Cisco Powers MTS' Networks through its Expertise, Virtualization Technology
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Cisco Powers MTS' Networks through its Expertise, Virtualization Technology

CIO Review

FREMONT, CA: Cisco partners with MTS, a telecommunication services provider, to update and extend its networking expertise to MTS networks. The self-optimizing network (SON) solution developed by Cisco will allow MTS to automate network optimization in real-time to improve the voice and data quality services. Furthermore, Cisco is also focusing on development of virtualization and programmability solutions for networks.

The SON solution automatically analyzes network element’s load and performs online adjustments to network parameters. The solution significantly improves the network performance and directly impacts the subscriber’s experience by dynamically adapting the network capacity in line with subscriber traffic profile changes.

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Currenly, the technology is being successfully deployed for MTS’s 3G network operaions in Moscow and will be soon gets extended to  LTE networks and will then optimize heterogeneous networks including small cells. MTS is planning to introduce similar systems in other regions of the Russian Federation as well.

Simultaneously, Cisco’s new Network Functions Virtualization infrastructure (NFVi) combines the physical and virtual aspects of a network. Moreover, the solution also includes the infrastructure that is necessary to compute, store and run NFV services.  The new NFVi system is a compliment of the company’s Virtualized Packer Core, which combines all mobile packet core services —for 4G, 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, and small cell networks—into a single solution. Provided those network functions as virtualized services, it is easy to scale capacity and introduce new services much faster and more cost-effectively. The NFVi can help network carriers in improving their operations through more controlled and smaller maintenance windows.

The Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cisco’s Cloud and Virtualization Group, Gee Rittenhouse stated that this solution is another step in delivering on the company’s strategy for open, modular and expandable network architecture.

"MTS is the first Russian operator to adopt and fully deploy a SON solution designed to dynamically optimize its networks. The solution significantly improves the network performance and directly impacts our subscribers’ experience. When used under heavy loads, Cisco’s SON solution helped to increase data speed on average by 20%, network availability by 25%, and decrease dropped calls by about 10%. It enables MTS to both improve the quality of services and reduce the network build-up costs through optimization of base station interoperation,” said Andrei Ushatskiy, Vice President, Chief Technology and Information Officer, MTS.

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