The
Olšanská control center - 100% service in EuroTel networks
Do you know why hundreds of thousands of our clients can continuously take
advantage of all the ordered services? Do you want to know what the impressive location
looks like where we have a big screen and a room of computers and from where we monitor
the entire network and operationally control all the processes which take place in it?
Then take a look with us inside the new control and management center (Network Management
Center--NMC) in Prague on Olšanská street. The center’s official operation was
commenced in March of this year.
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A bit of history...
Originally, i.e. at the end of 1991, a several-member group of specialists working
directly at the central control office provided control and management of the network in
the framework of EuroTel. Later, i.e. in 1992 when the number of mobile phone owners in
the Czech Republic reached 4600 and the NMT signal covered roughly 65% of the population,
an independent department emerged for managing the activities of central control offices
and monitoring the NMT network. In 1996 when EuroTel registered nearly 170,000 customers
and the GSM system began operation (under the name of EuroTel GSM Global), the NMT network
was monitored directly in the central control office and the GSM network by using the
Nokia OMC system.
... and the present
The further development of mobile phones in the Czech Republic (EuroTel currently provides
services for more than 400,000 customers) required the emergence of a new control system
capable of guaranteeing universal access to all operating information and transferring and
processing them in the framework of one single system.
ISG (part of US WEST, the co-owner of EuroTel Praha), with its extensive experience in
operating management centers in various countries, was chosen in a tender as the supplier
of the systems and technologies for the control center.
The control and management center established by EuroTel in the SPT TELECOM building
controls at the level of the most demanding international standards. Specialists agree
that the technology with which the center works are frequently more up-to-date than the
systems used by mobile phone users in developed countries!
The integrated control and management system, which includes a software complex
under the group name of NMS (Network Management System), is compiled of several parts:
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WatchMark Control is an alarm database directly attached to all network elements
(transmission routes, central control offices, base stations, voice mail, SMS, ...). All
the information is processed in the framework of one single graphic environment. |
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Metrica NPR jis a
database system which stores and processes all operating data and information. It
facilitates the execution of short-term and long-term analyses of statistics and operating
measurements. Based on these analyses, precise diagnoses can be made, e.g. on the capacity
of individual base stations, and a prognosis can be designating when the given base
station will have to be expanded. |
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Remedy systém
consists of two portions. The first portion serves to communicate between the Customer
Service Department and NMC. This is where customer complaints signaling the unsuitable
behavior of the network are resolved and stored. The wish is that the volume of this
database be as small as possible, but unfortunately in operating this type of radio
network a certain percent of inapprehensible phenomena are inevitable. These are, for
instance, changing radio wave propagation conditions influenced by the seasons of the year
or by the construction of larger buildings in the sphere of radiation. The second portion
is the troubleticketing which records and stores technical problems in the networks, data
on their receipt, and means of resolution. It facilitates the monitoring of the readiness
and preparedness of EuroTel technicians for various defects and breakdowns. |
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A superior system, the
WatchMark Pilot, graphically displays the immediate status of all elements in the
NMT and GSM networks. It concentrates, integrates, and gives form to data originating from
all other systems. On the map of the Czech Republic, it shows the distribution of all base
stations, central control offices, transmission routes, etc., shows the current coverage
by individual sectors of base stations, displays all alarms and drop-outs, and facilitates
making rapid and effective decisions on the gravity of the drop-out in terms of the effect
on the customer. |
The control and management center works around the clock. The UNIX
system, which is used by all terminals and NMS servers, guarantees effective, stable, and
very reliable operation. The entire network and all the alarms are displayed on the
central 5x2.4m big screen. The projection wall consists of 15 LCD segments with back
projection and is produced by the Dr. Seufert company.
The central office’s continuous emergency shift cooperates with technicians in
individual regions who are prepared 24 hours a day to resolve all potential technical
problems.
EuroTel has invested vast amounts of money into establishing and operating the Network
Management System and the Network Management Center. The technology with which the center
works brings together the most demanding world standards. You, the customer to whom
EuroTel Praha guarantees effective, reliable and quality mobile phone services, profit the
most.
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