APR 2013 VOL. 15 ● NO. 2 ● ISSUE 145

A Suitable Infrastructure Is Critical KPN Mobile International Partners D'Nemo: Interview with ZTE’s SVP 25 to a Profitable IDC Business 28 ZTE for Network Development 35 Global Customer Service Xu Huijun

VIP Voices Telefonica: Increased Data Traffic Is a Good Challenge An interview with Ian Miller, Director of Radio Access Networks for Telefonica

Special Topic: Professional Services Service Enables Value Creation

Tech Forum

From Traffic Management to Traffic Operation ZTE TECHNOLOGIES Editorial Board CONTENTS Chairman: Pang Shengqing Vice Chairmen: Chen Jane, Zhao Xianming, Zhu Jinyun Members: Chen Jian, Cui Li, Feng Haizhou, Heng Yunjun, Huang Liqing, Huang Xinming, Jiang Hua, Lv Abin, Li Aijun, Li Guangyong, Li Weipu, Lu Ping, Lu Wei, Sun Zhenge, Wang Shouchen, Wang Xiaoming, Wang Xiyu, Xin Shengli, Xu Ming, Ye Ce, Yu Yifang, Zhang Shizhuang

Sponsor: ZTE Corporation Edited By Shenzhen Editorial Office, Strategy Planning Department Editor-in-Chief: Jiang Hua Telefonica: Executive Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Huang Xinming Editorial Director: Liu Yang Executive Editor: Yue Lihua Increased Data Traffic Is Editors: Jin Ping, Paul Sleswick Circulation Manager: Wang Pingping a Good Challenge

Ian Miller, Director of Radio Access Networks for Telefonica, believes that the rapid growth in data traffic is a good challenge and brings opportunities. He Editorial Office talked about Telefonica’s LTE strategy and speculated on beyond 4G. He also Address: NO. 55, Hi-tech Road South, shared his experiences in multinational operations and his impression of ZTE. Shenzhen, P.R.China Postcode: 518075 Tel: +86-755-26775211 Fax: +86-755-26775217 Website: wwwen.zte.com.cn/en/about/ publications Email: [email protected] From Traffic Management to A technical magazine that keeps up with the latest Traffic Operation industry trends, communicates leading technologies and solutions, and shares stories of our As CT and IT converge and competition diversifies, operators are in crisis customer success mode and are aware that they need to transform their businesses. With traffic management as its base and traffic operation as its core, an operator can create a brand-new business model and find new growth areas in the value chain.

1 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 2 VIP Voices

07 Telefonica: Increased Data Traffic Is a Good Challenge Reporters: Liu Yang and Jin Ping

11 Viettel: Step to Global Business Reporter: Tang Mengjia

Tech Forum

14 From Traffic Management to Traffic Operation By Bao Jie

Success Stories

28 KPN Mobile International Partners ZTE for Network Development By Li Na

31 Orange: The Road to Multinational Operations By Tan Qiaoyong

33 FibreCo Builds a National Optical Backbone in South Africa By Kong Jia

Press Clipping Special Topic: Professional Services 35 D'Nemo: Interview with ZTE’s SVP Global Customer Service 17 Service Enables Value Creation By Li Zheng Xu Huijun Source: DiGi (Telenor)

21 Monitoring and Improving Customer Experience By Yao Xiaobing and Liu Juan

23 A New Era for Network Energy Development Solution By Zhang Zheng and Huang Weiyang 37 ZTE OSS: An Effective Solution 25 A Suitable Infrastructure Is Critical to a Profitable IDC Business for Managed Services By Yu Jian By Yang Guangjun and Zhou Xueyin

1 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 2 ZTE News

E-Plus planning ZTE Launches LTE 4G Cloud Radio network deployment with ZTE Solution at MWC 21 February 2013, Shenzhen ― will now continue with the deployment ZTE, a publicly-listed global provider of of the first phase of the next generation of telecommunications equipment, network E-Plus’s LTE network. In addition to the solutions and mobile devices, and major delivery of LTE base stations (eNodeB) and European mobile operator E-Plus are supporting E-Plus with the LTE network to extend their partnership, with ZTE upgrade, ZTE will now implement its taking a more substantial role in the evolved packet core (EPC) technologies, operator’s forthcoming LTE network to more effectively enable LTE roll-out expansion in Germany. across the E-Plus network. ZTE’s highly The E-Plus Group has been advanced LTE technologies in the access successfully working together with ZTE and core networks will play a major part 25 February 2013, Shenzhen in the expansion of its UMTS network, the in managing the anticipated significant ― ZTE launched its 4G cloud modernization of its core network and the increases in mobile data volumes across radio solution at the Mobile World current LTE field trials. This cooperation the E-Plus network. Congress in Barcelona, Spain. ZTE’s cloud radio is a flexible solution that can adapt to existing transmissions for operators. This adaptability improves network Telenor Launches Hungary's performance. Moreover, cloud radio enables dynamic coordination and Nationwide LTE Network with ZTE guarantees a smooth user experience, especially on the cell edge. 26 February 2013, Shenzhen ― and helped achieve smooth spectrum “ZTE never stops innovating for ZTE announced that it has successfully reforming to provide LTE services in our customers, and we are proud to deployed an LTE network for 1800 MHz frequency without increasing announce our cloud radio solution,” multinational telecoms operator Telenor the RF module. said ZTE Vice President Dr. Wang in Hungary. ZTE has worked with Telenor Shouchen. “We expect cloud radio The first phase of the network covers Hungary for a number of years to will bring a plethora of benefits to 76 towns in Hungary and highlights that construct its GSM/UMTS/LTE three operators as 4G progresses.” Telenor Hungary’s Hypernet high-speed mode four band network. At the end of Cloud radio is an emerging data services strategy has reached a new 2011, ZTE and Telenor Hungary jointly solution and aims to help operators milestone and laid a solid foundation for launched the first nationwide DC- solve a series of key problems during its ambitious plan of a ‘digital Hungary’. HSPA+ mobile broadband network. network evolution progress to 4G, ZTE provided Uni-RAN total In the first quarter of 2012, Telenor such as unbalanced load in 2G, 3G network solutions based on SDR Hungary’s pretax income and ARPU and LTE networks, and uneven cell technology for the project. The per user value showed the first signs edge user experiences. customized mode 2T2R RRU for of growth following the economic LTE deployment provided flexibility crisis.

3 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 4 ZTE News

ZTE FDD/TDD Converged Solution Wins GTI ZTE to increase smartphone revenues by Innovation Award

27 February 2013, Shenzhen 30% in 2013 ― ZTE announced its FDD/TDD converged solution has won the Global TD-LTE Initiative (GTI) Innovation Award at GTI Night at the Mobile 25 February 2013, Barcelona, Spain “We know that our future success World Congress in Barcelona. ― ZTE announced at the Mobile World means we have to build the ZTE brand, GTI Night is held each year to Congress that it expects to increase and another target for us is to be a top five honor outstanding achievements in smartphone revenues by 30 percent in vendor in terms of brand awareness and the telecommunications space. This 2013, and maintain its position as one of reputation within the next three years,” said year’s innovation award winner was the top four global handset manufacturers. ZTE EVP and Head of the Mobile Devices selected by a GTI steering committee ZTE’s handset business has seen steady Division Mr. He Shiyou. “2013 is the final of multiple operators. GTI Night development and profit growth during year of our three year transformation into 2013 was attended by more than 30 2012. Industry analyst IDC reported that a high-end smartphone brand, but we have global operators and several industry ZTE had shipped 65 million handsets in a lot of building still to do. As I have said partners. 2012, accounting for 3.8 percent of the before, we aim to be a top three handset “This integrated networking global handset market and confirming ZTE manufacturer by 2015. This target has not solution enables FDD operators to as one of the top four handset producers. changed.” circumvent bottlenecks,” said ZTE Senior Vice President Zeng Xuezhong as he accepted the award. “This is important as the technology becomes more prevalent and ZTE is pleased to ZTE Launches Magic Series RRUs be a contributor to the prosperity of the GTI and TDD ecosystems.” 58% Smaller than Industry Standard To date, ZTE has built TD- LTE networks for 42 operators in 30 countries across the globe, and 12 of 25 February 2013, Shenzhen ― ZTE these networks have been put into has launched the Magic range of RRUs commercial operation. based on ZTE’s SDR series base stations, GTI is dedicated to the offering smaller size, lower power development and promotion of the consumption, multi-mode and multi- TDD ecosystem and was founded in sector performance. 2011 by a consortium of operators, The smallest RRU in the Magic including China Mobile, SoftBank, series, the 80 W module, has a size/ than the average RRU. The small but Clearwire, Bharti Airtel, and weight of 9.9 L/12 kg, a new record high-performance Magic RRUs can be Vodafone. It currently has 51 operator in the industry. This is 58% smaller installed in just five minutes. members and 44 industrial partners.

3 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 4 ZTE News

CP/UP resource sharing, bearer pre- configuration, and concurrent handover function, improving RNC performance by 30% to 100%, and enhancing the control plane processing performance of base stations by 60%. The capacity SON solution utilizes ZTE’s patented power control technology in the uplink, increasing uplink capacity by 35% to 50%. For the downlink, the power optimization feature for common control channels will increase downlink capacity by 10%. The MUD solution, based on interference cancelation, significantly ZTE’s UMTS Radio Performance Solution increases system capacity by reducing interference between users. Result from laboratory testing shows that this Improves Spectrum Efficiency by technology is capable of delivering a 30% 40% to 60% gain. The CRAN RRU solution is 26 February 2013, Shenzhen ― ZTE radio performance solution is comprised of an upgrade of existing multi-RRU unveiled its new UMTS radio performance four sub-solutions: En-performance, capacity technology, improving network coverage solution at the Mobile World Congress in SON, multi user detection (MUD) and in complex scenarios such as indoor Barcelona, delivering a 40% improvement CRAN RRU solutions. and street corners in urban areas. The in spectrum efficiency to help operators The En-performance solution offers transmission power of RRU is increased enhance network performance. ZTE’s UMTS capabilities for signaling storm suppression, from previous 80 W to current 120 W.

