Deploying a network inventory system ahead major investments

Case study ASTA-NET

About the project

ASTA-NET is a medium-sized telecommunications provider and has been operating on the market for 30 years. There are more than 80 thousand households within the operator’s reach, and it provides its services in West Pomeranian and Greater Poland voivodeships.

Find out how ASTA-NET has improved telecommunications network and service management with NetStork, a network inventory system. 

Contents:

Industry: Telecommunications
Country: Poland

ASTA-NET is a medium-sized telecommunications provider and has been operating on the market for 30 years. There are more than 80 thousand households within the operator’s reach, and it provides its services in West Pomeranian and Greater Poland voivodeships.

ASTA-NET in the telecommunications market

According to reports of the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE), local telecommunications operators provide services to 20% of domestic Internet users. ASTA-NET stands out among small and medium-sized telecommunications operators.

The company is on the market since 1989 and provides services to over 50,000 individual and business customers in two neighbouring regions in Poland: Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) and West Pomerania (Zachodniopomorskie).

To maintain the position of one of the top service providers and be one step ahead of competitors, ASTA-NET needed to manage the growing number of information about their network, overhead and underground routes of telecommunication lines. Keeping this data in a structured form and in one place is crucial in order to plan, model and maintain services. And for that, a network inventory system is essential. Globema, a Polish IT company with over 20 years of solid experience in creating network inventory software, offered ASTA-NET a system designed for small and medium-sized operators – NetStork.

How it all started, how long did it take to implement NetStork, what challenges occurred, and, finally, how ASTA-NET benefited from using NetStork?

Challenges

Support for investments

To expand and provide high quality services, ASTA-NET participates in programs co-financed by the European Union and local government institutions. One of them is the Operational Programme Digital Poland (POPC).
ASTA-NET won 4 contracts in POPC. The common goal is to provide universal access to fast Internet and to eliminate territorial differences. To deliver broadband Internet, two technologies are used: Next-generation Access (NGA) and Fiber to the Home (FTTH). The total value of the investments is valued at 180 million PLN.
ASTA-NET received financing for modernization of two areas: Zachodniopomorskie and Wielkopolskie. The other example is Wielkopolska Broadband Network, a program assuming the digitization of the Wielkopolska region by providing internet connectivity to public institutions and private recipients. The main goal of the project is to level out the differences in the standard of living between the inhabitants of large and smaller towns and rural regions.

What challenges did ASTA-NET face?

Before implementing NetStork, ASTA-NET already had experience with a different network inventory system. However, as the number of customers increased, the tool was no longer sufficient – it was time for a new solution, more tailored to the company’s needs. And (yes, you’ve guessed it) NetStork was the choice! When ASTA-NET reached out to Globema with a request for proposal in September 2018, the operator provided services to over 45,000 subscribers. With the investments planned, it was obvious the number would quickly increase (predictably by 17,000 in 2021).

ASTA-NET was searching for a tool that would not only help to document and manage the network, but also to design and plan development and new network investments. The company had big plans for their business!

Services planned by the end of 2021 in numbers:

41 K internet connections for households

2,5 K kilometers of new network

215 internet connections for educational institutions

31 new nodes

Solution

NetStork supports ASTA-NET’s network inventory system

With such broad development plans, ASTA-NET needed a strong solution to support their requirements. NetStork, an easy-to-use app for modelling & managing fiber, coax and copper networks and their topology, was a perfect fit.

The system can be used by both technicians operating in the field and inventory staff at the office – every employee has access to the same, always up-to-date database.

NetStork supports all key processes: from designing and planning to network’s maintenance:

How did NetStork help?

Modeling of different types of networks

The system supports inventory of insides Plant equipment, urban or regional network, various telecom for technology (GPON – FTTx, copper, ethernet, HFC cable and radio network), modeling of different types of networks, with a wide range of technologies, ASTA-NET can plan network’s expansion in areas that are difficult to access for cable networks. With NetStork support of HFC technology, the operator can inventory both Internet and TV services.

Entering data into the system

With this feature, ASTA-NET can easily update network information, e.g. by entering data during visits to the field as well as stationary, migrating it from external sources and network updates back in the office. Inventory and update of field data can be performed on a mobile device with GPS for object positioning. NetStork is also able to perform automatic data migration from DWG and DXF documentation.

