It used to be simpler, and by tradition, even construction companies sometimes get the overall responsibility to project manage network deployments. But recent market developments have put project management in a new perspective.

Project management ties all activities together. No matter how carefully plans and contracts have been drawn up, if all aspects of the project are not expertly integrated and managed, a network deployment or technology transition could fail to meet the time schedule, overrun its budget or fall short in technical quality. For telecom operators, things have become far more complex than they used to be and increasingly large amounts are at stake if things don’t work as they should. Competition and financial pressures are tougher, the number of services and players involved makes the business models more complex, and multiple, ever-changing technologies are employed and supplied by a multitude of different vendors. To counter this, operators look for partners that can simplify the process for them and reduce their risk. They want more from fewer, and this is why operators now rethink who they trust to deploy and integrate their network.

To Nick Shanker, vice president Infrastructure Delivery at Ericsson North America, the US market bears witness to the renewed importance of efficient project management as key to reaching specific market goals. "The ability to deliver next-generation services is very much driving competition in mobile services,” Shanker says.
 
A leading US operator has trusted Ericsson to migrate its network from 2G to 3G technology in order to offer mobile broadband in sharp competition with operators already launching high-speed data services using other technologies.

“For this operator it is crucial to get high-speed services to market in time, otherwise it will be noticed immediately in lost revenues. A delayed launch is unacceptable."

This heating up of the market is being felt throughout the US, where network deployment projects must meet ever shorter lead times and sharper deadlines. Ericsson manages a multi-vendor project entailing site development for some 5000-6000 sites nationwide to be upgraded to 3G which has already seen an increase in productivity of the number of sites produced over time.

Building an advanced mobile network is not just another large construction project where general project experience is enough. Shanker says: "It takes genuine telecom expertise to fully understand all the aspects of this complex business. It must be built with a lifecycle perspective in mind. A telecom supplier doesn’t leave the job when the rollout is completed – we will still be there to guarantee functionality and quality. We feel that our customers realize the value of a supplier that not only project manages equipment it knows intimately, but also has a very long experience of the very nature of their business."

So what are the specific competitive advantages that make operators turn to telecom suppliers such as Ericsson to oversee network deployment and integration projects?

The answer, Shanker says, is: “Trust and the ability to deliver on time. Site development has more to do with wireless technology than pouring concrete. A telecom supplier has a vested interest in getting it right from the start. If the work is done correctly, we don’t have to maintain a bad solution afterwards.

“To have project systems and tools in-house to plan, design and tune the systems in an expedient manner makes it possible to speed-up delivery time considerably,” Shanker says. “In a project in Dallas, the customer acknowledged that Ericsson had produced two times the number of sites per week compared to a competing supplier.”

Other overall advantages are Ericsson´s hands-on experience from operating networks, and knowledge from integration of telecom, IT and media – all based on multi-vendor and multi-technology competencies. Ericsson is locally present through 18,000 service professionals in more than 140 countries. Being a global supplier, Ericsson manages partners and suppliers, and has a purchasing power few can match. Competence transfer is a natural part of network deployments, and Ericsson is also the leading telecom training provider in the world.