ZTE Launches Full-Outdoor Microwave System with Patented Technology

27 February 2013, Shenzhen ― ZTE modulation mode on ZXMW NR8950 equipment, greatly launched a new full-outdoor microwave uses high modulation and multi-level cutting operation transmission system based on patented data compression technology to increase and maintenance technology at the Mobile World Congress throughput substantially, with a theoretical costs, and reducing in Barcelona, offering substantial speed of 1.6 Gigabits per second. the time of network performance enhancements to meet the ZXMW NR8950 is equipped with interruption. needs of today’s ultra-fast LTE networks. a patented storage solution pioneered ZXMW NR8950 The design advantages of ZXMW by ZTE that is remotely configurable. can also interchange with the NR8950 enable operators to overcome the A built-in MicroSD card can store indoor units of ZXMW NR8250 for challenges of building high-density small- data on configuration set-up, license, hosting operation mode, reducing cell networks for large-capacity data and log information, enabling the difficulty of commissioning and transmission, while site installation space customers to quickly transfer settings maintenance, and can be simply is limited. The industry-leading 1024QAM from existing equipment to new deployed by operators.

5 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 6 ZTE News

ZTE Reveals Strategic Collaboration with Intel on Next Generation Smartphones ZTE Delivers New IPTV 5 March 2013, Hanover, Germany ― ZTE announced a strategic collaboration Experience with Intel focused on the new Intel® Atom™ Processor Z2580 platform recently to Mtel Customers in announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The platform will bring Bulgaria significant performance enhancements to 4 March 2013, Shenzhen ― ZTE the next generation of ZTE smartphones is pleased to provide its market- with Intel Inside®. leading IPTV solution to Mobitel The collaboration with Intel is an (Mtel) and offer customers in Bulgaria important part of ZTE’s strategy for same competitive battery life. a ubiquitous television viewing product development, both in terms This latest engagement builds on the experience. of time-to-market and in providing multi-year relationship between ZTE Mtel’s IPTV platform, powered by customers with a great handset and Intel that has already produced the ZTE technology, is now in commercial experience. ZTE is currently working successful ZTE Grand X IN, ZTE’s first use delivering television services to with Intel to develop unique smartphones smartphone with Intel Inside. The ZTE TVs, PCs, tablets and mobile phones based on the Intel Atom Z2580 processor. Grand X IN was one of the best-selling across Bulgaria. The multi-screen The platform’s dual-core processor smartphones in Austria during 2012. The service provides a superior interactive with Intel® hyper-threading technology Android*-based device is also available video experience to users over fixed provides double the compute performance in Germany, Poland, Hungary, Romania, or mobile broadband connections, and up to 3x graphics capabilities over Serbia, Macedonia, Slovakia, Moldova, enabling Mtel to deliver significantly the previous generation Intel® Atom™ Greece, Sweden and Norway. It will also greater value to broadband subscribers. Z2460 processor while delivering the soon be available in France. Mtel is the biggest mobile operator in Bulgaria, and is a wholly- owned subsidiary of Telekom Austria Group (TAG). Mtel jointly ZTE Selected by STC Group as constructed an IPTV pilot with ZTE in September 2011 and signed a five-year cooperation agreement in Preferred Global Vendor December of the same year for ZTE to provide customized end-to-end Group, the largest telecom services solutions for IPTV middleware, digital provider in the Middle East & North rights management (DRM), a content Africa. delivery network (CDN) and set top The agreement between ZTE and boxes. The network was expanded STC Group, announced at MWC 2013 over several phases. in Barcelona, will allow ZTE to offer The multi-screen integrated IPTV its portfolio of network infrastructure service enables subscribers to watch equipment through a global price videos anytime and anywhere such as structure based on total business in the study, in the office or on the way 28 February 2013, Shen zhen located in Bahrain, India, Indonesia, to work, not just in the front of the TV. ― ZTE was selected as one of the Kuwait, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South The commercial use of the platform preferred global vendors by STC Africa and Turkey. will help Mtel attract more customers.

5 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 6 VIP Voices Telefonica: Increased Data Traffic Is a Good Challenge

Reporters: Liu Yang and Jin Ping many years—not just for 4G but also for 3G. We are trying to deal with some of the immediate challenges that have arisen on our 3G networks as a result of a challenge, but it’s a good challenge traffic growth. Like the majority of the to have, not a bad one. It’s good in the industry, we expect a significant increase sense that customers want to use more in traffic on our mobile networks in the elefonica is one of the of our services and want to transmit coming years, and we see small cells as world’s leading integrated more data across our networks. That one of the main ways of coping with this Ttelecommunications operators. It brings opportunities. It would be a much growth. provides communication, information, worse scenario if customers wanted to Some analysts are forecasting traffic and entertainment solutions and it use fewer of our services. We would see growth of 50 to 100 times over the next has presence in 25 countries. As of declining traffic, and that would be a ten years. LTE will improve efficiency, September 2012, Telefonica had 313.8 much bigger issue. and new spectrum will also help, but this million customers. ZTE Technologies One of the key challenges we have is will not be enough, and we are looking recently interviewed Ian Miller, how to monetize this growth. We need to to small cells to help us deal with a large Director of Radio Access Networks find new ways of converting data traffic proportion of this traffic growth. That’s for Telefonica. He believes that the into revenue by providing new services why we’re going to need a significant rapid growth in data traffic is a good that customers truly value. One of the number of small cells in the coming challenge and brings opportunities. He ways we are doing this is by establishing years. talked about Telefonica’s LTE strategy Telefonica Digital. We are looking at We are experiencing several and speculated on beyond 4G. He also how to bring to the market new products difficult challenges with small cells; shared his experiences in multinational and services that benefit our customers. we have to have the right products, operations and his impression of ZTE. and we also need the right locations to Q: Telefonica has adopted small- install them. Another very important Rising to the Mobile Data Challenge cell technology in its 3G and 4G issue is the backhaul solution. The networks. How do you solve the ideal backhaul has to be fiber, but fiber Q: Is the rapid growth in mobile backhaul issue? Do you think the is not always possible. Therefore, we data traffic an opportunity or small-cell market will explode or is need a toolbox of different solutions, pitfall for operators? How do you small-cell technology just hype? including copper DSL solutions, as profit in the big-data era? A: No, I don’t believe it’s just hype. well as wireless solutions such as LTE A: I think it’s definitely an opportunity. We’ve been actively working on small- TDD, Mesh WiFi, and non-line-of- The rapid growth in data traffic is clearly cell technologies and solutions for sight (NLOS). We don’t believe that

7 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 8 VIP Voices

any one solution alone is ideal. We have been investigating small cells for quite some time with a range of different projects, including paper-based analysis, joint activities with industry, simulations and field trials such as the one we ran at Barcelona MWC in 2012. We want to ensure Telefonica’s leading position within the industry in this space.

LTE: The Right Strategy for Telefonica

Q: LTE is gaining momentum across the world. What is Telefonica’s LTE strategy? A: Telefonica is committed to LTE as the next technology for future mobile data evolution. We will deploy LTE in a number of businesses over the coming years. We predict significant benefits for our customers because LTE provides faster speed, lower latency, higher capacity, improved spectrum efficiency, and access to new spectrum bands. Regulators are making more spectrum available for LTE. Over time, we expect that all of our mobile businesses will move to LTE, but the timing will depend on spectrum availability and market demands and drivers in each country. We have been trialing LTE for many years; however, the opportunity to deploy LTE in a commercial environment has been limited by spectrum availability. We are acquiring spectrum in many of our markets and have secured spectrum in Germany, Spain, Brazil, Chile and Nicaragua. Over the next couple of years we expect to acquire LTE spectrum in most of the main markets in which we operate, then we will start to deploy LTE services in those markets. LTE is the right technology strategy that Telefonica Ian Miller, Director of Radio Access Networks for Telefonica and probably most mobile operators will focus on.

7 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 8 VIP Voices

Without a doubt, ZTE’s strong point is its flexibility to meet Telefonica’s needs in each operating business in the pre- commercial phase. That’s very beneficial for Telefonica.

Q: What do you think is the most this is through building trust and good appliances that will have wireless difficult thing in your move to 4G? relationships with the local businesses. elements for communicating with each Is it spectrum availability? We work very closely with them to other and common control systems. A: I don’t foresee major issues. LTE understand their specific needs. We Things from cars to cameras will technology is already proven and usually find that their challenges are not automatically download information is known to work well. Spectrum unique and that often other businesses back to central repositories. Heating availability and the timing of that have already solved these challenges and cooling systems, even fridges and spectrum determines how quickly we beforehand. Therefore, we work hard to washing machines, will connect back move to LTE. Beyond that one of the foster collaboration across the different to a network. I think that will be one of bigger challenges is backhaul. To fully businesses—getting them to work the main ways that communications will capitalize on the speeds and capabilities together and not re-invent the wheel. develop. possible with LTE requires upgrades to A good example of this is LTE. This will bring new challenges to the backhaul at base sites. This is one of Telefonica Germany was the first our networks. We will have to cope with the longer lead time items in the rollout business in the group to deploy and a large number of connections that may process and is something that we have launch an LTE network and services, have very different requirements—from been working on for some time. and they are now sharing their high volume HD video streaming experiences with other businesses through to very small quantities of Q: Telefonica is a top multinational that are just starting to deploy LTE. telematics type data. We need networks company with presence in 25 With these mechanisms, we drive that can efficiently carry these different countries. Could you tell us your collaboration and best practice across types of data. experience in global operations? What the Telefonica Group, and that leads to As our lives become more dependent challenges has Telefonica confronted efficiencies and improvements for our on these connected devices, the and how has it overcome them? customers. fundamental demands and network A: From a personal point of view, requirements we have today will be ever working in global operations for Telecom Future Beyond 4G more important. By this I mean that Telefonica has been very positive. I excellent coverage deep into buildings, previously worked for Telefonica UK, Q: What is the future of sufficient capacity to support the high but working in a global team has given telecommunications beyond 4G? volume of devices, and good quality me great insight into the extent of the A: Today, most communications are will be expected. These are the things Telefonica Group’s activities outside person-to-person communications or customers will take for granted. If many the local market. It can be quite tough person-to-internet communications. I devices and machines are connected, working in global operations though. think we will see massive growth in people will expect them to work Our role is to drive synergies and best connected “things,” that is, device- wherever they are, at any time of the day practice across the group. At times, to-device and machine-to-machine or night. that can be quite difficult because the communications. GSMA is predicting We believe that LTE will be around local businesses also have their own 24 billion connected devices by 2020, 50 for a very long time, and we are more particular challenges. percent of which will be mobile devices. likely to see continual improvement in One of the key ways we try to address We will start to see many everyday LTE rather than any radical shift towards

9 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 10 VIP Voices

a new technology.

