Case Study
Global telecom company improves network performance with RAN network optimization services
OUR CLIENT
This multinational telecommunication holding company was founded decades ago after a series of mergers and acquisitions. The company owns cellular service providers across North America and Europe that serve over 100 million customers with a range of voice, messaging, data, and high-speed connectivity products.
THE CHALLENGE
Optimizing new cellular sites for improved performance
The telecom company required a trusted partner to help achieve aggressive site optimization goals in a specific U.S. market, with the aim of boosting network performance and customer satisfaction. To meet these targets, the partner needed to address these key challenges:
- Resolve unstable KPIs—by identifying and addressing persistent performance issues, such as high drop-call rates, inconsistent network uptime, and poor data throughput, to ensure KPI stability and a better user experience
- Minimize repeat site shakedown verification (SSV) drive tests—to control costs and meet weekly optimization milestones
- Improve site-launch visibility—by providing the RF team with clear, real-time insights into the cell site launch pipeline to enable efficient management of newly integrated sites, smooth handling of high-traffic areas, and seamless mobility handovers
- Enable scalable, automated optimization—by deploying intelligent systems to automate routine tasks, shorten on-air timelines, and ensure consistent, high-quality performance as new sites go live
THE TRANSFORMATION
Optimizing cell sites with intelligent automation and expertise
To address the company’s critical challenges of network performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction, UST deployed a transformative solution. Our approach seamlessly integrated deep RF engineering expertise with cutting-edge intelligent automations and advanced analytics, ensuring rapid, highly efficient site optimization services that delivered sustained network performance improvements. Key elements of the solution included:
- An autonomous network optimization engine—We implemented a sophisticated, machine-assisted optimization engine at the core of the solution. This system leverages advanced machine learning (ML) to continuously monitor, analyze, and autonomously fine-tune network performance across all new cell sites. It proactively identifies deviations, predicts potential issues, and applies real-time adjustments, empowering teams to consistently meet or exceed target KPIs with minimal manual intervention.
- Real-time performance and launch visibility dashboards—UST provided the RF team with intuitive, real-time dashboards, offering end-to-end visibility across the entire site optimization pipeline. This centralized view enhanced strategic planning, accelerated issue resolution, and ensured optimal “on-air" readiness. By providing clear insights into every stage of optimization, this capability dramatically reduced time-to-market for new sites and streamlined management.
- Expert Tier 2 support and proactive issue resolution—Our solution included dedicated, advanced Tier 2 support, specializing in complex network challenges. This expert team, equipped with deep RF optimization knowledge, provided critical assistance for issues, such as received total wideband power (RTWP) troubleshooting, passive intermodulation (PIM) anomaly resolution, and intricate interference challenges. This support ensured that persistent network performance faults were rapidly identified and resolved to maintain a consistently high-quality customer experience.
- Optimized site acceptance and reduced SSV rework—To significantly boost operational efficiency and minimize costs, we introduced a robust pre-drive checklist process coupled with automated validation steps for SSV. This proactive approach rigorously confirmed site readiness before costly physical tests, substantially reducing SSV "go-backs" and repetitive rework, ensuring deployments stayed on track.
- ML-driven pareto optimization for holistic performance—UST leveraged advanced ML tools and best practices to achieve Pareto optimality among network KPIs. This innovative approach intelligently allocated network resources to maximize overall performance, ensuring that improvements in one metric (e.g., throughput) do not adversely compromise others (e.g., latency or drop rates). This holistic, data-driven optimization strategy drove consistent, balanced, high-quality network performance gains across the entire deployment.
THE IMPACT
Dramatic improvements in KPIs and cell-site performance
As a result of this partnership, the telecommunications company optimized more than 800 cell sites in just seven months, showcasing the efficiency and effectiveness of UST’s comprehensive approach to the engagement. The impact was immediate and measurable:
- 25% acceleration in time-to-on-air—thanks to the autonomous optimization system, pre-drive validations, and real-time dashboards, reducing the average time from integration (IX) to site acceptance and on-air readiness
- Up to 15% improvement in data throughput (Mbps)—across optimized new sites
- 10-12% reduction in drop-call rates—on newly integrated cells, directly improving user experiences
- 25% decrease in manual validation steps—across SSV processes and parameter/feature audits by utilizing automations to boost operational efficiency
Our telecommunications industry experts can partner with your team to address critical challenges—to enhance network performance, streamline new cell-site integrations, and drive operational efficiencies—so you can deliver a more reliable, scalable, cost-effective service experiences for your customers. Learn more here.
RESOURCES
https://www.ust.com/en/boundless/boundless-stories/partnership-introduction
https://www.ust.com/en/industries/tmt-technology
https://www.ust.com/en/insights/quantela-and-ust-help-queensland-reduce-energy-costs