Operators who want to reduce their radio site roll-out Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) cannot continue to buy bits and pieces. Today’s competitive market and evolving full-service networks necessitate complete solutions that are more than the sum of their parts.
To this end, FASMETRICS S.A. has realized a new radio base station site roll-out philosophy that systemize and implement radio sites that:
- significantly reduce Total Cost of Ownership TCO
- shortening time-to-market, time-to-revenue
- enhancing network performance and quality
- introduce a future proof radio base station site solution
We identified and eliminated the unnecessary operational & capital expenditures in the radio site lifecycle. As a result, the roll-out process is now more tightly integrated. We developed the “site-in-a-box” concept that is implemented with a unique building practice that dramatically cut site costs and time to service while improves radio functionality and implement more efficient roll-out methods.
The radio site lifecycle
The radio lifecycle is a complete and autonomous network operations activity that has 3 main phases of 9 main processes. Each process is top priority for its respective owner, however, this KPI driven prioritization often leads most of other site lifecycle processes to be severely neglected or ignored… This business approach drives to the contrary into a complete and autonomous process that results to an expensive and inefficient radio lifecycle network operations activity.
Due to the aforementioned issues, network operations as is performed today, is impacted as follow:
- the radio lifecycle Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is increased
- the radio lifecycle presents longer time-to revenue out of the investments performed
- the radio lifecycle shows degraded network quality that need time & money to be recovered
- the radio lifecycle provides short term solutions to future intense problems
Our perspective on successful radio site lifecycle is justified herein according to each radio site lifecycle phase.
Planning Phase
Site Acquisition: success on site acquisition activities is assumed to be the lease of the best building in the designated search area, quickly and at minimum effort while keeping the landlord happy at all times…
building owners have 3 main concerns:
- neighborhood reactions
- radiation emitted
- their property value
OBELISK lattice masts and camouflaged rooftops offers…
- min visual impact (dimensions & color) of min footprint
30cm² tubes up to 70cm² tubes that fit most antenna types (3-sectors max)
- “stealth” installation of min time on site
out of sight, 20 minutes installation time (no public exposure)
- “stealth” constructions of high aesthetics (9 camouflage types)
an integrated into the environment solution
Site Design: success on radio & civil engineering design is the elimination of the time intense effort, followed by a radio site work order process with capability to re-consider and re-evaluate at any implementation phase…
radio site designers have 3 main concerns:
- selection of site configuration (i.e. bts, bands, antennas, filters, tma’s,…)
- RF simulations for antenna positioning (height, azimuth, tilt,…)
- preparation of work order documentation for installation process
OBELISK lattice masts and camouflaged rooftops offers…
- automatic design management capability
site configuration, emf predictor & work order creator software modules
- 360° antenna heading on 1/2/3-sector solutions
120°/sector (3-sector), 180°/sector (2-sector) & 360°/sector (1-sector)
- designer to antenna “hands-on experience”
antenna local & remote control capability for w/o file upload
Site Licensing: success on licensing is considered the quick authorities approval under a standardized process through the submission of complete site files that are tested and certified according to international best practices…
authorities have 3 main concerns:
- public health & safety (static compliance, radiation compliance,…)
- implementations to agree with the respective site file submissions
- they want NO “surprises”
OBELISK lattice masts and camouflaged rooftops offers…
- full standardized constructions
RoHS, CE, ISO, ICNIRP & eurocodes compliance
- 100% implementations according to site file submission
accurate mechanical designs, detailed static study, detailed antennas & ANPs
- tested & certified solutions
static performance, antenna efficiency, verified radiation emissions...
Building Phase
Logistics: success on the logistics process is assumed to be the handling of a single product code per site. Numerous products handling impacts several key performance indicators on purchasing, forecasting, budgeting as well as goods tracking…
OBELISK lattice masts and camouflaged rooftops offers…
- a 100% site-in-a-box
full site BoM on a single product code that minimizes warehousing complexity
- purchasing management flexibility
easy forecasting & budgeting, goods tracking & handling
Site Installation: success on the installation process is assumed to be less material waste, responsibility on health and safety, increased implementation speeds and of course errorless installations according to radio & civil engineering designs…
installation teams have 3 main concerns:
- neighborhood reactions
- installation complexity & speed
- transportation flexibility
OBELISK lattice masts and camouflaged rooftops offers…
- modular “plug & play” solutions in-a-box
easy assembly / disassembly, no need for cranes
- “stealth” installation of min time on site
out of sight, 20 minutes installation time (no public exposure)
- no climbing & rigging, all works @ roof level or warehouse
any time immediate site erection, minimization on accident & injury exposure
Site Acceptance: success on the acceptance process is assumed to be less acceptance works. Drive testing, optimization and site revisits for error finding and correction after site installation should not be tolerated…
acceptance teams have 3 main concerns:
- quick power up
- no site revisit & antenna system climbing for error correction
- less site testing & easy fault finding
OBELISK lattice masts and camouflaged rooftops offers…
- site-in-a-box installation perfection with or without antenna automations engaged
precise antenna positioning with azimuth, tilt & roll of <±1° accuracy
- site design corrective actions can be remotely performed
antenna local & remote control capability for antenna reconfigurations
- pre-tested feeding system, antennas & antenna line devices
cell mix-ups, VSWR certification, PIM, grounding system...
Running Phase
Site Maintenance: success on the maintenance process is assumed to be the minimization of preventive & corrective maintenance activities by introducing solutions that present high mtbf and supreme quality materials…
maintenance teams have 2 main concerns:
- less visits for corrective maintenance works
- faulty items accessibility (locate and swap of faulty material or equipment when needed)
OBELISK lattice masts and camouflaged rooftops offers…
- easily accessible antenna & antenna near products
folded solutions with extension part ready to facilitate climbing, sliding modular radome
- site-in-a-box lifetime warranty
optional lifetime warranty available
- environmental protected solutions
tested & certified environmental specifications
Site Optimization: success on the site performance optimization process is the immediate and cost efficient traffic handling of the fully dynamic – data hungry – broadband network…
network optimizers have 3 main concerns:
- the forthcoming data traffic explosion
- to satisfy the standard network KPI’s
- deal with soft & hard changes on the spot
OBELISK lattice masts and camouflaged rooftops offers…
- remote antenna controls from NOC or office
unified RET/RAS & TMA gain setting under 3gpp/aisg standards
- any vendor, any RAT, any configuration
oem software compliant infrastructure for 2g, 3g, 4g technologies
- user friendly software platform for antenna remote control
FASMETRICS Antenna Robotic Operating System
Site Re-engineering: success on re-engineering is assumed the capability for the site to be future proof. The wireless roadmap is common secret for new generation networks, this mainly involves the antenna system and in particular interference management & beam steering soft functionality, network HO optimization & self configuration…
OBELISK lattice masts and camouflaged rooftops offers…
- smart, mimo & active antenna compliant structure
2x2 & 4x4 smart antenna support (space diversity option available)
- SON prepared interoperable solution
antenna independent RET/RAS control communication platform
- auto-optimization, auto-scheduling traffic capturing capable
near real-time sector reconfiguration for ad-hoc traffic demands
- interference management & antenna beam steering
hard antenna installation accuracy with reconfiguration capabilities