Q: Do you think that 3G and 4G will coexist for a very long time? A: I think that’s debatable, but we do expect to support legacy technologies for many years. I think a lot will depend solutions. Overall, things have been on how quickly new devices enter the going quite well. market and how many customers adopt those new devices. At the moment, there Q: Telefonica chose ZTE to are still a large number of legacy GSM reconstruct its wireless networks devices in our networks. Therefore, we in Panama and Ecuador. Can you expect to support these legacy networks update us on the progress of for many years. projects with ZTE? A: These projects are going reasonably Face Challenge Together with ZTE well now. There were some challenges in the beginning, particularly on the Q: Telefonica began cooperating technical side. We had some interference with ZTE in 2008 on wireless issues because of local market conditions, cooperate with Telefonica’s local teams products. What is your opinion but we have worked through these with in Panama and Ecuador. of this relationship? What are ZTE. There are often challenges when its strong points? What is your introducing a new vendor; in particular, Q: What will future cooperation advice? you have to get the local teams familiar with ZTE look like? A: Without a doubt, ZTE’s strong point with the new products, equipment, and A: We’d like to develop the relationship is its flexibility to meet Telefonica’s support people. with ZTE. We’re going to continue to needs in each operating business in Telefonica would like to encourage share Telefonica’s views on how we see the pre-commercial phase. That’s very ZTE to continue to strengthen its radio networks evolving, and we’d very beneficial for Telefonica. relationships with its local teams by much like ZTE to continue working with ZTE can provide a good product at sharing as much information as possible. us to evolve our networks. a competitive price, and we are pleased In this way, local teams will better We think ZTE has some very with the technology that ZTE offers. understand ZTE’s products and solutions innovative ideas. We’re keen to work with We also feel that ZTE is very good and also Telefonica’s requirements ZTE to bring those ideas and concepts at introducing products rapidly into the and businesses. The key to a long- to fruition. Together, we will address the market. The time-to-market for new term relationship is building strong and challenges brought about by data traffic ZTE products is shorter than for other consistent local support teams that can growth in our networks.

9 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 10 VIP Voices Viettel: Step to Global Business Reporter: Tang Mengjia

iettel is the largest mobile in charge of IT infrastructure, marketing, 2008. At the beginning of 2009, we had operator in Vietnam—a and business policy at Viettel. around 40 million subscribers and were Vcountry with nearly 100 million the largest mobile operator in Vietnam. people. The company provides GSM, Q: Could you give an overview However, we thought we could do even 3G, wireless, fixed, and broadband of the development of Viettel in better when the Vietnamese government services to nearly 60 million individual Vietnam and explain how Viettel released 3G licenses that year. New 3G and enterprise subscribers. With a view has achieved success? products opened up more possibilities towards expanding internationally, A: We were the fresh guy in the to attract new subscribers and increase Viettel has established itself in Laos, commercial telecom market at the the ARPU of existing subscribers. At the Cambodia, Haiti, Peru, and Mozambique. beginning of 2003. In the first two to end of 2010, our 3G subscriber base was Viettel is seeking more overseas market three years, we explored our business around 60 million, the largest in Vietnam. opportunities, and more countries will be mode, marketing policy, and position in That is our brief story. It has not been included on this list. In the future, Viettel the market, and we constructed our fixed easy going, but we are definitely proud of could be a global symbol of Vietnam. and mobile networks. At the end of 2006, our achievements. How has Viettel developed globally? And we started accelerating our penetration If we talk about the reasons for how have they addressed issues in their and development of the local market. success, I would say the most important global expansion? ZTE Technologies We promoted a lot of new products is to be different from your competitors. interviewed Tong Viet Trung, vice and services to attract subscribers. We There are eight operators in this country president of Viettel Network, at the doubled our subscriber base in 2007 and of less than 100 million people. You need Viettel headquarters in Hanoi. Trung is gained another 10 million subscribers by to come up with marketing and service

11 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 VIP Voices

policies that are different from others and that are easily identifiable. Then, you need to realize that difference quickly and provide your customers with constant different countries. How does experiences and attractions. Fortunately, Viettel deal with such problems? we have the most efficient team in this A: When expanding a business globally providing something different and more market, and our rhythm is always faster you encounter a lot of problems. From attractive things than their competitors. than our competitor’s. This is the key to our experience, one of the biggest Fortunately, we have much experience bringing all policies to fruition. problems is different infrastructure. in exploring markets. This allows us to Not every country has the same power, rapidly customize our services in line Q: Viettel has penetrated into traffic, and logistics infrastructure as with changes in the market. After we many countries. What has been Vietnam. Another headache is regional have won over subscribers, we increase your policy on global expansion differences in telecom regulation. You ARPU by analyzing the requirements and during the economic recession? need to understand the regulations in desires of our subscribers. We determine A: The global economy is in winter, but each country and apply them to your their consumption habits. Here, we have Viettel, is looking for opportunities amid operations very carefully. Cultural the advantage of business intelligence the danger of depression. In a crisis, some difference is also a problem, especially (BI) provided by ZTE. We obtain gates are easier to open. Of course, you in countries that are far from Vietnam. business data from each country and feed need to be more careful in a depressed Our solution is to prepare well and make it to the Vietnam BI centre. We achieve a global economy and really think about a very detailed plan before we enter a lot from analyzing such intelligence and your target country’s background, your country. Leveraging previous business knowing our customers. By comparing marketing policy, and the potential experience in new markets helps us the consumption styles in different profits. To date, we have chosen the right reduce this risk. At the beginning of a countries, we gain hard evidence that country at the right time and have used project, we use our own Vietnamese informs our policy making. the right marketing policies. Our overseas team, and then we set up a local team to branches usually capture a lion’s share of maintain the network in the later phase. Q: How have you constructed your the market within two to three years, and IT system for a global business? profits soon follow. Q: How does Viettel win new A: This is a very important part of our subscribers and increase ARPU in global policy. An IT support system is the Q: There can be many problems a new market? infrastructure for providing differentiated when expanding a business in A: A new operator wins subscribers by services and unique customer

APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 12 VIP Voices

has been researched, we encourage our R&D team to trial it in new ways. ZTE is one of our partners that help us innovate with our IT system. The ZTE team exchanges ideas with our engineering team on a regular basis. This year we have begun innovating on our charging and billing platform. This is exciting.

Q: How do you plan to evolve your IT system? A: We have used ZTE’s online charging platform and BI product to develop our own BCCS system, and this has been very successful for both sides. We are now exploring a convergence evolution. We want to establish a unified, converged billing platform to support all services, networks, and prepaid and post-paid subscribers. We want to bundle our networks and services as an enhancement to our product catalogue. If that is experiences. We unify the IT systems ZTE in Vietnam for many years, and both successful, we will consider applying this at global sites and reduce maintenance teams have accumulated considerable to other overseas branches. We also have complexity. Another key point is to keep experience through this collaboration. plans for a self-developed IT system. We the IT system flexible so that it can cope ZTE is excellent in implementing want to make the IT system more flexible with challenges that arise from fast- overseas projects, and this significantly and manageable. changing market requirements. We have reduces risk. established our own team to develop our Q: Finally, what are your thoughts billing and customer care system (BCCS) Q: How does Viettel innovate on future cooperation with ZTE in independently. This will make our IT with IT infrastructure to be the IT domain? system more flexible and controllable. It competitive? A: ZTE is one of our most important is also critical to choosing an experienced A: We have a special team dedicated to partners in this domain. We have many vendor with good products and solutions. researching new technology and finding success cases with ZTE. We will continue This is why we have adopted ZTE’s ways to apply this technology so that this partnership in more branches and on flexible charging solution for most of our we gain commercial value. The team are more projects. We are looking forward to overseas sites. We have cooperated with excellent at their job. After a technology more cooperation.

13 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 2 Tech Forum

From Traffic Management to Traffic Operation

By Bao Jie

nternet service providers and called a traffic bubble. terminal manufacturers such as Traffic that can truly improve IGoogle, Baidu, Tencent, and Apple customer experience and create profit are directly or indirectly deriving is squeezed out by inefficient traffic. profit from data traffic on an operator’s At present, the real challenge is not network. Faced with the new competition, expanding bandwidth but intelligently operators need to rethink their contractual managing bandwidth consumption in the relationships with internet companies and network. Only a manageable network is a users in order to be at the top of the new good network that benefits both operators internet industrial chain. and users. First, operators need to monitor traffic The effect of increased network in communication pipes. They need to bandwidth is that value is shifted to over- clearly determine traffic volume and the-top applications. As such applications trends in different services to maximize proliferate, operators need to upgrade Bao Jie, chief engineer of service their value. Communication pipes are the their networks to satisfy customer planning, ZTE Corporation infrastructure, but traffic is the source of expectations, and this widens the gap revenue and will be the cornerstone of between income and cost. Increased profit in the future. traffic doesn’t necessarily mean increased revenue, so the answer lies in better Traffic Bubble Triggers Demand traffic management. Higher-value traffic for Better Traffic Management and better service quality will deflate Increasing network capacity and traffic bubbles and bring the revenue bandwidth can be a solution to service sought by operators. applications, but it’s not the ultimate Exporting bandwidth and connecting solution. Regardless of how high the between networks are costly for telecom bandwidth is, it can be occupied by operators. Has the internetwork link met inefficient or low-value traffic. This is requirements? Who are the main users

