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Structure and management of very large TETRA project. Seppo Seitsonen, JP-Epstar Ltd. tel +358 9 682 6696, email seppo.seitsonen@poyry.fi. Introduction. Describtion on how a nationwide and shared professional mobile radio project has been succesfully managed in Finland
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Structure and management of very large TETRA project Seppo Seitsonen, JP-Epstar Ltd. tel +358 9 682 6696, email seppo.seitsonen@poyry.fi Management of large TETRA project
Introduction • Describtion on how a nationwide and shared professional mobile radio project has been succesfully managed in Finland • Conclusions are personal views of the authors and are not official views of Finland’s Ministry of Interior, or VIRVE Unit • Authors are JP-Epstar’s consultants, who have worked in the VIRVE project since early 1990s, and performed tasks such as • Identification of requirements • Costs analysis • Assistance in the procurement process i.e. RFQ preparation, evaluation of tenders, contract negotiations • Assistance in management of the implementation • Auditing network performance Management of large TETRA project
JP-Epstar • Independent telecommunications consulting and engineering company • Subsidiary of Jaakko Pöyry Group • Extensive experience in network based telecom business and projects, such as professional mobile radio systems for authorities and industries • www.epstar.fi, www.poyry.fi Management of large TETRA project
VIRVE Network today • Authority Network = “VIRVE” • 1200 Base stations • Nationwide coverage • 15 Switching centres • 200+ Dispatcher work stations • Capacity for 50 000 user/terminals • 22 000 users/terminals (2003), growing • Service is well accepted by users 1200 km Management of large TETRA project
VIRVEuser groups, public authorities Defence Forces Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Ministry of the Interior • Peacetime security operations • Inter-authority co-operation • Operations in Normal Conditions • Preparations for emergency situations • Police • Rescue Services • Frontier Guard Ministry of Transport and Communications Ministry of the Environment • Civil Aviation Authority • Meteorological Institute • Navigation Administration • Telecommunications administr. • Road Administration • National Broadcasting Company Ministry of Justice • Accident Investigation Agency Customs Authority Ministry for Foreign Affairs Prime Minister’s Office Ministry of Trade and Industry Other User Groups Office of the President of the Republic • Nat. Emergency Supply Agency • National Food Administration • Safety Technology Authority • Population Register Center • Technical Research Center of Finland Management of large TETRA project
Background of VIRVE-project Background • High number and dedicated emergency centers of police and rescue organisation were found inefficient and expensive • Separate and incompatible radio system of police and rescue caused several operational limitations Goals • Reduce number of emergency centers and make them common • Public safety organisation wanted to intensify their mutual cooperation • Ministries of Interior, Defence and Transport and Communications preferred a common radio communication system Management of large TETRA project
Phases of VIRVE project • Feasibility Evaluation • Identification of user requirements, technology evaluation, the first cost estimations. • Procurement • Preparation of the requirements for the VIRVE network, decisions concerning the scope of procurement, tendering and evaluation of tenders. • Implementation • Implementation of the network, terminal distribution and network testing. • Early Operation • Operation during the implementation phase. • Regular Operation • Operation when the most of the network had been implemented. Management of large TETRA project
Time schedule of VIRVE project Management of large TETRA project
Phase 1: Feasibility study phase • Ministy of Transport and Communications (neutral party) set up a project team • Most essential system requirements were managed communication within and between organisations, group call, fast call set up, encryption • Common view: A professional mobile radio system was required, cellular services do not meet requirements • No single organisation could set up the network • Ministry provides the network (investment), users pay for service (operational cost), ”normal” budget structure, outsourcing of the network operation Management of large TETRA project
Phase 2: Procurement phase • VIRVE project was moved to Ministry of Interior due to user organisations and easier budget allocations • A part time project team was not enough -> VIRVE Unit was established • Network tender: • Focus on network functionality and features for users • Technology not fixed • Operator tender: • Focus on implementation and operation of the network • Supplier information provided • Contracts and responsibilities (1997): VIRVE Unit, supplier, operator, users Management of large TETRA project
Phase-3: Procurement phase, contracts and responsibilities • VIRVE Unit • Design parameters for the network: coverage in different areas, capacity, interconnection • Network supplier • Installation and commissioning of the first two switches and 120 base stations • Maintenance support, software support • Network operator • Site acquisition, radio-network planning, • Trunk network, interconnection planning • Installation and commissioning of rest of base stations and switches, and Dispatcher WSs • Maintenance and user support • User organisations • Procurement of terminals • Implementation of VIRVE service in their own operations • Integration of control-room applications with the VIRVE service Management of large TETRA project
Phase-3: Procurement phase, conclusions • Much easier to obtain funding for the improvement of co-operation than for a new network • Funds for a full-time project organisation needed from beginning • With only two supplier candidates for each tender, real competition was maintained • Frame contracts signed with the supplier -> flexibility • Handling of terminals and user applications as separate projects made the network project simpler, less costly and easier to manage • Time pressuremeant that the contract for operator services had some inadequacies • Better contracts management if • Installation of the network and operation during the installation phase -> Two contracts for the installation period • Regular operation -> One contract at end of the installation phase (better knowledge) • TETRA systems were still prototypes -> extensive system testing was required Management of large TETRA project
