safaricom report

Safaricom internship report

KENYATTA UNIVERSITY

PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

(BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TELECOMMUNICATION

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY)

INTERNSHIP REPORT

NAME: MUTORO JIMMY BARASA

REG NO: I21/1816/2007

UNIT NAME: INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT

UNIT CODE: SPH 319

COMPANY: SAFARICOM LIMITED COMPANY

DIVISION: TECHNICAL

PLACEMENT: WESTERN REGION NETWORK DEPARTMENT

SECTION: ALL

DURATION: 3 MONTHS

PRESENTED TO: DR MERENGA


OUTLINE

1. Departments architecture and objectives

2. Departmental Sections

Network rollout

Rollout process

Radio planning and optimization

Objective

Roles and responsibility

Sections

a) Network quality

b) Radio planning and optimization

c) 3G radio planning and optimization

i. 3G radio network planning

ii. 3G network performance monitoring

iii. 3G network optimization

Transmission network planning and optimization

Field operations

Functions

3. Placement

Telecom implementation

2G radio planning

Radio transmission

3G radio planning

Sites Acquisition

Civil works

Power installation

Acquisition

Field

4. Presentation

5. Assignments taken

6. Applications learnt

7. Observation

8. Conclusion


1. Departmental architecture

DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES

1. To provide a 7x24x365 days a year network monitoring & management

functionality ensuring 99.7% network availability.

2. First line maintenance and acceptance of base stations radio and microwave

subsystems.

3. Management of Capex and Nopex within the corporate budget.

4. Manage the logistical aspects of the department such as contract &

contractor management, facilities, spares management, purchasing, training, and

Power.


DEPARTMENTAL SECTIONS

1. Network rollout

2. Radio planning and optimization

3. Transmission network planning and optimization

4. Field operations

Network Rollout

composed of experts in the following fields:

Site Acquisition

Site Design

Materials and Cost Control

Site construction

Telecom implementation

Roll out process

At the beginning…it all starts with the Radio Planners proposing and designing a

potential route for network expansion. The Radio Planners issue nominals.

….then enters the Site Acquisition teams. These are amalgamations of engineers,

realtors, architects and drivers and their motto is “Get that Site!!” Once a search area

for the proposed Network expansion has been identified, it then falls squarely on the

shoulders of the Site Acquisition team to do the job of negotiating rental agreements

with potential landlords. Once the property agent has located a suitable candidate and

has had the same approved by the Radio planner, a multi-skilled site visit (MSV) is

organized comprising the Radio and Transmission planners, draftsmen, civil, structural

and electrical engineers. This MSV team has the role of making the final decision as to

the exact location and size of the proposed GSM site.

Upon successful completion of the MSV the property agent then agrees on the final

rental terms with the landlord and these are then embodied in an Agreement to Lease

which sets out the basic terms and conditions by which Safaricom and the Landlord will

be bound by and is in essence a contractual commitment to lease to us a defined area of

his land for our use. In some cases the negotiations are complex and the landlords may

make demands based on myth e.g. requesting 0.5 million shillings per annum in rent for


approximately 20 m2 of their otherwise unproductive rooftop.

Before the ink on the lease agreement even dries the Rollout Managers command their

loyal forces in to battle and the time frame for civil works is set and strictly adhered to

under the table supervision of the construction supervisors who traverse the country

ensuring that all key construction deadlines are met.….failing which….the seldom heard

but dreaded leader of the Implementation Department lets loose his wrath. The work is

then completed within hours and peace returns to the fold. The end product is the site

you see in your neighborhood and a Smiling satisfied Customer.

Radio Planning and Optimization

Objective

The department‟s objective is to ensure the services offered by Safaricom meet customer

expectations.

Roles and Responsibilities

Monitor network KPI‟s daily, investigate any issues and follow up to resolution.

Do both drive and walk tests on voice and data services to capture accurately the

subscribers‟ experience.

Carry out radio planning and step by step optimization of the whole network.

