TelEm Group this week put into service new hardware and software that will greatly enhance the quality of service it provides to fixed and mobile voice and data customers.
Personnel in the company’s Network Operations Center (NOC) can now monitor, in real time, various network elements throughout the company and the island, via a giant video wall that is able to display many troubleshooting and monitoring features.
Until now, the video wall has been a missing component of the five-year-old NOC center, where technicians and engineers constantly monitor TelEm Group’s several telecommunication networks and respond to any alarms that are raised on the networks.
“We have been able to monitor the networks from desktops computers individually until now, but with our video wall installed, several of us can collaborate on one screen to identify a problem, trace its source and dispatch the correct persons to rectify any problems,” said Manager, Network Operations, Mr. Julien Lake.
He said customers can expect quicker response to network issues that can arise at any given time. He expects this to result in an overall improvement of the quality of service his department can provide for customers once his technical team begin utilizing the new hardware and software tools.
The video wall presently consists of six 55” high-definition monitors interlaced to form one major viewing surface area.
“We can see full geographic representations of our cell sites, various connection and distribution points and other important sites all identified with green “Go” lights,” said Mr. Lake.
He said in the event of a problem the green light(s) will turn to red indicating that attention is required in that area.
“Our job is to have no red on our video wall and to instantly respond once any red light comes on,” continued the Manager, NOC Center.
He said the newly installed software is smart enough to give the “all clear” once a problem has been resolved, stating that the software will also continue monitoring the trouble spot for a pre-specified amount of time until it is satisfied the problem has been fixed and will not re-occur.
The new system was installed by Dutch company, Mauell, whose Project Manager, Henk van Soest, has also been providing training to workers in the NOC department keen to put the new equipment through its paces.
Mr. Soest also believes the installation will benefit customers, who in many cases, may not even realize a problem has occurred if it can be headed off in time by the technical staff monitoring the various networks and systems.
TelEm Group CEO, Mr. Kendall Dupersoy, said the evolution of technology and the essential part it plays in everyday lives makes a fully functioning Network Operations Center a central part of any telecommunication company that strives to give nothing less than excellent quality of service to its customers.
“Systems and services are being developed now that must be operational around the clock, therefore we have to have the right equipment and personnel in place so that we can provide the quality of service that our residential and business customers require,” said Mr. Dupersoy.