INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT
By maintaining network sites, SIM addresses a cost center that represents 50-60% of a carrier’s yearly network operation and maintenance expenses. We help maintain “passive” elements of a carrier’s network to ensure that “active” elements – radio, transmission, switching, routing, and server equipment – are kept in a suitable operating environment.
SIM engages experienced field support engineers and technicians to maintain the reliability and availability of all “passive” infrastructure of the network. We abide by strict service levels to reduce site risks and minimize downtime in challenging conditions and locations.
Our managed infrastructure support solution is well-suited for Clients who out-task or outsource the maintenance of “active” elements of their networks to equipment vendors. These Tier-3 services help them:
- Control significant elements of network operational expenditure and improve budget predictability
- Improve customer service-levels and revenues by reducing outages
- Introduce a single point of contact to consolidate all existing site outsourcing and out-tasking agreements
Learn more about this Solution
Description
SIM’s site support services ensure that buildings, shelters, towers and structures of network switching, radio, transmission, routing, and server sites are serviced, powered, cooled, secured, and kept in proper operating condition. SIM provides field staff to maintain “passive” elements of the infrastructure and keep them in a constant state of operation. We provide site workforce to act upon network incidents, trouble events, or to perform routine/scheduled operation and maintenance tasks on site infrastructure elements, in compliance with agreed upon service KPIs.
SIM provides the resourcing, inventory and spare parts management, repair, security and access control, testing, and reporting capabilities that relieves carriers from site activities that are costly and often difficult to manage efficiently.
Benefits
Operational expenditure (Opex) related to site maintenance often accounts for 50-60% of all network OPEX. Also, inefficient handling of site support activities, shortens the replacement cycle of “passive” network elements, which in turn increases yearly Capital expenditure (Capex). By deploying our managed site support solution, we deliver to our clients:
- Better control over field support budgets
- Reduction in site outages
- Rapid and efficient handling of incidents
- Reduced operational and capital expenses
- Better positioning for future site sharing initiatives (through the introduction of SIM as a trusted third party (TTP) managing the sites)
Services
Our managed infrastructure support solution offers Tier-3 (field) support services to our clients:
1. Facilities management and support
SIM engages teams of field engineers and technicians to operate and maintain client network facilities in response to specific network incidents and events, or as per pre-established schedules. Our staff helps diagnose incidents that are related to network facilities and take action to keep them in proper conditions of operation.
Our services are performed on contracted segments of the network and in compliance with contracted service level agreements (SLAs). These SLAs specify incident or trouble management procedures – diagnosis and resolution – as well as the frequency and scope of routine operation and maintenance procedures. Our site support staff interact closely with NOC staff as well as Client or third party field staff assigned to support other elements of the network.
Specifically, we will:
- Ensure that physical security systems are functional and operational
- Provide physical surveillance (guards) where applicable/needed
- Maintain and repair structures, cooling and environment-control systems, and other electro-mechanical systems
- Ensure compliance with agreed-upon HSE standards
- Maintain spare parts inventory
- Test repaired elements and maintain test data
- Provide field data to network inventory staff
- Produce standard or custom reports
2. Site power operation and maintenance
SIM’s field workforce includes power engineers and technicians to ensure that sites’ primary and backup power equipment are maintained at adequate levels of operation. While SIM’s field interventions sometimes occur in response to incidental power outages, they are mainly preventive in nature and in accordance with well established schedules. Our staff also help diagnose outage incidents or performance-drop events.
The scope of our engagement depends on contracted services. SIM can perform end-to-end operation and maintenance of site power systems, including the routine re-fueling of back-up generators.
Specifically, we will:
- Routinely inspect power sources
- Maintain primary and back-up power generators
- Maintain “green” power equipment: Photo-voltaic cells, wind turbines
- Re-fuel generators
- Maintain, swap or replace DC batteries
- Ensure compliance with agreed-upon HSE standards
- Maintain spare parts inventory
- Test power generators and batteries and maintain test data
- Provide field data to network inventory staff
- Produce standard or custom reports
