NSC ensured all 5G programme delivery targets were met successfully, on time and on budget.

The client

Our client is a leading UK digital communications company. To them, we provide managed professional services, project management and delivery, and technical design and build services, including IP design, IP build and network security design.

The challenge

The UK mobile network market is advanced and highly competitive with four main network operators. The biggest global challenge currently is the deployment of next generation 5G services and capabilities. 5G is considered a game-changer in the industry and will support the rollout and development of potentially groundbreaking services (many based on IoT, such as autonomous vehicles, intelligent buildings, secure intelligent private networks).

Our client needed to rapidly design and deploy a ‘Non Stand Alone’ (NSA) 5G network capability in order to maintain its prominent position in the UK market, and avoid losing ground to its competitors. This needed to efficiently utilise existing network assets for the shortest time to ‘go-live’.

The solution

NSC’s experienced project delivery and technical staff played key roles in making this happen. As members of our client’s 5G programme delivery team, NSC Project Managers led the implementation of the 5G rollout based on Nokia and Ericsson technology. They also oversaw the critical work to ready the client operational organisation to adequately support the new solution in service once deployed.

In addition NSC’s managed service capability meant that the client could be confident that the resources provided by NSC were thoroughly proficient in:

• Reporting and communicating progress
• Managing risks and issues around the projects
• Managing requirements and scope
• Managing the budget and forecast
• Delivering in accordance with the client’s own best practice
• Challenging the status quo and constantly looking for innovative means of improving efficiency and speed

NSC technical designers brought market-leading network technology expertise to the programme, providing high-quality, high-level detailed designs for each solution. They worked closely with the technology providers to ensure that the new solutions could be integrated seamlessly and with minimum disruption into the client network.

These activities have the potential to cause enormous operational and reputational damage for the client in the marketplace if they go wrong, so NSC’s ability to provide the most proficient and knowledgeable staff, with years of experience of designing and handling critical changes to the client network, was key to the programme’s success.

Our client’s relationship with NSC meant they could take advantage of the longerterm benefits of having in-house staff as well as the flexibility to scale staffing levels up or down based on market conditions.

The results

NSC ensured all delivery targets were met successfully, on time and on budget:

Milestone 1 – First site in the live network for capability validation
First site integration (FSI) in the live network capable of 5G device attach. 125 mbps embb (enhanced mobile broadband) throughput recorded onsite.

Milestone 2 – Public launch
5G service available in the capital cities (Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London), Slough and Leeds and up to 250 mbps embb (enhanced mobile broadband) capability introduced.

Milestone 3 – Additional cities and capabilities
5G service in 10 major cities nationwide including the West (Vodafone managed) of the country. This meant a quid pro quo agreement with Vodafone whereby Vodafone 5G service was to be provided and supported (as 4G is) in the East, leading to a number of last-minute changes to support this without missing the deadlines.