1 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 14 Tech Forum

customer experience. To meet the pressing need for Traffic management is fundamental effective traffic management, ZTE has launched UniCare, a solution for traffic operation. Only through for monitoring fixed-broadband traffic operation can operators network traffic. UniCare can collect information about traffic in a fixed- transform themselves. broadband network. It can then send this information to CRM and resource systems through northbound interfaces, SNMP interfaces, NetFlow/ sFlow protocols, and network probes. The solution provides customized, of internetwork bandwidth? What are Managing traffic involves managing multidimensional traffic statistics and the usage levels during different times of network performance, configuration, analysis in the form of various types of the day? Which users and what types of billing, faults, and security. By charts. It can show development trends services are consuming bandwidth? Does correlating collected traffic information, and side-by-side comparisons, and can the export bandwidth capacity really need managers can clearly identify traffic also rank the resource use for different expanding? To answer these questions, types, bandwidth occupation, time and traffic flows. This gives operators operators need a clear traffic chart that can space distribution, and service flow. a complete picture of their network be used as the basis for network planning. Precisely identifying traffic allows traffic so that they can optimize operators to bill according to service OAM and transform their networks if Traffic Monitoring and Management features, and this balances the profit necessary. An intelligent traffic monitoring relationship between the operator and system must be able to view, manage, its commercial partners. Managers can From Traffic Management to and control network traffic. It must have also set thresholds for key indexes. The Traffic Operation multidimensional perception, in-depth network sets off an automatic alarm Traffic management is fundamental analytics, and smart control. when resource occupation approaches or for traffic operation, which involves using Visualizing network traffic means exceeds the threshold. Managers can then an open service convergence platform collecting, classifying, and counting adjust the traffic flow to ensure reliable to proactively expand traffic volume traffic on a multidimensional basis. network operation. and generate revenue. Only through This allows an operator to identify and Controlling network traffic means traffic operation can operators transform differentiate both services and users. dynamically allocating network themselves. Network traffic visualization is the resources according to specific policies. Flat-rate monthly billing plans have basis of intelligent traffic management. Bandwidth is allocated on demand; flat-lined operator ARPU, and various Information about network traffic can traffic is offloaded appropriately; high- technical bottlenecks have not allowed be collected in real time from user priority applications are guaranteed; operators to adequately scale their groups, service applications, and network and abnormal traffic flow is controlled operations to achieve the necessary interfaces and can then be sent to an to save network resources. With such revenue growth. A transformation from intelligent traffic management and control policies, operators can greatly improve voice traffic operation to data traffic system for analysis. network resource use and optimize operation must take place. An operational

15 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 16 Tech Forum

mode based on a single business is no longer sufficient; operators need to extend the scope of their businesses; work on differentiated and value-added businesses; and expand as well. Operators often use a forward- charging model, which involves charging end users. Internet service providers often use a backward-charging model, which involves charging advertisers and partners. These two charging models require a large user base—the biggest resource an operator has. Operators should make full use of this resource by establishing a converged application platform where internet service providers and users are the target customers. Data traffic is currency of transactions on the platform. In the internet age, users are not only information receivers but also information producers. All the traffic on a network will be covered by B2C, B2B and C2C business models. An operator can leverage the advantages of its traffic platform to provide personalized service and information support for everyone conducting transactions on the platform. In this way, the operator can be involved in the traders’ pricing processes and gain more revenue. Implementing supermarket where producers sell smart is one way an operator can deal both forward- and backward-charging their products quickly and promote with the challenges. Managing traffic models allows an operator to generate new products through the supermarket is the first step to building a smart pipe revenue from all traffic flowing through platform. Supermarket operators can pick that can provide differentiated traffic the platform. Traffic management is different products from producers to meet management and controllable traffic essentially the unified management of individual demands of consumers. allocation to meet the requirements of traffic interactions between information As CT and IT converge and individual services. producers and receivers. By creating and competition diversifies, operators are in With traffic management as its base managing a sufficiently large platform crisis mode and are aware that they need and traffic operation as its core, an for conducting such transactions, to transform their businesses. However, operator can create a brand-new business operators are engaged in traffic-based such transformation is challenging and model and find new growth areas in the operation. A simple analogy is a chain demands wisdom. Making the pipe value chain.

15 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 16 Special Topic: Professional Services Service Enables Value Creation

By Li Zheng

n 2012, telecom operators didn’t Strategic Transformation in the new revenue sources by analyzing benefit from thriving OTT New Economic Environment customer data. Ibusinesses. As mature markets have In October 2012, OVUM In December 2012, Deutsche become saturated with communications published its annual Telecoms Trends Telekom revealed its corporate strategy services and technologies, growth in for 2013. The report indicated that for the next three years. DT’s operations core telecommunications businesses in the sluggish global economic will be divided into sustainable blue has stagnated and demand for network environment, operators will invest ocean business and shrinking red capacity has skyrocketed. Operators modestly but will come under greater ocean business. The company plans to have been forced to invest in upgrading pressure in terms of opex. To optimize increase capex and opex for blue ocean their infrastructure in order to satisfy costs, operators should strengthen businesses, and it plans to cut down opex this demand but have not reaped network QoS and customer experience for red ocean businesses by improving any of the financial reward from the management. Suppliers should also efficiency. Over the next two years, DT services that their infrastructure hosts. change their roles from traditional estimates a compound annual growth Declining revenue and increased costs equipment suppliers to network rate of 6% for its blue ocean businesses have weighed on the profit margins of management service providers. and -6% for its red ocean businesses. operators. How, then, should an operator To counter challenges from OTT DT has incorporated mobile react, and should professional service businesses, operators should develop broadband, connected home, and providers adjust their strategies? new business models and unearth corporate ICT services into its blue ocean

17 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 18 Special Topic: Professional Services

business. Traditional voice and SMS have been incorporated into its shrinking 65 67 red ocean business.

Value Creation Is the Core of Blue ocean topics CAGR: Professional Services +6% Increasingly, operators have been offering professional services in conjunction with their basic network CAGR: infrastructure to create value for +6% upstream and downstream customers. Red ocean topics To improve customer experience management (CEM), operators need to 2012 2015 deploy related CEM platforms and data Growth areas Traditional areas probes. Management methods, work flows, and employee skills also need to be upgraded in the transformation Figure 1. Deutsche Telekom’s business development strategy in Europe. from network-oriented to customer-

17 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 18 Special Topic: Professional Services

solutions to operators. An isolated solution cannot help operators maximize benefits. CEM professional services for mobile networks should include consulting on the value of network traffic, managing the improvement of customer experience, managing the improvement of mobile quality, and managing the improvement of network performance. For fixed broadband, a multilevel, integrated service solution should be provided. Such a solution includes managing fixed terminals/family network, improving overall performance of fixed broadband network, providing OAM based on traffic value, and improving QoS. These help operators create a smart, highly efficient broadband network.

● DC Professional Services oriented operation. Equipment suppliers customer experience assurance system, The data center (DC) is the cannot merely provide software and operators should consider system, foundation of an entire modern IT hardware systems; they should provide process, management, and personnel. system and is the key to an operator’s professional services to help operators First, the right tools should be used core competitiveness. Marketing and perfectly combine systems and processes within an OSS/BSS environment to branding tend to be overtly tied in with for effective CEM. acquire, manage, and improve customer the company’s core values, in a way Professional services are an experience KPIs. Second, standard that engineering and maintaining DCs important catalyst for the development processes, such as ITIL and eTOM is not. An operator needs assistance to of blue ocean business. business processes, are required to re- develop IT strategies that align with orientate an operator from network KPIs the company’s core values. According ● CEM Professional Services to customer experience. Third, CEM to the OVUM 2012 Global Telco Data In the mobile internet era, customer involves every department: Only through Center analysis, as operators expand experience has become a new driver concerted effort can customer experience their businesses globally, time-to- of business growth, and traditional be guaranteed. Last, the biggest hurdle market (TTM) demands become more approaches based on optimizing in an operator’s transformation may be urgent, and there is an increased need for network KPIs are no longer adequate. organizational culture. Key employees partners who can provide DC services. The focus has shifted to the customer within the company need to be focused on DC service providers should and continuously improving customer the customer; only then can the company provide quick TTM, reduce overall experience. This strategy is fundamental as a whole move in this direction. energy consumption, downsize IT for blue ocean business and allows Service providers should consider facilities, consolidate the data center, operators to retain old customers, attract these four aspects and refer to their best and provide flexible network capacity. new customers, and increase revenue. practice experience when providing end- All these things help reduce costs. When building an end-to-end to-end customer experience assurance Service providers should develop

19 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 20 Special Topic: Professional Services

Professional services are an important catalyst for the development of blue ocean business.

core competencies in power usage may even co-exist in the network. This service providers should be focused on effectiveness (PUE), DC design, makes network OAM, troubleshooting, and energy consumption over the network’s modularization, safety management, and timely provision of services more difficult. full lifecycle. visualized management. In light of the successful first period of outsourcing, operators are seeking ZTE’s Service Business Is Growing Reducing Costs Requires New to outsource all network resource and Rapidly Approaches business related activities. Supplier and Despite shrinking investment in the As networks expand rapidly and contract management can be outsourced global telecom industry in 2012, ZTE’s traditional business revenue shrinks, to a service provider, and the operator service business grew 28% year-on-year. operators need to explore new is the end-user’s single point of contact Over the past five years, ZTE’s service approaches to optimizing opex and with the service provider. This helps business has achieved a compound increasing profit margins. operators simplify internal management annual growth rate of 40%. ZTE’s and makes their operations leaner. managed service business maintained ● Managed Services an impressive compound growth rate of Traditionally, the scope of telecom ● Energy Management Services 58% over this period. business has been network engineering, According to statistics from Detecon, Over the next two or three years, OAM, marketing and branding, and operators worldwide consumed about operators are very likely to continue charging. These areas comprise most of US$21.6 billion work of energy in 2012, reducing investment in network the entire vertical value chain. about 10% of total worldwide network equipment because of the sluggish Five to seven years ago, reducing opex. To strengthen competitiveness, world economy. However, driven by the opex and boosting management operators seek to reduce costs by better demands for updated technology, internal efficiency meant outsourcing the end managing their energy consumption. management, and business expansion, part of the value chain, which includes Energy management accounts for a big operators will increase their investment OAM and construction of network chunk of opex, but it’s not the operator’s in service outsourcing. ZTE is a reliable infrastructure. With global network core business. Therefore, partners partner that can help operators give operations centers and by virtue of their should think about how to provide their customers real value by providing size, a service provider could cut OAM better professional energy management customized solutions, global distribution costs and quickly acquire technical services that align with market demands. channels, and fast delivery. experts. Service providers and operators Energy planning, monitoring and With global resources and solid achieved good results together in this optimization, including the management marketing strategies, ZTE is optimistic first period of service outsourcing. of KPIs, SLAs, equipment, and fuel about its service business and expects that Now, new technologies, such as LTE, chain, must be fully integrated. In the the professional service business will grow IMS, CDN and PTN, are being used and early stages of network construction, more than 40% in 2013.

