CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Learn how our test equipment can help you to assurance change on your network
Quality of Service (QoS) Change Management is an essential part of new technology roll-out. With each new generation of device, the user’s expectations increase. Now more than ever, the focus has shifted towards better network coverage and faster data speeds. For the network operators there has also been an increase in technical infrastructure reviews, for example assessing the cost and security of OSS switch technology providers. All of these changes can have a dramatic impact on the networks reputation if the change rollout fails to meet the service level agreement. Therefore, when a change is due to the infrastructure to support something new (e.g. 5G), it is essential that the change is managed carefully and tested both before release and during the migration.
Common Concerns for OSS Change Management Teams
- The service purchased should match the service provided
- High speed data may by limited only to certain cities or population hotspots
- Marketing may set a release date without technical implications being considered
- Selecting the best time to migrate and schedule downtime maintenance
- For the network engineers to fully implement a service, there must be a clear communication internally between multiple teams. Often, numerous teams are involved in the rollout of a new service or technology e.g. marketing, revenue assurance, finance, customer services etc.
- Customers will likely need to be informed of planned service outages
To mitigate these concerns, our solution offers autonomous measurement of network accessibility, service availability, connection retainability and service quality. This is carried out using our end-to-end LIVE test call monitoring. Testing can be carried out months in advance before launch and also during the change migration. Our teams here at Roscom are experienced in communicating with various telecom departments and are therefore perfectly situation to help with your internal communication (we may already be working with other teams in your business).
Technical Change Management
Our automated and independent testing provides assurance in the following technical change scenarios:
- New Platform Migration
- New Service Launch
- Existing Platform Updates
- System Functionality e.g. USSD
We recommend testing before, during and after changes are implemented in order to fully manage the risk.
By utilising our unique test call generation solution, we are able to independently probe and test the boundaries of the technical change in scope. We test using real mobile SIMs or fixed lines and compare our results against the CDRs generated within the billing system (BSS) where appropriate. The OSS/BSS systems can then be carefully validated for integrity and E2E customer experience.
Our solutions are flexible. If your business already uses our test calling elsewhere, simply just add change management to your existing solution. Expansion options are always available to suit your business requirements.
OSS Pre-Launch Testing
Why OSS Pre-Launch Testing? CSP Networks have a large technical footprint made up of a number of diverse components provided by different manufacturers. One of the biggest risks to the smooth operation of the network is the application of changes to the network. Routine maintenance, component software upgrades and architecture changes such as cell reparenting are necessary to ensure there is no degradation in service availability or quality over time and to allow the CSP to keep up with the rapidly evolving telecoms technology available. But every single change made represents a risk and managing that risk is vital if the network is to continue to operate with the service levels end users expect.
Traditionally, upgrades are performed and any issues caused by the changes are raised by technical monitoring systems or, in cases where only end to end calls will detect the issue, by end users.
Merlin™ empowers network engineers to perform pre-launch testing on the network infrastructure in a test, change, repeat process. Merlin™ will verify how the services are performing in specific locations from a customer perspective BEFORE going live in the real world.
Identify & Mitigate Risks Before Launch:
- Auditable test cases of genuine OSS usage across the different services. E.g. Voice, SMS, MMS, Data & USSD
- Real Time alerting
- Data driven go/no-go to launch reporting
OSS Migration Testing
Why OSS Migration Testing? Making a live change to the mobile network can be a stressful, high risk activity even whilst performing ‘simple’ routine maintenance. For significant changes such as full technical migrations, the risk factor increases dramatically. Not only does the risk factor increase, but the pressure on the engineers to successfully carry out the change also increases.
Merlin™ can provide ‘peace of mind’ to your engineers during these migrations across your entire geographical network footprint, at any time of the day. The Merlin™ reporting will display if the network is continuing to operate within the agreed service levels.
Merlin™ can also empower network management teams who are looking to ensure that third party contractors are meeting the agreed SLA. For example, if a period of network downtime is scheduled from 1am-2am, Merlin™ can verify the time that services comes back online. If there are any delays, or the downtime is extended (and not reported by the third party), then auditable evidence is available for SLA disputes.
How Merlin™ can help during a migration:
- It provides auditable test cases of genuine OSS usage across the different services. E.g. Voice, SMS, MMS, Data & USSD
- Live end-to-end monitoring
- Real Time alerting (SNMP traps available)
- Schedule new tests and hold open voice calls to monitor for call quality issues
- Customer experience reports
Request A Change Management Demonstration
