrementally implemented over the next eight to ten years to help CSPs oversee their networks’ combined performance and plan for future network expansions.
- Mobile operators should consider migrating to an end-to-end, automated modern network planning and optimization system that is integrated in their network performance management systems and offers a strong ‘what-if’ capability to help engineers seek the optimal mix of 2G, 3G, HSPA, HSPA+, LTE and alternative small cell solutions. It is also important for CSPs to implement hybrid SON capabilities in their mobile networks to oversee networks from multiple vendors, combining the edges of any two networks and reconciling the differences between distributed SON optimization algorithm sets.
Supporting Quotes
- “Network performance and quality of network coverage are the primary criteria’s by which subscribers choose their mobile provider” said Cyril Doussau, Senior Director, Global Product Marketing, Infovista. “As the constant increase in subscriber data usage is making the planning process much more complex, RAN engineering departments need to streamline their planning process by leverage real-time network insights”
- “As customers’ data consumption grows, and more connected devices flood their networks, mobile operators are doing everything they can to meet the ubiquitous demand for services and applications,” said Dr. Mark Mortensen, principal analyst, Analysys Mason. “To that end, they must strategically plan network extensions and streamline capacity build-outs. On top of that, they must also proactively reduce stranded network capacity to maximize the use of current resources. Without an automated optimization tool that works across all network layers and components, this process would be nearly impossible.”
Resources
- Download a copy of “Optimization Automation: Immediate Gains for Today, SON Enabler for the Future” here.
- Find out how Infovista is helping mobile operators around the world to better plan, operate, optimize and monetize their networks.
- Learn more about how Infovista can help mobile operators efficiently design, manage and optimize small cells to relieve macrocell network traffic, improve quality of service and realize significant OPEX savings.
- Analysys Mason analyst Dr. Mark Mortensen will present the content of this whitepaper at InfoVista’s user conference, taking place October 23-24, 2013, in Montreal, Canada.
- Follow and engage with InfoVista on its blog, “ProActive Network News,” and on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