19 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 20 Special Topic: Professional Services

onitoring and Improving Customer Experience

MBy Yao Xiaobing and Liu Juan

obile broadband has boomed critically important in network operation. (RAN), core network (CN) or bearer over the past few years, and network, has its own proprietary element Mits momentum will continue. High Network KPIs Do Not Mean management system (EMS) to ensure It is estimated that the number of Good QoE network availability and quality of terminals connected to mobile broadband Traditionally, network OAM has service (QoS). However, good network networks will be at least 1 billion more been vertically structured. A dedicated KPIs do not necessarily mean good than the world’s population by 2017. By network, such as a radio access network customer experience. 2020, mobile data traffic will be 1000 times higher than that in 2010. However, the surge in mobile data Network KPIs seem good. traffic has not resulted in significant revenue growth for operators. GSMA research indicates that worldwide mobile CDR 0.2% revenue will merely grow from USD 1.5 trillion in 2011 to USD 1.9 trillion in 2015, far slower than the growth in CSSR 99.3% data traffic. Converting increasing data traffic into revenue is a new challenge for operators. People are becoming more and more But how customers feel? concerned about coverage, speed, and Excellent 56% experience when using mobile broadband networks. An increasing number of people Good 28% are willing to pay more for guaranteed Acceptable 11% quality of experience (QoE). In some developed countries, more than 20 per BAD 5% cent of customers have such demands. Monitoring and guaranteeing customer experience is the key to improving network value, and it’s becoming Figure 1. Network KPIs do not necessarily reflect good customer experience.

21 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 22 Special Topic: Professional Services

In Fig. 1, the network KPIs are quite KQIs can be calculated using multiple Monitoring and Analyzing Customer high, which means that network quality KPIs and are divided into product KQIs Experience is excellent; however, call quality is and service KQIs. ZTE’s CEA solution is an integrated still low. This may be because calls are A network KPI relays a specific platform for monitoring, analyzing, and dropping in an abnormal cell. Customers piece of information about an end-to- evaluating customer experience in a in this cell may be experiencing very bad end service. KPIs are very important visual and quantitative way. Operators service, but the poor performance of this for network OAM and provide data can understand how customers are low-quality cell is hidden by other cells references for KQIs and CEIs. There are experiencing networks and services and with high KPIs. KPIs for alarms, network management quickly identify unsatisfied customers. Therefore, network KPIs do not system, active and passive probes, sniffer This is particularly important for VIP necessarily reflect end-to-end QoS. analysis, and billing. customers and to prevent customer Especially with services based on new churn. technologies, decentralized network ZTE’s Customer Experience Using ZTE’s solution, an operator management limits the visibility of actual Assurance Solution can respond quickly to customer QoS, and customers may have a very Customer experience monitoring complaints, pinpoint problems, and poor experience even when the network is at the core of network operation and compare customer experience graphs resources are exceeding KPIs. is the key to improving the experience before and after problems are fixed. of customers using mobile broadband. ZTE’s CEA solution also allows for End-to-End Customer Experience ZTE’s customer experience assurance customer churn analysis. Operators can System (CEA) solution is used to monitor analyze historical customer experience It is therefore necessary to create a and evaluate the end-to-end service graphs to determine the reasons for the full set of customer experience indexes experience of every customer and loss of a high-end client, reduce churn, (CEIs) that are used alongside existing pinpoint problems such as traffic and devise marketing strategies. network KPIs and service KQIs. congestion and poor mobile network A customer experience index (CEI) coverage that negatively affect customer Improving and Guaranteeing is used to describe how customers feel experience. With ZTE’s network Customer Experience about services. optimization tools and methods, ZTE’s CEA solution covers the A key quality index (KQI) indicates operators can guarantee good customer whole network operation system and the performance of products and services. experience. helps operators form more effective customer care mechanisms and provide guarantees in SLAs. Using this solution, marketing, sales, and customer service departments can interact with network CEI Customer perception of specific service in specific region planning and optimization, OAM, and information support departments. This creates a coordinated, interdepartmental KQI Accessibility Retainability Integrity Delay system based on customer experience, which is visualized, controllable, and KPI traceable. The true value of mobile networks Network NE Management has not been tapped. The core of network value is customer experience. ZTE’s CEA solution is the best way for operators to monitor customer experience and optimize Figure 2. Customer experience system. network operation.

21 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 22 Special Topic: Professional Services

A New Era for Network Energy Development By Zhang Zheng and Huang Weiyang

nergy consumption accounts four parts: production, transformation, service contracts usually only include for a big part of a telecom transmission, and consumption. The an OAM interface but no energy-saving Eoperator’s opex and can reduce challenges mainly lie in energy supply interface. There is no overall, integrated cost competitiveness. As the big-data and energy saving. energy-saving solution for telecom era approaches, operator networks networks. There are no effective methods are becoming increasingly large and Challenges in Energy Supply and tools for calculating and reporting complicated and require more energy Where mains supply is limited, on energy consumption. Operators and to operate. Efficient, visualized operators generally use diesel generators equipment providers also have little management of energy consumption is to produce power. Diesel fuel is experience cooperating in engineering, the most effective way to reduce opex. expensive, as is the cost of buying and procurement and construction (EPC) maintaining diesel generators. The mode. Energy Management Challenges refueling process needs to be properly There are unique challenges in Traditionally, not enough attention managed, and there are also the problems special scenarios. The use of batteries has been paid to energy, and there of pollution and fuel theft. in extreme weather conditions can be is no systematic way of planning challenging. When building energy energy consumption. Energy is being Challenges in Energy Saving facilities, limited space sometimes wasted during network construction Energy efficiency can’t be improved means that the necessary requirements and operation, and this affects how an with a single solution. An integrated end- for saving energy cannot be met. operator copes with the rapid growth to-end service solution includes process Technologies for controlling multi-use in data traffic. Challenges to energy management and use of highly efficient batteries are not yet mature. Energy management include lack of professional equipment. Energy management is being facilities need to be secure, and power consulting services, lack of systematic accepted by more and more telecom supply should be guaranteed over the planning in network construction, operators across the world. long term. lack of effective network monitoring There are many challenges to during operation, and lack of unified energy saving in day-to-day operations. ZTE’s Energy Service professional management processes. Enterprises have traditionally not ZTE provides energy service that invested much in energy-saving solutions conforms to the operator’s network Energy Consumption Challenges and product lifecycle management, both energy guidelines and that has well- A full energy lifecycle is divided into of which can reduce TCO. Management though-out processes. ZTE’s sustainable,

23 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 24 Special Topic: Professional Services

integrated energy-management solution Optimization Energy can be saved by intelligently is designed to reduce an operator’s Network energy optimization controlling air flow and burying batteries opex. The solution includes consulting involves reducing energy consumption underground. and evaluation, design and planning, and the overall TCO. ZTE considers optimization, and visualized management energy scenarios in terms of energy Visualized Management and and control. production, energy transformation, Control environmental assistance, and Energy consumption in a telecom Consulting and Evaluation energy storage. Four different energy network is continuous, and energy ZTE’s consulting and evaluation optimization services: designing management and control must service includes energy development site power supply, improving power likewise be continuous. ZTE’s energy consulting and evaluation on energy efficiency, devising integrated schemes management and control service helps applications. Operators are provided for mixed energy storage, and reforming an operator distribute energy across with comprehensive, professional temperature control. the entire communication network. suggestions on energy development To optimize the supply of network ZTE’s energy management service from a third party. ZTE has developed energy, ZTE chooses a power supply includes equipment management, highly professional methodologies and scheme that best meets on-site demands personnel management, and integrated technical tools for energy consulting and and meets the operator’s requirements in site management, operations and cost evaluation. terms of offline rate, energy costs, and management, and front-line OAM ZTE can provide advice on how other factors. management. ZTE’s energy control network energy requirements will ZTE’s power efficiency improvement service includes energy consumption evolve in the network and where future scheme improves the efficiency of monitoring, energy production investment will be needed. ZTE can also switching power supplies during monitoring, and creation of energy plan the construction and optimization of operation. ZTE’s scheme involves statistics. network energy infrastructure; evaluate improving overall power efficiency ZTE’s four energy services cover all the rationality of energy investment and by optimizing on-site technology or parts of network energy development, use, and assess the safety of network swapping inefficient technologies with from design and implementation to energy use. highly efficient ones. management, control, and continuous ZTE’s integrated scheme for mixed improvement. ZTE provides operators Design and Planning energy storage is a reasonable back-up with a loop-locked integrated service Energy design and planning solution for mixed storage batteries when solution and gives direction on how affects safety and consumption across there is mains power failure or large an operator can explore and improve entire network well into the future. fluctuations in temperature. It makes full network energy. In the future, energy Whether it’s for a newly built network use of the storage battery and extends its service providers such as ZTE may be the or optimized network, ZTE can life. driving force behind the take-up of new provide comprehensive, professional ZTE’s temperature control reforming and alternative energy. energy design and planning for site scheme is designed to reduce the power supply, overall energy storage, necessity of using air conditioners. thermodynamic model, and site safety.