Check for any effects arising from implementation of any work-order potentially

affecting the network

Sections

1. Network Quality Support

2. RP & O Regional Teams

3. 3G Radio Planning and Optimization

http://safintranet/index.php?id=902




1. Network Quality Support

Functions

1. Voice and Data Quality Support

To improve customer satisfaction, Safaricom has to ensure the network is of the

desired quality. The voice and data services quality services support team is

charged with the responsibility of providing support to voice and data services

within the network. This team uses drive and walk test tools to reproduce customer

experience and make end to end tests. The team receives input from customer

management on network issues.

2. Monitoring and Investigations

The monitoring and investigations team monitors the performance of network

elements using a performance database. The team then determines if the problem is

due to hardware fault or network capacity/quality as explained in the functions

below.

3. Database Support

The database support team is responsible for the development of RP&O software

tools to suit applications as may be requested by the sub-sections in RP&O.Other

roles are automation of recurrent processes, maintenance of RP&O servers, access

policies and documentation of all tools developed.

The functions and activities carried out by the teams in their roles are:-

Automation of Processes through the Cell Base System.

Writing scripts that assist in data processing.

Managing databases while checking the consistency of data.

Administration of RPO servers.

Administration of RPO systems.

Support of ATOLL planning tool users.

Providing Training on RPO systems.

Automation of reports


2. RP & O Regional Teams

Within the department, planning and optimization functions for the network are

divided into teams.

Functions

1. Network planning and design functions

a) Optimization Planning

b) Coverage Desktop Planning

c) Capacity and Quality Site Desktop Planning

d) Area search and Visits.

e) Prioritization Planning

f) Detailed Radio Frequency Design

g) Multi skilled visits

h) Final site design

g) Network optimization functions

2. Network optimization.

In this role the following functions are carried out.

Identify the area to be optimized.

Using statistics poorly performing sites in the area to be optimized are

identified.

Initial drive tests are then carried out to identify the cause of the problems.

The team also carries out audits on sites.

Hardware investigations using a troubleshooting process.

Capacity changes as appropriate via changes to the network database.


3G Radio Planning and Optimization

The 3G RP&O team is plans and optimizes the safaricom 3G network by carrying out the

following functions:-

1. 3G Radio Network Planning

Activities carried out in the process are:-

Planning tool updates on site database and predictions.

Planning of new and current 3G sites configuration.

Analyzing problematic areas and preparing pre-optimization proposals.

Proposing DT Routes tuning from predicted problems.

Calibrations by updating Prediction models from DT.

Following up 2G network changes to be applied to the 3G network.

The deliverables from the above activities are:-

Prediction Maps of Network Coverage and Quality.

New and current sites radio Configuration.

Pre-optimization proposals created from predictions.

Updated 3G settings from 2G changes.

2. 3G Radio Network Performance Monitoring


KPI Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting.

Tracing Network for troubleshooting and reporting.

Identifying, reporting and tracking worst performing Cells.

Network performance alarm checkup.

The deliverables from the above activities are:-

Network Performance Reports.

SWAP trace reports.

Worst performing Cells report.


3. 3G Radio Network Optimization


Carrying out drive tests after a network process.

Analyzing and evaluating air interface performance.

SWAP DT reporting follow-up, analysis and acceptance.

Customers complains visits, analysis and reporting

Carrying out drive tests for the worst performing cells identified by the network

performance monitoring

Transmission Network Planning and optimisation

The section‟s key tasks are:

They develop designs for connections to be created. They evaluate the current

bandwidth requirements as well as plan for the future (growth). They choose the

transmission media (e.g. Radio, VSAT, fiber optic and leased lines) and equipment

to use. They also decide the protection to use e.g. 1+0 or 1+1

They decide where to place the equipment and what frequencies to use incase of

radio transmission.

They monitor to ensure that what was planned and designed for is implemented

without alterations and to the letter. They maintain a „database‟ of all links (current

and planned). They maintain the routing database which provides information of

all the connections that exist in the network. This is a database of links i.e. A

database of how to get to an end point given a starting point. It also shows the

redundancy route(s) and the number of hops required in each route.

Field Operations (FO)

Functions of the section

1. Maintaining network availability at 99.7%

2. Doing preventive maintenance of all network elements on a monthly basis

3. General execution of all works orders from NM and other departments.


4. Responding to Trouble Tickets (TT) mainly from the NMC.

5. Working with the contractors to clear faults existing in the sites

6. KPLC meter reading for all the sites.

3. PLACEMENT

While on my internship, I was placed at different sections on weekly basis of

which my responsibility was to learn and and clear any work load that had

accumulated with time.

