Nokia Siemens' new solution to upgrade existing networks

MANILA, Philippines - The Nokia Siemens Networks has launched the Self Organizing Network (SON) suite to fully automate the so called Long Term Evolution (LTE) or 4G network set-up and operations in improving the operational efficiency of existing networks.

Riina Luoma, marketing manager of Nokia Siemens Networks, explained in a press presentation at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati recently that SON will benefit both the customer and the service provider.

Customers, she said, will enjoy clear and reliable connection at any location and the service providers gets considerable operating cost reduction through automation.

The SON suite is an all-in-one hybrid offering that extends over the operational scope of a centralized, distributed and localized self organizing network.

The SON suite for the LTE comprises SON Plug and Play, which provides secure automated integration of base stations into the network, Automated Neighbor Relations (ANR) and the first phase of Self-Healing SON for LTE, to be complemented at a later stage by features like mobility robustness, load balancing, power saving and multitasking SON.

These functions can be summarized in three classes of key roles.

First, the Self-Configuration function that performs all the necessary tasks in automating the deployment and commissioning of networks and the configuration of the parameters including the linking up and swapping parameters with need-to-know neighbors.

Next is the Self-Optimization function that serves to improve and recover network quality by tuning network parameters on the fly and brokering handovers and balancing load among neighboring cells.

Third is the Self-Healing function which covers a set of key tasks that includes detection, root cause analysis, and outage mitigation mechanisms designed to cope with major service interruptions. The auto-restart and other automatic alarm features give the network operator faster response options.

In her presentation, Luoma said that SON has real-time ability to balance loads between cells and distribute bandwidth equitably among users in congested traffic. It can also automate power savings at times of low traffic.

Luoma stressed that the strong and robust algorithms developed from years of experience of Nokia-Siemens in network optimization and automation will ensure that SON will deliver real benefit to both operators and end users.