23 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 24 Special Topic: Professional Services

A Suitable Infrastructure Is Critical to a Profitable IDC Business

By Yu Jian

n his paper “Operator’s Dilemma Operators worldwide need to ZTE aims to help operators solve (And Opportunity): The 4th Wave,” consider how they will profit from the some of the problems with traditional Itelecom analyst Chetan Sharma says fourth wave and how they will expand IDCs, such as time to market, high that the telecom industry has experienced their ICT services to avoid being left cost, and coping with the demand for a three revenue waves: voice, messaging, behind. The internet data center (IDC) variety of services. ZTE has introduced and data services. Now operators are is critical to expanding services and integrated, highly efficient IDC solutions facing the fourth wave: over the top increasing profit. It should be easy to that focus on ICT services. These (OTT) services and value added services deploy, energy efficient, inexpensive, solutions are modularized for quick (VAS). and capable of offering diverse services. deployment; they are inexpensive and

25 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 26 Special Topic: Professional Services

consumption by taking advantage of local climate and natural resources, such as solar energy. An efficient air flow design also allows for natural air cooling. According to the Green Grid industry group, the power usage effectiveness (PUE) for a green data center should be less than 1.6, preferably less than 1.5. Green data centers are an inevitable evolution of current data centers, Figure 1. ZTE’s M2DC series. which now suffer bottlenecks, and they are also required for corporate social responsibility. A site with sufficient energy, cooling sources, transmission resources, and energy efficient; and they allow for ● flexibility. M2DC can be used for convenient transport should be selected. cloud-based service expansion. quick-response military, disaster The vulnerability of the site to natural relief, and live broadcasting disasters should also be taken into Modularization for Quick Deployment scenarios. account. To cope with the fast growth ● safety and reliability. M2DC is often When planning and designing a of global data center services and deployed in permanent buildings, so green data center, the following should the special requirements of certain safety and reliability are guaranteed. be considered: application scenarios, ZTE has ● modularization and standardization. ● building materials. Energy efficient, developed a mobile modular data center All parts of M2DC, including environmentally friendly materials (M2DC) that integrates IT architecture interfaces, screws, fasteners, should be used in the equipment with the infrastructure of a traditional supports, cables, switches, power room to reduce heat conduction and IDC equipment room, which include supply, and air conditioners, are protect against radiation from outside power distribution, air conditioning, modularized according to uniform the data center. integrated wiring, and monitoring standards and can be easily installed ● power density. The power density systems. The M2DC modularizes the or replaced. of the rack should not be less than 6 data center. ● high quality and cost-effectiveness. kW in order to save space and reduce ZTE provides class A, B and C data Because all parts of M2DC are maintenance area. centers that comply with the GB50174- modularized and standardized, they ● power distribution system. A 2008 national standard of China. ZTE can be mass produced. Operators modularized, uninterruptible power also provides tier II, tier III, and tier IV receive a cost-effective, quality system (UPS); high-voltage DC data centers that comply with the TIA- M2DC. system; or flywheel energy storage 942 international standard. system is recommended. These ZTE’s M2DC features: Energy Saving and Low Cost systems are highly reliable and ● on-demand capacity expansion. Traditional data centers consume perform much better than traditional Modules and other capacities, such much energy. Making the data center UPSs. as power and air conditioning, can be more environmentally friendly reduces ● cooling system. The cooling system added to M2DC. opex, which is crucial for making profit should have good air flow and be ● quick deployment. M2DC can be from the data center. highly efficient. deployed within one to three months. ZTE’s IDC solutions lower energy ● temperature and humidity. China’s

25 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 26 Special Topic: Professional Services

All things that are closely related to our daily lives can be gradually offered through the cloud. What is needed now is a platform to embrace the fourth wave.

GB50174-2008 national standard and patient card querying, can be ● PaaS specifies that the temperature of delivered through the cloud. All things With a distributed and parallel an equipment room should range that are closely related to our daily lives computing algorithm, PaaS fully integrates between 22˚C and 24˚C, and the can be gradually offered through the the computing and storage capabilities relative humidity should be between cloud. What is needed now is a platform of many servers to provide massive 40% and 55%. In practice, a server to embrace the fourth wave. data processing capability for special can work in temperatures up to 40˚C IDC is the basic platform needed to applications. A highly efficient software and with a relative humidity of 20% deliver more new services and to adapt development, application, and management to 80%. Therefore, the American to the fourth wave. IDC is also needed platform is created to attract third-party ASHRAE-2010 standard can be for traditional space and virtual resource software developers and terminal users. used to expand the temperature and renting. As a result, high-performance computing humidity ranges in order to reduce ZTE’s IDC solutions integrate is achieved through low-cost PC server power consumption that results from fundamental cloud service models, clusters, and computing capability is cooling and dehumidification. such as infrastructure as a service expanded almost linearly. PaaS includes ● management system. ZTE’s iSteady (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and development platforms, running system can be used to manage software as a service (SaaS), to meet environments, and databases. both IT devices and infrastructure. operator demands for flexible service With built-in integration policies, combining and packaging. ● SaaS the system can automatically start SaaS allows software and computing or stop devices in the data center. ● IaaS operations to run at the IDC side so that This saves energy and improves With virtualization technology, IaaS users can obtain necessary software efficiency. forms a resource pool by combining through the internet without spending When constructing a true green multiple servers and storage resources. much time and money constructing and data center, designers, planners, and It offers the computing resources maintaining their own IT infrastructure. contractors should cooperate closely, necessary to carry service applications. This relieves terminals from the adopt new technologies, and seek It is a new way of carrying services that burden of computing and drives the appropriate ways to save energy. maximizes resource use and is energy growth of mobile internet services. As efficient. IaaS provides computing computing operations are transferred Cloud-Based Service Expansion resources quickly to meet unexpected from terminals to data centers, the With the development and user demand, and it is also the basis for computing requirement place on application of mobile terminals, almost flexible resource renting services. IaaS terminals is lowered. SaaS includes all services, including shopping, includes virtual machines, storages, and office, information, communication, and payment, downloading, ticket booking networks. internet applications.

27 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 2 Success Stories

KPN Mobile International Partners ZTE for Network Development

By Li Na

P N i s t h e l e a d i n g wireline and wireless telephony, internet, KPN provides wholesale network telecommunications and and TV to customers. It also offers services to third parties and operates an KIT service provider in the complete telecommunications and IT efficient, global IP-based infrastructure. Netherlands and one of the most solutions to business customers. Outside important transnational operators in the Netherlands, KPN operates mobile Historic Overview Europe. KPN’s history can be traced phone services as a MNO in Germany The strategy in 2008−2010 was back to 1852 when the Dutch government (E-Plus Group) and Belgium (KPN devised to tackle challenges in the constructed telegraph lines. From 1994, Group Belgium). KPN has followed telecom markets of the time. KPN the government gradually privatized a multibrand strategy in its mobile set new strategic priorities that led to KPN and in 2006, sold its remaining operations and holds number three increased growth from 2008 to 2010. The stake in the company. market positions through E-Plus and objective for KPN Mobile International In the Netherlands, KPN offers KPN Group Belgium. Through iBasis, was to continue along the profitable

1 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 28 Success Stories

growth path that it had begun as part ensuring a fast, low-cost rollout of existing sites. Distributed Node Bs can of its successful challenger strategy. In mobile broadband. reduce the network deployment time, particular, its network strategy was an and installing RRUs near antennas important part of achieving profitable Building an All-IP Modernized decreases feeder loss and improves growth. E-Plus centered this network Network with Cutting-Edge coverage. BBUs can be inserted into strategy around investing in the right Technologies legacy racks to save space. technology at the right time according to ZTE provided complete Uni-RAN For high performance, ZTE uses customer demand. and Uni-Core solutions for KPN in the MicroTCA platform in the design In 2010, KPN Mobile International Germany and Belgium. of Node B baseband. The MicroTCA created a roadmap for accelerating the platform minimizes a base station’s rollout of high-speed data networks in ● SDR-based high performance physical dimensions and optimizes Belgium and Germany. These networks network for smooth evolution system performance. Baseband would be designed to capitalize on Cost effectiveness and high processing resources are pooled more the mobile data opportunities that had performance are the keys to business efficiently on the MicroTCA platform arisen as a result of spectrum acquired success in mature European telecom than on other platforms. Another in the German auction in Q2 2010 markets. To reduce the cost of advantage of MicroTCA is multimode and as a result of various operational, acquiring new sites, ZTE proposed baseband processing. ZTE provides technological, and commercial a distributed Node B solution that GSM, UMTS, and LTE baseband partnerships. The partnership with involved building an overlay network processing in a BBU based on ZTE also played an important role in at E-Plus’s and KPN Group Belgium’s MicroTCA with different BP boards. This greatly reduces operator capex and saves the transmission to RRUs. For operators that run radio network with different standards, this design can be used to construct a deeply converged network. End users demand the benefits of the latest technologies, and continual evolution is the only way to win. ZTE’s Node Bs are built to be compatible with and evolve to HSPA+, smart phone storming solutions, and other technologies. ZTE also provides advanced technologies to KPN Mobile International for lower opex. Multicarrier power amplifier (MCPA) technology allows for easier expansion of network capacity compared with radio products with legacy architecture. The native IP-based solution minimizes transmission cost. Phone Booth ZTE provides KPN Group Belgium

