Mobile Telephony: Cooperation between MicroNova and atesio

With atesio GmbH as partner, MicroNova is expanding its portfolio in the field of automated RAN configuration and optimization with functionalities for Self Organizing Networks (SON). The aim is to significantly increase the degree of automation in RAN management and to create the basis for a service-oriented RAN management system.

Adjusting hundreds of parameters at tens of thousands of mobile radio stations several times a day is a constant challenge for network operators – but necessary to ensure the availability and performance of connections. Factors that affect the configuration include weather phenomena, major events, times of day, and so on. The complexity of and demands on networks will increase dramatically with the introduction of 5G and the associated diversity of new services; this is true both in terms of quality and performance as well as flexibility of the networks.

The aforementioned flexibility in particular requires – under assured Quality of Service (QoS) – largely automated provision of services in the network, including integrated control loops à la Service-Oriented Network (SON). “Campus networks” that companies operate on their premises are also interconnected and hence require powerful management systems. With COM5.Mobile, MicroNova offers a corresponding solution set that has been tried and tested for many years and that is used by Telefónica and Vodafone, among others, in Germany.

Working with atesio, MicroNova is opening up further potential for automation and optimization in RAN management. The aim is to keep the number of manual configurations stable or – where possible – even reduce them despite the increase in the number of parameters and operations. “Mistakes happen more easily when humans have to intervene in such environments. Mobile networks are too dynamic to shoulder the responsibility for reliable network operation without powerful management systems,” explains Dr. Klaus Eder, COO of MicroNova AG. “It is all the more important to control the necessary processes in a structured manner using software and, at the same time, to continue to progress with automation. In our collaboration with atesio, we see excellent opportunities to do just that.”

Automation with KI

A spin-off of the internationally active research institution ‘Zuse Institute Berlin’ (ZIB), atesio has extensive expertise in the optimization and automation of software-driven processes in telecommunications. The company’s rich experience extends from Radio Access Networks (RAN) to transport networks and the core network.

“MicroNova has been working to great success with two of the three major mobile telephony players in Germany for many years. The company’s solutions prove themselves in tough, dynamic everyday use. We are delighted to be able to help open up new areas of automation for COM5 with our contribution,” explains Dr. Andreas Eisenblätter, Managing Director of atesio GmbH. “With MicroNova we are planning to increase our use of AI for service assurance and operational network optimization, which will benefit network operators and, above all, their end customers.”