Mobile Broadband Network Ltd (MBNL), the network joint-venture between Three and Everything Everywhere, has completed a network sharing and consolidation project across the UK. The project, which is managed by Ericsson, consolidates more than 12,000 sites of the two operators into a common infrastructure. Everything Everywhere is the new company that runs Orange and T-Mobile in the UK.
Thanks to this active network consolidation project, all 3G sites, transmitters, base station equipment and backhaul connected to the operator’s core networks are now fully configured for high speed mobile broadband access. Alongside the customer benefits, Three and Everything Everywhere will see significant savings and environment benefits because of network sharing. This has included the switching off of more than 5,000 sites – more than 2,000 of which have already been fully decommissioned – as part of a project recognized as the largest and most successful integration of two live networks to have occurred anywhere in the world.
Under the five-year managed service contract announced in February 2009, Ericsson is the primary service provider for the project and was responsible for network design and deployment, building of sites, capacity management, equipment swaps and vital upgrades. Ericsson said the consolidation work started in February 2009 and was completed in October 2010. This was done while keeping the two networks running smoothly during the project, which also saw Ericsson deliver the all-important cost and efficiency savings.
Magnus Mandersson, Head of Business Unit Global Services, Ericsson, said: “This was an unparalleled and quite complex managed services and systems integration consolidation project. Its success shows the benefits to partners of network sharing and reflects a new business model that the industry can learn a great deal from. All the partners involved in this network sharing project – not least T-Mobile and Three customers – have all emerged as winners. I’m proud of our success and look forward to supporting and advising MBNL as their managed services partner.”http://www.ericsson.com
- Earlier this month, Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom completed their UK merger transaction, combining T-Mobile UK and Orange into the UK’s leading mobile operator. It will have a combined mobile customer base of around 28.4 million, representing approximately 37 percent of UK mobile subscribers.
- In November 2008, Mobile Broadband Network Limited (MBNL), the 50:50 joint venture formed by 3UK and T-Mobile UK to manage the integration of both operators’ 3G radio access networks (RAN), has awarded Ericsson a four-year managed services contract for the operation and maintenance of the consolidated network. Under the deal, Ericsson has responsibility for the operation and performance management of both parent companies’ 3G networks and T-Mobile’s 2G RAN infrastructure.
- In December 2007, T-Mobile UK and 3 UK pooled their 3G network infrastructure in a 50:50 joint venture company, Mobile Broadband Network Ltd. (MBNL). The network sharing requires fewer masts, consumes less energy and provides customers with greater mobile broadband coverage.