The Secrets to Delivering Quality Networks

While the 3G era has given operators the opportunity to launch new services, build new brand images, and gain new market share, it has also posed challenges in terms of service, speed, and smooth migration from 2G to 3G. To excel in a climate of fierce competition, operators must ensure their network quality—fundamental for market competitiveness—is of the highest order. In addition, they must offer attractive services, tariffs, and terminals. ZTE’s diverse, professional, custom-made network planning and optimization services aim to help operators build cutting-edge 3G networks.

Diverse Network Optimization Services

ZTE provides operators with a whole array of engineering services ranging from network planning and optimization to capacity expansion, network swap, and maintenance optimization. Its diverse network optimization services include routine network optimization, dedicated network optimization, and in-depth network optimization. The four basic network planning services are requirement analysis, site survey, propagation model test and calibration, and network performance simulation. Through professional communication with customers, optimal configuration of propagation models, and effective control of project implementation, ZTE is able to meet network coverage, capacity, and performance requirements while offering a competitive Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

■   Routine network optimization

ZTE’s routine engineering optimization services involve single site verification, Drive Test (DT), Call Quality Test (CQT), user complaint handling, network optimization analysis, and optimization plan implementation. Each of these services is offered to fulfil customers’ specific requirements. ZTE provides a turnkey engineering optimization solution that contains the abovementioned services. Its routine maintenance optimization services include network performance monitoring and analysis, user complaint handling, guaranteed telecom services for VIP areas, holidays and important events, and network growth management. For prompt response to any performance fault, and to better meet customer requirements, ZTE’s engineers can work on site to provide all these routine maintenance services.

To ensure smooth data and service migration during network swap, ZTE also provides network evaluation, service guarantee, and optimization services related to capacity expansion.

■   Dedicated network optimization

Network optimization may be undertaken in specific areas. Typically, areas of concern to operators are comparison testing and evaluation of multiple networks, call drop optimization, data services optimization, indoor/outdoor synergy, 2G/3G network synergy, resource utilization, and interference location. To meet operators’ specific requirements, ZTE also provides access optimization, time-delay optimization, handoff optimization, and neighbor cells optimization. Compared with routine network optimization, dedicated network optimization draws on a greater number of human and material resources, assembled more rapidly for intensive resolution of network problems. This enhances network stability, improves network quality, and thus increases user satisfaction.

■   In-depth network optimization

The in-depth network optimization provided by ZTE includes user-aware network optimization, and end-to-end performance evaluation and optimization. User-aware network optimization adopts sophisticated network test instruments to evaluate and optimize network quality from the perspective of user experience. User satisfaction can be improved by detecting minor problems in network operation, by making an in-depth analysis of root cause, and by improving performance indictors (such as data throughput and time delay) that greatly impact user awareness. End-to-end performance evaluation and optimization is intended to optimize performance of various application services, outline directions for improvement, and improve sub-network performance and end-user awareness.

ZXPOS: A Quick Way to Boost Network Performance

ZTE’s network planning and optimization team has provided services for 120 operators in nearly 70 countries worldwide. With advanced ideas, rich experience, and professional services, the team can quickly build high-quality networks for operators, and provide reliable, all-round technical support for follow-up network operation and maintenance.

ZXPOS—a cutting-edge software tool suite—has been self-developed by ZTE to meet various requirements for network planning and optimization. It comprises efficient and practical tools such as a network pre-planning tool, network planning and simulation software, an expert analysis platform, wireless network test software and apparatus, and wireless network data analysis software. These tools support the whole process—from network planning, deployment, and verification to network operation, maintenance, and optimization. ZXPOS is used to improve project efficiency and network quality, and helps operators enhance their overall competitiveness while saving costs in network construction and maintenance.

As a collaborative software system with great flexibility, ZXPOS has an open architecture to support multi-technology networks and multi-vendor equipment. It provides different versions of software for products running on different networks and applied in different scenarios. These software tools can be used independently, collaboratively, or combined with other tools to provide maximum protection to operators’ investments. Moreover, due to the open and unified architecture, all software tools have similar operating features with a consistent user interface style, which makes it easy for users to operate.

Application Cases

ZTE succeeded in delivering high-quality 3G networks to China Unicom in 2009. It deployed 26,000 WCDMA base stations with over 70,000 carrier-sectors within eight months. According to a third-party evaluation, ZTE ranked first among all equipment suppliers in terms of network KPI. It also outperformed other suppliers in key indicators such as call drop rate, coverage, HSPA data throughput, and handoff success rate. ZTE set a record of zero dropped calls in a 1,200km test conducted in Shenzhen (where it had deployed over 2,000 base stations). The test results showed that all networks built by ZTE were completely suitable for commercial use, and all KPIs were met.

CSL, the largest mobile operator in Hong Kong, put higher requirements on its network swap project. Its original network architecture was complicated, operating on GSM 900MHz/1800MHz and WCDMA 2100MHz bands. The WCDMA network had over 2,000 base stations and 2.5 million subscribers. CSL’s existing networks were failing to address new service demands. Moreover, Hong Kong is famous for its forest of skyscrapers and numerous downtown areas. The environment for wireless networks there is extremely complicated, bringing about great challenges in ensuring network KPI. ZTE adopted an overlay soft swap strategy for accurate and reliable service and data swap. By virtue of its advanced technologies, well-defined project management and powerful supporting tools, ZTE succeeded in swapping over the original networks for a single 2G/3G converged network within a 12 month period. The new SDR-based network has been highly recognized by CSL for its superior coverage and enhanced performance supporting a variety of 3G services.

ZTE has insisted on technological innovation. In its cooperation with Aircell, America’s leading provider of airborne communication services, ZTE developed a unique Air-to-Ground (ATG) EV-DO network that opened a new era for Aircell to offer in-flight Internet service across America. The network adopted innovative, industry-leading techniques to solve many challenging engineering problems. Antenna downtilt angle needed to be set according to the earth’s radius and troposphere effect, lower-layer protocols needed to be updated to remove the impact of Doppler shift, and dedicated PN planning and neighbor cell optimization needed to be implemented for airborne networks. All these helped Aircell realize extensive area and high-speed mobility coverage with low costs. In November 2008, the ATG EV-DO network won praise with the CDMA Development Group’s Network Technology Innovation Award (see figure 1). This honor was awarded for the seamless collaboration between ZTE and Aircell on the ATG EV-DO network, and the great contribution made to the development of wireless technologies.