Mobile Technology
Infovista and Rakuten Mobile partner for cloud-based 5G network services
Strategic radio planning delivered as microservices pave the way for future network automation solutions
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nfovista, a provider of network planning, testing, performance and application control solutions, announced a successful collaboration with Rakuten Mobile that will deliver the first carrier-grade, cloud-based platform for radio network planning, optimisation and modelling to support the rapid roll-out of Rakuten Mobile’s end-to-end cloud-native 5G mobile network across Japan. The strategic radio network planning solution, made available as RCP NEO by Rakuten Mobile, aims to directly contribute to the agility, high performance and scalability of this end-to-end fully cloud- native mobile network.
Built for deployment in Rakuten Mobile’s cloud-native mobile platform Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP), and
using microservices architecture with open Application Programming Interfaces (API), Infovista’s “on-demand” radio network planning solution will allow Rakuten Mobile’s engineering teams to use advanced planning and design features, devised to efficiently reduce the time and cost of network deployment, through extensive automation and integration with other applications within RCP.
Based on Infovista’s Planet software, the joint solution runs entirely on Linux and all microservices are delivered as Docker containers offering high availability and scalability and readily integrating into orchestration and automation provided by RCP. These extensive capabilities allow Rakuten Mobile to manage its planning database, automatically generate coverage, interference, throughput and other analysis and, in turn, enable capabilities such as auto-commissioning of sites and automation of other workflows. Infovista’s cloud-native network planning, optimisation and modelling platform, running on the Rakuten Communications Platform as RCP NEO Commenting on the development, Rakuten Mobile’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Tareq Amin, says: “Rakuten Mobile’s new 5G network in Japan is a cloud-native mobile network with the flexibility to
fulfil the true promise of 5G, supporting important new functionalities, such as network slicing, offering dedicated connectivity for specific customers and ultra-low latency services and beyond, without compromising on reliability. “As such, it is critical that our RF design, planning and operational platforms are built using the same concepts and our work with Infovista has delivered an open solution that will allow us to scale and automate many of the critical capabilities we need to deliver on our vision.”
Infovista’s collection of radio planning and design capabilities delivered as containerized microservices is the first solution of its kind to deliver a full suite of 5G planning services as a cloud-native offering and is currently going through trials within Rakuten Mobile ahead of a full roll-out in the course of next year.
infovista.com
CU Phosco Lighting transforms with mobile technology
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utdoor lighting group CU Phosco Lighting has invested in the latest mobile workforce management technology from Leeds-based BigChange.
With engineers equipped with rugged tablets running the JobWatch mobile app, the 5 in 1 cloud-based system provides real time synchronisation between the office and field service operations as part of what will be a completely paperless, end-to-end business solution.
CU Phosco Lighting design and manufacture exterior lighting luminaires, fl oodlights, lighting columns and masts. The company’s masts can rise to 60 metres in height and can be seen on motorways, at airports, ports and rail yards, in shopping centres, housing estates and sports stadiums throughout the world.
CU Phosco Lighting’s team of multi-skilled engineers install and maintain lighting installation nationwide. With business expanding and ever-increasing amounts of
www.cieonline.co.uk
paperwork - engineers would often leave the offi ce with 20 printed forms to complete on a job - the company realised they needed to change to a digital system.
“We searched the market looking for a system that would meet our needs but we could not fi nd anything so we initially decided to develop a bespoke system,” says Stuart Murray, general manager, CU Phosco Lighting. “In the end our own development did not work for us. When we discovered BigChange we realised there was a system that could not only meet our current needs but do a lot more, and give us a future-proof solution.” BigChange provides a single platform CRM, job scheduling, mobile app tracking and a Customer Portal. At CU Phosco, the systemis replacing paper and spreadsheets in the offi ce with a live, fully digital solution. With tablets being introduced, all of the paperwork contained in ‘Job Packs’ has been replaced with electronic versions that engineers access on the tablets, negating the need to collect paperwork at the offi ce.
Completed forms are then received instantly back at the offi ce giving CU Phosco Lighting instant visibility of the status of all jobs. BigChange tracking on the fl eet keeps the offi ce up to date on engineer movements and allows automated ETA’s to be sent to customers. The JobWatch app handles all the needs of the engineers from vehicle checks, to health and safety certifi cations and job sign off, supported with before and after work photographs. Unlike other suppliers in the exterior lighting industry, CU Phosco Lighting provide a complete end to end solution from initial design to installation, maintenance and asset management. This adds complexity to the business and
BigChange is already providing signifi cant benefi ts through easier and more effective management of tasks such as health and safety audits, quotations, asset management and customer service. “We’ve only just started to implement BigChange but already we can see it is going to have a big impact and we expect the system will bring benefi ts that go well beyond our original expectations” says Murray. “It’s certainly going to give us an even stronger competitive advantage and seeing the way BigChange are clearly leading the market and continually developing their product, we will be set up for many years ahead”.
bigchange.com
Components in Electronics February 2021 35
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