29 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 30 Success Stories

“ZTE is a challenger in the European market and fits very well with E-Plus’ Challenger strategy,” said Thorsten Dirks, CEO of E-Plus Group Thorsten Dirks

with a 900 MHz UMTS network solution ● Optimizing operations for more whereas KPN Group Belgium reached based on re-farming. The solution can revenue HSPA+ coverage of more than 95% of support 900 MHz GSM, 900 MHz ZTE Uni-Core solution provides a the population. The current focus is on UMTS, or two technologies in concurrent powerful user behavior analysis system HSPA+ and rollout of LTE will depend modes. A 900 MHz UMTS solution has (UBAS) that helps KPN build a smart on customer demand for data capacity better radio propagation than a 2100 pipe that supports service differentiation, and will begin somewhere between 2013 UMTS solution. A 900 MHz UMTS smart traffic distribution, and flexible and 2014. Node B also has better coverage than a policies. E-Plus can now provide more KPN’s goal is to enable all 2100 MHz UMTS Node B. A 900 MHz innovative services and compete on the customers to enrich their work UMTS solution is also cost-effective strength of its network. and leisure time with a range of because most of the deployed 900 MHz communication services. Together with GSM infrastructure can be reused. ● Reliable implementation and ZTE, KPN is accelerating the rollout engineering sourcing of the best regional mobile broadband ● Large-capacity platform avoids ZTE cooperates with appointed network. KPN continues to grow and operational bottleneck engineering vendors. ZTE’s efficient, create long-term value for its customers. ZTE provides E-Plus with a Uni- streamlined project management has Core solution that supports seamless been critical to rolling out a 3G network Milestones evolution from 2G/3G packet core in Germany based on all possible Dec. 2009: Contract officially signed to evolved packet core (EPC). It also equipment configurations. Mar. 2010: First site installed helps E-Plus provide unified 2G, 3G Dec. 2010: High-speed data services initially and 4G access. ZTE’s intelligent packet Achieving Better Experience for launched in nine urban areas in Germany core network is based on ETCA and a Customers Dec. 2011: A large number of swapovers high-performance router platform that With ZTE, KPN has been improving finished and new sites installed in Germany can build a future-proof data network. the quality and capacity of its mobile and Belgium The intelligent packet core network networks in Germany and Belgium, Dec. 2012: HSPA+ rollout: more than greatly reduces equipment footprints ramping up the average speed even 85% population coverage (with speeds and saves investment. It also satisfies further. ZTE successfully swapped over of up to 21 Mbps) in Germany and more data throughput requirements for the a large number of sites in Germany for than 95% population coverage in Belgium next several years and greatly improves KPN. E-Plus covered more than 85% by the end of 2012 the processing capability of the legacy of the population with HSPA+ (speeds 2013−2014: First commercial LTE will network. of up to 21 Mbps) by the end of 2012 be launched

29 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 30 Success Stories

rance Telecom (FT) is the third- largest operator in Europe and Fone of the largest in the world. Orange Group, a subsidiary of FT, has become a renowned telecom brand and now has 200 million subscribers throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Its multinational strategy has involved acquiring operators in undeveloped but promising regions. This allows Orange to control some resources and underlying revenue. After acquiring Telkom Kenya, Orange badly needed to solve the problem of an inflexible billing system. They selected Orange: the OCS supplied by ZTEsoft for this purpose. The new system had to be put into service within two months. ZTEsoft overcame difficulties that had plagued Orange during the early stage of project The Road to integration and completed the upgrade on time. With flexible deployment, a unified billing platform, and a strong billing engine, the new OCS helped Orange Multinational Kenya quickly launch innovative service packages and rates. With the old system, it would have taken more than two months to launch a new package, but with ZSmart OCS this Operations was lowered to between a week and a month. Orange’s subscriber base grew By Tan Qiaoyong substantially as a result. FT’s project in Cote d'Ivoire also demonstrated the distinct advantages

31 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 32 Success Stories

of ZSmart OCS. Cote d'Ivoire is an in recent years, and operators risk meet the growing data traffic demands important market for FT in Africa. FT’s becoming pipe providers. To help brought about by 3G networks. common platforms, such as service- FT Cote d'Ivoire control data traffic, To speed up the time to market development platform and integrated ZTEsoft has deployed a ZSmart policy for new Orange-branded services, alarm-monitoring platform, are manager (PCRF) that can control policy FT required ZTEsoft to complete the deployed in Cote d'Ivoire but are shared and charging for data traffic in the IT upgrade project within 80 days. ZTEsoft by other African countries. Because domain. This allows FT Cote d'Ivoire finished the project ahead of schedule FT’s data business is developing rapidly to adapt to ever-changing data needs by and put it into operation within 50 in Cote d'Ivoire, the original billing flexibly implementing policies. days. The project passed the acceptance system that provided independent ZTEsoft has also helped FT test, and FT Congo was satisfied with prepaid and postpaid billing as well as Senegal implement part of the PCRF ZTEsoft’s ability to deploy an integrated independent voice and data billing could by upgrading the existing OCS. This IT project. no longer meet user needs. ZTEsoft has allowed FT Senegal to control used ZSmart OCS to help Orange Cote their data traffic in a much more cost- Software as a Service d'Ivoire deploy a combined voice and efficient manner. After completing the IT transformation data billing solution. Operators are compelled to avoid in 2011, FT Congo has now turned its ZTEsoft deployed this billing system being pipe providers and to work towards attention to maintaining such a huge in two steps. First, combined voice and IT transformation. At the end of 2011, FT network and IT system efficiently and data billing was implemented for prepaid acquired Congolese operator CCT, which reducing its opex. ZTE has provided FT subscribers. Ensuring the system could had 4.5 million subscribers. To improve Congo with managed services that include support all kinds of billing policies was its brand image in Congo, Orange ZTEsoft’s IT service product ZSmart a significant challenge. ZTEsoft took had a pressing need to reconstruct the AnyCare. a record fast eight weeks to integrate original CCT network infrastructure. A local service team has been the entire data billing system into The IT system needed to be optimized to established to operate and maintain the the existing OCS for combined voice support data. network and IT system. As a result, FT and data billing. Second, combined Before the acquisition, CCT’s BSS/ Congo has been freed from complex prepaid and postpaid billing needed OSS contained a prepaid ZSmart OCS maintenance work and can now focus on to be realized. The whole project was and an internetwork settlement system; marketing to reduce opex. completed successfully in February however, there was no IT system. With further cooperation, FT and 2012. The combined billing system has Through IT transformation, FT Congo ZTEsoft have learned more about each also helped FT Cote d'Ivoire significantly could provide IT support for all services. other. For seven years, ZTEsoft has been reduce its capex and opex. ZTEsoft built on the existing ZSmart walking with FT Orange on the road The strong performance of ZSmart OSS to expand systems associated to multinational operations. ZTEsoft’s OCS has paved the way for its wider with business handling, inventory products have been deployed from Africa acceptance by FT. In later years, ZSmart management, product sales management, to Europe in small-capacity scenarios and OCS was deployed successfully in Cote payment collection, agent management, big-platform scenarios involving millions d'Ivoire, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Bissau, postpaid billing, account and revenue of subscribers. ZTEsoft’s products range Cameroon, Congo, Slovakia, and Poland. management, international roaming, from a single OCS to integrated IT and fault management. ZTEsoft also transformation solutions. By helping FT Dealing with the Data Explosion strengthened the existing prepaid billing expand their business ZTEsoft has also Data traffic has increased rapidly functions. All this helped FT Congo transformed itself.

31 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 32 Success Stories FibreCo Builds a National Optical Backbone in South Africa FibreCo has even stricter customization By Kong Jia standards than the latest European standards, and this needed to be taken into account when choosing a supplier. ZTE invited a professional subcontractor to join its team during the first round of bidding. FibreCo was greatly impressed by ZTE’s ibreCo was founded in 2009 and extending about 12,500 km across South leading bearer network solutions and rich is a joint venture between Cell C, Africa. The project would be completed experience in global turnkey projects. It FInternet Solutions, and Convergence as fast as possible in three stages so that was also impressed by the local engineering Partners. FibreCo aims to build an optical government, operators, internet service experience of the subcontractor. ZTE backbone network that can cover the whole providers, and banks could benefit from presented FibreCo with a reasonable of South Africa and provide convenient, better access. The network is expected to logistics plan, strict purchasing procedure, high-speed network access. significantly reduce communication tariffs professional construction scheme, and Backbone transmission resources in and drive the development of the telecom excellent delivery plan. South Africa were previously monopolized industry in South Africa. ZTE cooperated well with UWP, the by a large operator, which meant that fiber consulting company of FibreCo. Microduct and bandwidth rental fees were expensive. Choosing the Right Supplier was suggested for the plant exterior to make This led to high communication tariffs that ZTE has built a series of quality engineering easier and to save construction stymied the growth of the South African networks for Cell C that has significantly costs. Hybrid fiber was deployed to meet telecom industry. The contrast between reduced Cell C’s OAM costs. The two various application scenarios. FibreCo also the rapid economic development in South companies have maintained a strong used ZTE’s total reconfigurable optical add/ Africa and the sluggish development of its relationship for a long time. Cell C is a drop multiplexing (ROADM) solution to telecom industry was stark. shareholder of FibreCo and proposed that improve service provision, simplify network In this context, FibreCo planned to ZTE build the backbone transmission OAM, and allow WASON functionality in build a national open-access optical network network in South Africa. the future.

33 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 34 Success Stories

In September 2011, FibreCo President Andile Ngcaba and ZTE Senior Vice President Chen Jie signed the project contract. ZTE was chosen as the exclusive supplier for South Africa’s biggest optical transmission network. “This landmark investment will provide affordable, reliable and fast internet access for ordinary South Africans,” said Andile Ngcaba. “ZTE is committed to supplying effective solutions for its customers,” said Chen Jie. “We are proud to assist with improving telecommunications for South Africans.”

