With the widespread use of smart terminals and the rapid development of mobile Internet, user behavior is fundamentally changing. Network operators have been concerned about unclear organizational structures, low efficiency, and process blocking for a long period. In a new consumption model oriented to mobile applications and data, a customizable and more flexible OSS tool is needed in the operators' network management to assist the management staff of the NOC/SOC in implementing more precise, rapid, efficient network operation, therefore, to match the explosive growth of user data.
MTN Uganda is one of the most important branches of the MTN Group. The headquarters of the MTN Group has very high requirements for the quality of their local networks. As Uganda's largest mobile operator, MTN Uganda had 9 million users in 2015, and the market share was over 70 percent. ZTE won the bid for MTN Uganda's network-wide managed service project in 2015. This project involved the maintenance of NEs (provided by ten different vendors) in the core network/IP backbone network/wireless network/IPRAN/microwave/fixed network, deployment of the OSS tool, manpower transfer, third-party device maintenance, network optimization, and optical cable maintenance.
After this project was started, the ZTE service product team rapidly deployed the OSS hardware, servers, and related software, and used the platform-based ZTE UniCareTM OSS tool to customize an OSS upgrade solution for MTN Uganda, where:
-The unified portal system provides unified management and access for EMS users.
-The automatic alarm management system implements centralized surveillance and management for alarms in the whole network as well as rapid location and analysis of root faults, which is applicable to different vendors and professional networks.
-The network performance management system implements centralized and unified management of network performance data, increasing the network performance management efficiency.
-The use of the work order system, first-line O&M management system, asset management system, spare part management system, and resource management system reduces the O&M cost, enhances network O&M efficiency and service quality, and implements SLA management.
This solution lays a solid foundation for the end-to-end automatic, transparent, and elaborate O&M of MTN Uganda's network, improving the network management standard to a new high level.
On January, 2016, when MTN Uganda's managed service project was successfully delivered, Mr. Rami Farah (MTN Uganda's former CTO) expressed his thanks in a letter to ZTE, "In the three months, we had the occasional escalations and disputes here and there as the two parties attempted to align each other's objectives. ZTE helped us to upgrade and rebuild several O&M tools that will go a long way in ensuring the long term sustainability of our network. The network is very stable, with most KPIs equal or better than what we spelled out for ZTE to achieve. This, for me and MTN, is a step in the right direction."
On September 2016, with the assistance of ZTE, the qualification rate of more than 70 O&M KPIs of MTN Uganda increased from 84.87 percent at the beginning of the project to 99.8 percent, and network KPIs were greatly enhanced. Mr. Samuel Sentongo (MTN Uganda's current CTO) also expressed his thanks in a letter to ZTE, "In the last one year, we have seen significant improvement in network KPIs as well as reductions in faults on the network. ZTE team has been fully involved in improving network performance and network stability. We thank ZTE for making a difference in MTN Uganda and strongly contributing to overall network stability."
On October 17, 2016, MTN Uganda was awarded with the "Best Network Experience Award" in the operational meeting held by the MTN Group in South Africa, proving ZTE's capability in deploying and delivering service products.
The successful delivery of MTN Uganda's network-wide managed service project is a new starting point for ZTE managed services and the ZTE UniCareTM OSS tool platform. The recognition of ZTE service products by CTOs opens a new door, and will actively promote the global influence of ZTE service products. In the future, ZTE managed services and the ZTE UniCareTM OSS tool platform will deepen the cooperation between ZTE and the MTN Group to embrace challenges and opportunities in the M-ICT Era.