WEEK ONE AND TWO Telecom implementation

Studies on gsm overview

Site acceptance

Data work

Site visits

WEEK THREE, FOUR AND FIVE 2G Radio planning

Exposed to:

Theory behind gsm physical and logical channels

Use of MySQL access and cell base application in radio planning

Use of atoll and TEMS applications

Monitoring and improvement of Key Performance Indicators

Determination of cell performances

Generation of parameters for a new site

Use of network Management System / radio commander, RC log and BSS

performance statistics

Application of the Er Lang B formular

Data work

WEEK SIX Radio Transmission


Got exposed to:

Link design basing on bandwidth requirement, transmission media and

protection mode

Link planning

Monitor of planned, designed links and their implementation

Maintaining a database of all the links

Site visits

Application of the Nyquist sampling theorem

WEEK SEVEN 3G radio planning

Got exposed to:

KPI Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting.

Tracing Network for troubleshooting and reporting

Identifying, reporting and tracking worst performing Cells

Network performance alarm checkups.

Drive test around kisumu town and carrying out an analysis.

Data work

WEEK EIGHT Acquisition

Stages involved in sites acquisition which includes

Nominal report to

ROF 1

↓

MSV to ROF 5

submission


↓

ROF 5 submission

to

ROF 9 submission

→

ROF 9 to lease

submission

Challenges involved during the process of site acquisition that involves:

Rejection of requested heights by KCAA

Having deceased landlords

Lack of titles

File work

WEEK NINE Civil work

Physical filing of all drawings, structural reports, optional identifications

Documents for new and existing sites.

Scanning of drawings, geotechnical reports, and optimization drawings

Site acceptance

WEEK TEN Power installation

The general channel of power to the sites and in the site

Installed a kplc meter in the meter board

Kplc power installation process

Operation of a megger instrument

Modes of achieving proper grounding/ earthing values


Site visits

WEEK ELEVEN acquisition

Creation of KCAA approvals, NEMA environmental audits databases

file work

WEEK ELEVEN Field

Got introduced to the field section and briefed of the the general responsibility of field

officers that comprises of:

Network maintance

Doing preventive maintenance of all network elements

General execution of works orders from NM and other departments.

Respond to Trouble Tickets (TT) mainly from the NMC.

Working with the contractors to clear faults existing in the sites

KPLC meter reading for in sites.

Application of the Local Maintance Terminal (LMT) , site master, keypad,

binoculars and Inclinometer

4. PRESENTATIONS / WORKSHOPS

Radio access workshop

Roadmap gsm/edge

Flexi Bsc – market leading bsc

Evolution towards IP

Flexi multi radio

SW solution from NSN

Next Release RG20

Optimi x environment

Antenna characteristics to consider in RF designs

5.PICTURES OF ASSIGNMENTS TAKEN


Picture one

Z:\Implementation\SITE ACQUISITION\SITE ACQUISITION\Statutory

Approvals\Planning Approvals


Picture two

NEMA database

Link allocation database


Power section tracking sheet update

6.PICTURES OF THE APPLICATIONS LEARNT

Atoll toll used in radio planning

BSS performance


7.CONCLUSION

During my internship in safaricom limited company, the company offered me a

challenging environment that calls for total Dedication, Creativity, Implementation of

projects, Evaluation and Decision making. It gave me an opportunity to maximize my

efforts towards achieving my goals in telecommunication as well as the organization‟s

and helped me advance towards my career maturity and excellence. I go ahead to

enhance and implement all that I have learnt there and also advance my profession to a

higher level. I must also appreciate all my supervisors who have been very supportive

and corporative in teaching me and later on confirming that I had understood whatever I

had been taught. I feel very much motivated for the great things I learnt. Thank you very

much for giving me this great chance. I feel very much honoured.

safaricom report

Documents

g radio network planningii

network availability

network rollout2

g radio planning sites

proposed network expansion

site acquisition teams

proposed gsm site

safaricom internship