High-Capacity Long-haul Transmission Solution ZTE provided FibreCo with a new- generation OTN solution. A high-capacity, long-haul, highly-reliable ZXWM M920 unit was used for the network. The ZXWM M920 unit ● supports 10G/40G and can evolve into FibreCo President Andile Ngcaba (L) 100G for high-capacity transmission attends the groundbreaking ceremony for ● has open architecture for smooth the optical backbone project network expansion. This protects operator investment ● uses ROADM for fast service provision, flexible traffic grooming, and simple In attendance were government officials Upon completion, the FibreCo optical network management including the governor of Free State backbone network will provide sufficient ● uses ZTE’s leading optical technologies Province, the mayor of Bloemfontein, the infrastructure for operators in South to offer long-haul coverage FibreCo president and CEO, and the newly Africa and will significantly reduce tariffs. ● provides a protection mechanism at both appointed CEO of Cell C. The project is Completion of the network will trigger a equipment and network layers to ensure of great significance to the South African new round of fiber network construction, network stability. government and operators. and this will allow South Africans to enjoy ZTE’s intelligent ZXTOP510 software The main operators in South Africa high-speed networks. was also used for network planning and once considered working together to ZTE is the sole contractor in FibreCo’s design. ZXTOP510 can identify and build an optical transmission network to optical backbone project and will complete analyze network bottlenecks and optimize address the transmission resource shortage. the project in three to five years. FibreCo has configuration. However, they failed to reach a consensus, begun considering extending the network and the plan was shelved. FibreCo’s open to cover neighboring countries. This future Creating a Bright Future optical transmission network will be an network extension will significantly benefit In May 2012, FibreCo launched the important resource in South Africa’s future the communication industries and economies optical backbone project at Bloemfontein. communications industry. of those countries.

33 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 34 Press Clipping D'Nemo: Interview with ZTE’s SVP Global Customer Service Xu Huijun

January 2013 Source: DiGi (Telenor) iGi recently concluded a very employees working hand-in-hand with important discussion with ZTE DiGizens to deliver on our network Dto plan and set the tone for modernization targets. Leading the the rest of its modernization exercise. charge here in Malaysia is Xu Huijun, The outcome was the introduction of a ZTE’s SVP Global Customer Service. new operating model which includes a Read what he has to say about the refreshed commercial agreement that evolving industry landscape and our clearly defines roles and responsibilities, collaboration: and outlines risk ownership and accountabilities for both parties. Q: What are your views on the Today there are around 760 ZTE internet and the telco industry

35 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 36 Press Clipping

A: We can do it if we work together as one. DiGi is our main partner here in Malaysia and we want to assure you that we will do whatever it takes to ensure we achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves. I have seen a much improved working relationship now and hope DiGizens will continue to lend us their support. We are confident that upon completion of the network modernization exercise, the DiGi network will be the most advanced and best network in Malaysia.

About DiGi L-R: DiGi CTO Ole, ZTE SVP Xu Huijin, DiGi CEO Henrik, and ZTE Malaysia's Managing Director Eric Wang

DiGi is a leading mobile communications company in Malaysia providing a landscape as a whole in Malaysia? and agreed on a refreshed way of work comprehensive range of affordable, A: Although the mobile industry is to deliver on our joint targets. With the convenient and easy to use wireless saturated, it still has potential to grow. right foundation in place and the right services to simplify and enrich the This is fueled by the increase in mobile focus, I am confident we can deliver a lives of its customers. The company usage particularly mobile internet as better quality network and customer creates value for its customers more customers realize its potential. As experience. by selecting the most appropriate more jump on the bandwagon there is a cutting edge technology so that they need for operators to work even harder Q: How has the working level benefit from products and services to deliver good quality experience to cooperation been? that give them choice, convenience customers. A: I have to admit that it has not been and control. It is encouraging to see healthy without its fair share of challenges. DiGi has an established competition amongst operators here in There is the inevitable differences being presence as a leader in voice Malaysia where each of the key players two distinct companies; cultural and and data prepaid services with has equal opportunity to continue language differences for example. It a number of firsts that have set growing its business. took us more time than we expected industry benchmarks for creativity to integrate, develop trust and to find and innovation. These services are Q: Tell us more about DiGi’s a common ground on expectations offered under the DiGi Prepaid partnership with ZTE? and deliverables. By establishing brand name. Its postpaid service A: We started our partnership in 2011 mutual trust and respect in each other’s under the DiGi Postpaid brand covering deployment of the radio professionalism and performance over name delivers high quality voice access network, core network, 2G/3G time, we are able to communicate and as well as value-added mobile roll-out, network operations, VAS, to work together more effectively today. content and data services to name a few. It has been a big learning both individual and corporate curve for us and I believe together with Q: What is your message to customers. DiGi, we have made good progress, DiGizens on the "New Network" particularly now that we have reviewed ZTE is delivering to DiGi?

35 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 36 Solution

An Effective Solution for ZTE OSS: Managed Services

By Yang Guangjun and Zhou Xueyin

Challenges to OSS predict opex, control operation risks, from the IT industry. ZTE’s OSS ith the rapid evolution of and lower TCO. has sets of NetNumen, ZSmart, and network technologies and UNIPOS tools that are used for end- Wconvergence of networks, ZTE’s End-to-End OSS to-end network management—from operators are transforming into full- The core elements of a service planning and optimization to OAM and service operators. As a result, they product are tool, process, and human OSS/BSS management. have had to come to terms with resources. The tool provides technical NetNumen includes a fault more specialized networks and more support and core competitiveness. It management system (FMS), complicated OAM technologies. In plays a critical role in reducing costs and performance management system networks constructed during the early improving efficiency and is the main (PMS), unified site management stages of competition, there is a range source of profit. system (USMS), customer experience of equipment and devices provided by management center (CEMC), and different vendors. Each vendor has their Integrated OSS architecture easyservice system (ESS). ZSmart own operation support system (OSS) ZTE’s end-to-end OSS is based on includes electronic operation and for their devices, and in a converged the enhanced telecom operations map maintenance system (eOMS), network, several OSSs may coexist. (eTOM) model, which comes from the investment management (IM), smart This creates great challenges in quickly telecommunication industry, and the optical distribution network (eODN), responding to market demands and Information Technology Infrastructure and business intelligence (BI). UNIPOS solving end-to-end faults. Library (ITIL) model, which comes includes network planning, MR call To reduce OAM costs, increase efficiency, break down barriers between OSSs, and improve coordination ZTE AOS Portal between vendors, operators must upgrade or reconstruct their existing NetNumen ZSmart UNI POS OSSs and focus on customer service innovation. UNMS (FMS/PMS) eOMS Planning CNP /Aircom/ACP Having developed, produced, and managed a full range of telecom USMS IM PM/CM/FM ActixOne MV , NetMAX (CNO) equipment for many years, ZTE is CEMC eODN MR Call Trace NetMAX(CDT), ActixOne MV, Ubas highly experienced in managing integrated network resources and OSS ESS XMan DT/CQT/Benchmark TEMS / T_Phone /CNT/CNA/GNIC optimization. ZTE has launched its ZXDNA BI Signaling Probe ZXT2000 own OSS, which has an integrated architecture to help operators quickly respond to market demands, empirically Figure 1. ZTE’s end-to-end OSS.

37 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 38 Solution

trace, and signaling probe. process and data. In process includes consulting, OSS swapping, ZTE’s end-to-end OSS features visualization, the tool promptly reports OSS improvement, and managed service ● end-to-end tools. These are related operational progress and results based optimization. to wireless access, core network, on the status of each service and gives ● consulting. This involves transmission, and services. They instructions on how to proceed. In data determining the customer’s are used for network optimization, visualization, key service information architecture requirements, management, maintenance as well as and statistics are presented visually. strategically planning the network, service operation support. Data is displayed visually in an easy-to- and setting prices. Then, a highly ● support for equipment of multiple understand way so that user experience efficient OSS/IT system architecture vendors. The OSS supports network can be improved. or a reconstructed OSS/IT service OAM for equipment provided by Visualization helps clarify logically process is worked out. third-party vendors such as Huawei, abstract concepts and can also be used ● OSS swapping. This involves Ericsson, Cisco, and Nokia Siemens. to oversee local or remote and centralize swapping existing OSSs for new ● support for multiple networks. The managed services. This saves human ones. Detailed investigation, OSS provides managed services for resources, money, and space. planning, and training, should be CDMA, GSM, UMTS, IMS, LTE, ZTE’s OSS solution includes visual done before swapping. IPTV, GPON, and VAS products. tools for reporting, alarm presentation, ● OSS improvement. This involves ● scalability. With modular design, the end-to-end SLA management, and customizing functions, deploying OSS architecture is scalable. It can customer experience management in the OSS, transitioning systems, and be easily upgraded to support cloud order to meet diverse OMA demands. providing OSS training. services. ● managed service optimization. This To date, ZTE’s end-to-end OSS has Rebuilding the automatic standard process includes configuration management, been successfully deployed by operators Today, managed services must skill transfer, and service worldwide, including China Mobile, go beyond service visualization. An optimization. Ncell Nepal, PMI Canada, TTSL/Aircel, important issue is how to integrate all When constructing an OSS, India, and ETC Ethiopia. sub-processes effectively to form a customer demands, property rights, ZTE has also established partnerships complete automatic standard process. and maintenance costs should all with IBM, HP, BMC, and CA. ZTE ZTE’s OSS solution can rebuild an be considered. Advantages and is trying to transform its OSS into an automatic standard process. In a specific disadvantages of self-developed products, integrated NGOSS architecture. managed-service scenario, the OSS first outsourced products, and purchased analyzes the problems experienced by products should also be considered. Visualization of managed services the customer, then it connects all OSS ZTE’s integrated OSS solution To allow an OSS to provide managed nodes and incorporates various self- is designed to address customer services for devices of different vendors, developed and third-party tools. In this difficulties. It has the three most services must be standardized. The first way, efficiency is improved and opex is important features demanded by step in standardizing managed services reduced. operators: unified managed services, is to make the services visual. ZTE also includes IT maintenance tools to visualize process and data, and Service visualization can be experience in its OSS solution transparent management of the entire realized by using visual tools, which and provides low-cost, highly network in the whole process. allow maintenance personnel to better efficient process configuration and ZTE’s integrated OSS solution is understand the status of a network. A management tools that meet the the result of years of innovation in OSS tool must clearly and visually show demands of the managed services. products. It overcomes traditional OSS the status of each device and key ZTE’s OSS is scalable and supports limitations and transfers OSS services information about the network. This is various interfaces. from the customer to MSP. ZTE OSS is particularly important for maintaining poised to bring new revenue growth and complex systems. Method for ZTE OSS Projects competitiveness to operators in managed Visualization involves visualizing The method for OSS construction service markets.

37 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES APR 2013 APR 2013 ZTE TECHNOLOGIES 38