Phase-4: Installation and early operation • Installation • 5 phases according to yearly budget allocations • System testing in Helsinki area -> difficult to get sites • Base station rollout went smoothly • Need for Dispatcher WS turned out to be much less • System testing • Terminals from several manaufacturers were missing • Tests made by different user groups were not coordinated well enough • Management centre • 24h network management and user support was established (run by VIRVE operator) • Terminals • Distributor was selected through an open tender • Implementation of VIRVE service • Planning of work processes took a lot of time • Availability of terminals which fulfilled requirements was delayed -> waiting • Group call feature in large area was not available -> problems in daily operations Management of large TETRA project
Phase-4: Installation and early operation, conclusions • Stronger coordination and guidance by VIRVE Unit could accelerate implementation of VIRVE service within user organisations • Today VIRVE network could be implemented in 3 years, instead of 5 years, cost savings as parallel systems are needed for shorter time • Users wanted to be sure that the service would meet their need before start using it, a 3.party quality audit of each part of the network might increase confidence • It is very important to arrange efficient handling of user fault reports, their analysis and provision of feedback -> increased confidence • Definition of usability of service is different for each user group -> implementation of the new services takes different amount of time in each organisation Management of large TETRA project
Phase-5: Regular operation • Complete network • 1200 base stations by end of 2002 • Capacity up to 50.000 user terminals • Network wide group call feature and data services • Wide range of compatible terminals • Routine VIRVE operation • Normal network maintenance, customer service, network performance monitoring • Right moment to specify operator tasks in detail, including performance indicators • Some open issues • Management of subscriber data, complete agreement with users • Application on packet data services • Network wide call recording service • Only average indoor coverage in cities, dedicated solutions needed for special sites • Usage based billing Management of large TETRA project
Project organisation of VIRVE activities (early operation phase) Ministry of Interior VIRVE Board Co-operation groups Operational Group VIRVE Unit Supplier Operator Technical Group Distributor National Regional VIRVE-executive groups VIRVE-executive groups VIRVE-executive groups VIRVE Executive groups Management of large TETRA project
Organisation of VIRVE activities (early operation phase) • VIRVE Board • Tasks: main decisions, project supervision • Members: ministry, main user groups • VIRVE Unit • Tasks: procurement, management, administration, economy, planning, organisation, supervision, tech. guidelines • Members: dedicated organisation Operational Group / Technical Group • Tasks: definitions, specifications, operational models • Members: main user groups • VIRVE Executive groups • Tasks: commissioning, start-up, user information, capacity planning, support for service implementation • Members: main user groups • Supplier / Operator / Distributor • Supplier: delivery of network equipment • Operator: network planning, operation, maintenance, reporting of network matters, provision of infrastructure • Distributor: terminal distribution and settings • Common 3-party groups: seamless co-operation Management of large TETRA project
Summary of project organisation / parties in each phase Management of large TETRA project
Experiences from regular operation phase • Some issues remained / can remain open during the project • More effort/attention in the planning phase should be put on • Management of subscriber data and billing • Implementation of applications • Network wide services/functionality • Indoor coverage in cities • Some user groups, like municipal organisations, are difficult to get • Marketing is required • Predefined product packages are required • Traffic per user is lower than expected • Coverage is more important than capacity Management of large TETRA project
Why VIRVE was successful project? • VIRVE is part of an on-going project to improve the level of co-operation between the country’s different public safety organisations • All major government ministries have supported it • VIRVE is a network project only • Terminals and user applications do not belong to the VIRVE project, they are part of a parallel project managed by the user organisations • This approach has helped to avoid VIRVE becoming a mammoth project which is too costly and too complex to handle Management of large TETRA project
VIRVE today • VIRVE project was successfully completed at the end of 2002 • Gradual substitution of old analogue systems during 2003 • VIRVE service is well accepted by users • Number of users is expected to grows up to 50.000 • Since beginning of 2004, the project organisation was converted to an operational one • State owned service provider Management of large TETRA project
1. Business model and strategy 2a. Operator agreement 2b. Supply agreement 2c. Construction agreement 3. Supply agreement 4. Agreements for use 5. Supply agreement 6. Service development / provision agreements Project management environment Business Model for providing network services Network providers 1 User organisations Network Operator National administrations Central administrations County administrations Safety authorities Essential enterprises Others Project Owner & Network Service Provider 2a 4 2b Network Equipment Vendor 5 2c 3 6 Network Constructor Terminal Equipment Vendors User Application Providers Management of large TETRA project
Thank You Seppo Seitsonen JP-Epstar Ltd Tel. +358 9 682 6696 Email seppo.seitsonen@poyry.fi Management of large TETRA project