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The problem

All Radio Base Stations require an extensive array of support infrastructure in order to facilitate continuous and optimal operations of the critical radio telecommunications equipment. This infrastructure includes power generators, climate control and ventilation systems, batteries, rectifiers and access control. All of these systems will, at one point or another, malfunction, or even fail. Some networks have basic alarm generating mechanisms installed that will simply send a notification to a central location, which will trigger the costly dispatch of a service crew to the site – a satisfactory method for handling true, severe alarms. However, false alarms, routine preventive maintenance tasks and test procedures also involve costly dispatches. In addition, a centralized log of operations of support infrastructure equipment is not readily available and therefore very difficult to manage, especially in a network consisting of hundreds or even thousands of stations. A detailed and comprehensive history of maintenance tasks that would help streamline the operation of the network is missing. The result is that the operational cost of the radio station support equipment cannot be measured accurately, nor controlled and managed efficiently. The task of optimizing network-wide station operations thus becomes extremely strenuous, if not impossible.

The Solution

The solution is TELSYS, the first Telemetric Management System designed specifically for the Wireless Telecommunications industry.

TELSYS provides ad hoc, on-line monitoring of the radio infrastructure support equipment in any radio base station in the network.

TELSYS enables on-line remote control and testing of support equipment devices TELSYS accumulates and records – in a central database – all gathered data including power consumption, and reports and records all warnings, alarms, and station accesses.

All this functionality is offered via an intuitive graphical user interface, through web based thin clients from any location.

Benefits

TELSYS offers a wide range of benefits:

• Centralized Management of entire network.
• Increased Quality of Service through real-time network supervision amenities and alarm notification.
• Improved service crew management due to the availability of detailed information concerning the nature and severity of possible faults or problems.
• Reduction of service crew base station visits via the offered remote monitoring, parameterization and testing capabilities
• Improved security and access control surveillance.
• Service crew response time tracking.
• Service crew results tracking.
• Single database for fault tracking for all base stations that allows for network wide statistical analysis in any time scale.
• Monitoring and archiving of power consumption data per base station that allows for individual base station comparison checks and can lead to improved regulation of power consumption.
• Preemptive maintenance procedures via the capability of remote diagnostic operations (for rectifiers, batteries, power generator etc.)

TELSYS leads to OPEX Reduction

In addition to the general benefits and the improvement in QoS arising from the introduction of TELSYS, the system is focused on the reduction of Operational Expenditures (OPEX). It enables direct cost reductions by collecting, maintaining and processing data & measurements that can influence critical business decisions leading to further gain.

Reduction of number of visits and reduction of human presence in the shelters, for the following actions:

• Corrective maintenance
• Preventive maintenance
• Remote commissioning (new parts, spare parts, consumables (like diesel)

Realistic estimation of costs produced per station/area/service partner will be derived.

Gain from better inventory management and parts replacement control.

The overall operational reductions co-estimated with the crucial territorial (national) factors such as personnel & energy costs, geographic particularities (distances, terrain morphology) and climatic conditions, lead to substantial reductions in Operational Expenditure.

Integration Capabilities

TELSYS offers extensive integration options allowing seamless cooperation with other Network Management platforms and various radio equipment as well.

TELSYS is tightly integrated with the Siemens Netviewer NME the expandable platform for the network management of the whole portfolio of Siemens SDH, PDH, and ATM-based microwave products. The integration provides full forwarding of the TELSYS managed alerts using the integrated SNMP interface. In this way users can use the already known environment to manage extended situations reported by the radio infrastructure.

Additionally TELSYS can be seamlessly integrated with the SCADA systems used for the monitoring of the radio equipment of the radio stations, since both systems monitor equipment distributed on the same "map". The benefits of this integration lie in the unified monitoring and control of all equipment. Integration can be extended, besides unified login and user interface, to common database and network use for both systems.

The general architecture and the functionality for each RBS and the MCC are described below.

Radio Base Station - RBS

There are many different variants of support equipment located in every RBS. In order to provide a uniform gateway to each RBS a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) is installed, inserting an abstraction layer between the MCC and RBS equipment (see fig. 2). The RTU is wired to each unit to be monitored and controlled, through serial connections and various protocol drivers. This architecture can offer a quick implementation of the TELSYS system to already installed equipment. TELSYS will monitor more than 150 critical parameters from the following non-telecom equipment, in every RBS:

Main Electrical Panel

• Electrical power supply: An energy analyzer provides information about voltage, current and consumed power in the RBS. A log of this data is kept in the RTU and is periodically sent to the Master Control Center
• HVAC control: Supervisory control of air conditioners, ventilators and heaters. Remote parameterization, diagnostics and testing. Logging of internal and external temperature.
• Lights: Remote monitoring and testing of pylon lights. Visualization of status for internal and external lights.
• Power Unit
• Regulator: Measurement and logging of output voltages and currents.
• Rectifiers: Measurement and logging of source voltages and currents, testing and diagnostic functions.
• Batteries: Measurement and logging of voltages and currents, testing and diagnostic functions.

Power generator

Acquisition of status and alarm signals, remote testing.

Access Control

Every visitor in the RBS must identify himself, using an RFID card. A log of visitors, along with their corresponding entry and exit times, is sent to the MCC.

Master Control Center - MCC

A server is installed in the mobile telephony carrier's selected Central Control Site. The central server communicates with the base site RTUs via GSM modem (attached to each RTU) or via the existing radio backbone network, and offers the following functionality to the carrier's intranet:

Functionality

• Real time RBS monitoring
• Automatic fault and warning reception (alarms)
• Automatic alarm notification via SMS
• Operational data and alarm archiving
• Statistical analysis and reporting on operational data and alarms
• Remote control and parameterization of base station units
• Remote trial and diagnostic operations of base station units
• Asset management
• Access Control Management

Access Clients

Web based thin clients are used, ensuring location independent monitoring and control. Access rights are granted on various levels through a sophisticated user management system.

Platforms and standards used

TELSYS is based on the latest standards for software application development. It utilizes a multi-tier architecture that includes separate web, application, and database servers. The JBOSS application server platform is used, along with the TOMCAT web server platform (included in JBOSS). Applications are developed in Java, and the utilized database is Oracle RAC, which is proven in critical systems.

Scalability, Expandability

The layered approach used (see Figure 2) allows for seamless integration with other systems, and transparent integration of devices in the RBS, which provides for a very scalable system. Furthermore, the system architecture (see Figure 1) allows unlimited expandability to include additional radio base stations and users.

TELSYS Deployment

Ideally, the TELSYS system is deployed at the same time as the radio base stations. The advantages of this ideal deployment scenario arise from the fact that the predetermined required functionality of the entire system can be a major factor in the support equipment device selection process. All variables are known from the start and the rollout is straightforward and easily manageable. Alternatively, the TELSYS system can be deployed on an existing radio base station infrastructure. Such a deployment involves the following phases:

• Recording of existing station device configuration
• System Specification
• Pilot RBS site installation and testing
• Pilot Acceptance
• MCC installation and testing with additional small set of RBSs
• System acceptance
• User training
• Final rollout