Support for various map data types

A wide range of map bases allows ASTA NET employees to present data according to current needs or accepted company’s internal standards. They can use Google Maps, Geoportal, WMS, DWG, rasters, ready-made WMS and WMTS interface for connecting any online map services.

Fieldwork

NetStork supports ASTA-NET’s fieldwork as a part of the process of inventory or network maintenance.

Mobile mode

The application has a tablet mode. It provides cooperation with GPS built-in or connected to a tablet or laptop to download coordinates od entered point objects. NetStork is equipped with the function of data synchronization from many devices to one database.

Outage location

NetStork is adapted to read measurement files from the reflectometer and use the measurement data. With this feature, ASTA-NET technicians can easily locate an outage or other important location on the network. After indicating a selected point on a measurement chart made from a selected location (ODF, connector), NetStork displays on the map the place in the network corresponding to the measured point, highlighting a green path on the map.

UKE reports

UKE is Office of Electronic Communications in Poland, supervising the telecommunications services and interveing in issues and complaints – the yearly report is mandatory. NetStork allows you to define attributes for network objects required by UKE reports.

Get more information about NetStork

How the implementation went?

1

We started by verifying and evaluating the format and amount of data stored in the tool used so far. This was necessary – we had to create a tool for automatic data transfer.

2

The next steps were delivery and installation of the NetStork standard version.

3

After that, we migrated the data and checked accuracy and quality.

4

Very important step: NetStork was enhanced with customized, additional modules requested by ASTA-NET so the system was even more tailored to their needs

5

We conducted product training for two teams/groups: people responsible for stationary network’s status monitoring and for field workers.

Training included:

  • Inventory of the telecommunications network 
  • Network diagrams 
  • Analysis of data 
  • UKE Report Generator
  • Defining network elements and dictionaries 
  • Import and export of data 
  • Printouts and reports
  • Administrative tasks

When implementing NetStork in the ASTA-NET’s environment, we came across some difficulties:

How time constraints influenced implementation?

The final process of data migration had to take no longer than 2 days, in order not to affect the current operational activities of the operator. To meet this challenge, our developers prepared a special migration tool based on the format of data stored in the existing system.

To make sure that the tool is working properly, we’ve run several test migrations for data of different formats.

What new modules did we implement?

Due to widely planned investments and new requirements for the network inventory system, we introduced many additional modifications to NetStork after it was launched in the production environment. These are the most important features we created:

Configuration of technical objects in different contexts

it allows for entering data necessary during design. The following description contexts have been introduced in the application: infrastructure diagram, cable diagram, calls, object report, fiber merger report, hierarchy, map, editor (switching fields), search engine.

Design, construction documentation, leases

allow the combination of objects in categories, projects and sub-projects. Each step can have its own technical documentation.

Bulk object editing

Modernized charging and raster management model

How ASTA-NET benefits from using NetStork?

What processes have we improved?

Improved network operation

With fast access to network diagrams, connections and fiber occupation visualization, ASTA-NET’s technical staff can see to what extent customers are using particular resources. This allows for easier investment planning, from simple crossovers to network extensions.

Competitive advantage

With a holistic view of the scope and presence of services, it is easy to identify potential new customers and possible network extensions as well as build a strong position and competitive advantage.

Efficient, error-free fieldwork

By using NetStork on mobile devices, ASTA-NET field workers can keep track of the status of expanded network elements. There is no need to rewrite information on paper, which reduces the risk of mistakes. By simply marking the completion of the elements, the operator knows if there are any delays in the work schedule.

Network planning and expansion in one tool

With NetStork, ASTA-NET is able to model its network using just one tool – without synchronizing between different systems, worrying about data consistency. The modelling takes into account both external infrastructure elements (cables, couplers, splitters, cabinets, etc.) and the visualisation of service delivery inside buildings.

Network acceptance

The function of visualizing the path of services allows to check whether the assumed plans were implemented, providing access to information such as: signal direction based on crossovers, signal strength based on reflectometer measurements, including telecommunications network attenuation parameters.

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