Hi3G Simplifies Network O&M with NetNumen U31

Sweden has one of the most developed telecom markets in the EU and is home to the world’s first commercial LTE networks. Hi3G Sweden AB, an operator in Northern Europe, is seeking to strengthen its competitive edge and maintain the rapid growth of its subscriber base. At the beginning of 2011, Hi3G built the world’s first FDD/TDD LTE network that offers customers diverse services and smooth data experience.

Hi3G Sweden AB is now looking for ways to cut down the high additional costs of managing UMTS, LTE FDD, and LTE TDD equipment. There are costs involved in server configuration, O&M labor, complicated IT network planning, capacity expansion, and network interoperability.

To address the future trend of network convergence and cut down CAPEX and OPEX, Hi3G adopted ZTE’s efficient NetNumen U31 for unified network management.

NetNumen U31 has the following advantages:

• unified platform to simplify software and hardware configuration and lower O&M cost

NetNumen U31 is built on a unified element management platform (UEP) that makes full use of system resources. To manage tens of thousands of UMTS, LTE FDD, and LTE TDD cells, Hi3G chose to deploy only one set of NetNumen U31 software and hardware rather than dozens of servers. Few O&M nodes are used, and flat network architecture is supported. This saves equipment room and power consumption, simplifies network planning, and lowers the cost of regular network checks.  

• distributed deployment to leverage old devices and protect operator investment

Rapid subscriber growth drives the need for network expansion. When the performance threshold of network O&M is exceeded, NetNumen U31 uses distributed architecture to extend its management capability. Distributed deployment means that good use is made of old devices and operator investment is protected.

• security and reliability to ensure smooth operation

Network security plays an important role in network O&M. As well as integrating traditional security management functions, NetNumen U31 also provides Hi3G with total security solutions ranging from OS to database applications. These security solutions protect Hi3G from security threats. All access and operation logs are kept in the system and are automatically uploaded to a third-party audit server for further checking.

• standard northbound interfaces to lower interoperability cost

Interoperability is also an important issue that should be considered when constructing an operator OSS. Diverse, non-standard, unstable interfaces lead to time-consuming preparation, heavy workload, and frequent changes for network interoperability. ZTE took the lead by standardizing northbound interfaces. Standard SNMP, CORBA, and DB interfaces are provided to suit any wireless network. ZTE has also collaborated with mainstream NMS/BOSS vendors such as IBM, HP, and Aircom, to build OSS interoperability testing labs. This significantly reduces workload, time, and costs for network interoperation and allows operators to deliver services in the shortest time.

• industry-leading plug-in design to support unified management of microwave and wireless equipment

Microwave has been widely accepted as the transmission solution for wireless networks because of its low cost, fast deployment, and flexible networking. Managing microwave and wireless equipment in a unified and centralized manner is a challenge for operators. NetNumen U31 adopts industry-leading plug-in design that allows for unified management of microwave and wireless equipment, end-to-end monitoring, fast fault location and QoS guarantee.

• integrated value-added tools to simplify fault location and network optimization

Traditional drive test and signaling tools are time-consuming, labor-intensive and expensive to use. Northern European operators are seeking new tools to replace them. NetNumen U31 uses call trace system (CTS) and measurement report (MR) as a cost-effective replacement for these tools. CTS has cross-domain signaling trace and signal flow diagram so that operators can rapidly figure out the location of a faulty signaling node. MR collects a great deal of measurement report data from all cells in the network. By analyzing them through a post-analysis system, operators can find problems with signal coverage, frequency allocation, and adjacent cell interference. MR also automatically converts suggestions for network adjustment into scripts that can be executed by NetNumen U31. This helps optimize network performance.

Hi3G Sweden AB has put into service NetNumen U31―the world’s first unified network management system that can manage UMTS, LTE FDD, and LTE TDD networks simultaneously. NetNumen U31 will be able to manage microwave networks by the end of 2011. Through innovation and collaboration, ZTE will continue to help Hi3G Sweden AB make its network O&M simple and efficient.