Management of large TETRA project 1 Structure and management of very large TETRA project Seppo Seitsonen, JP-Epstar Ltd. tel ,

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 3 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

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 user/terminals users/terminals (2003), growing Service is well accepted by users 1200 km

Management of large TETRA project VIRVE user groups, public authorities Defence Forces Peacetime security operations Inter-authority co-operation Peacetime security operations Inter-authority co-operation Ministry of Transport and Communications Ministry of Transport and Communications Civil Aviation Authority Meteorological Institute Navigation Administration Telecommunications administr. Road Administration National Broadcasting Company Civil Aviation Authority Meteorological Institute Navigation Administration Telecommunications administr. Road Administration National Broadcasting Company Customs Authority Ministry of Trade and Industry Ministry of Trade and Industry Nat. Emergency Supply Agency National Food Administration Safety Technology Authority Nat. Emergency Supply Agency National Food Administration Safety Technology Authority Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Operations in Normal Conditions Preparations for emergency situations Operations in Normal Conditions Preparations for emergency situations Ministry for Foreign Affairs Other User Groups Population Register Center Technical Research Center of Finland Population Register Center Technical Research Center of Finland Ministry of the Interior Ministry of the Interior Police Rescue Services Frontier Guard Police Rescue Services Frontier Guard Ministry of the Environment Ministry of Justice Accident Investigation Agency Prime Minister’s Office Office of the President of the Republic Office of the President of the Republic

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 1. Much easier to obtain funding for the improvement of co-operation than for a new network 2. Funds for a full-time project organisation needed from beginning 3. With only two supplier candidates for each tender, real competition was maintained 4. Frame contracts signed with the supplier -> flexibility 5. Handling of terminals and user applications as separate projects made the network project simpler, less costly and easier to manage 6. Time pressure meant that the contract for operator services had some inadequacies 7. 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) 8. 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 1. Stronger coordination and guidance by VIRVE Unit could accelerate implementation of VIRVE service within user organisations 2. Today VIRVE network could be implemented in 3 years, instead of 5 years, cost savings as parallel systems are needed for shorter time 3. 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 4. It is very important to arrange efficient handling of user fault reports, their analysis and provision of feedback -> increased confidence 5. 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 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) VIRVE Board VIRVE Unit Operational Group Technical Group Ministry of Interior SupplierOperator Distributor Co-operation groups VIRVE-executive groups VIRVE Executive groups National Regional

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 Feasibility evaluation ProcurementImplementationEarly Operation Regular Operation Ministry of Transportation & Communication Ministry of Interior Ministry of T&C Part time project team Full time VIRVE unit VIRVE unit Network supplier, network constructor Network supplier Network constructor Network constructor, operator and manager Service provider, state ownership User organisations Terminal distributor One terminal supplier Several terminal suppliers

Management of large TETRA project Experiences from regular operation phase 1. Some issues remained / can remain open during the project 2. 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 3. Some user groups, like municipal organisations, are difficult to get –Marketing is required –Predefined product packages are required 4. 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 Since beginning of 2004, the project organisation was converted to an operational one –State owned service provider

Management of large TETRA project Project management environment 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 1 Project Owner & Network Service Provider Project Owner & Network Service Provider Business Model for providing network services Business Model for providing network services Network Operator Network Equipment Vendor Network Equipment Vendor Network Constructor Terminal Equipment Vendors Terminal Equipment Vendors User Application Providers User Application Providers User organisations Network providers 2a 2b 2c National administrations Central administrations County administrations Safety authorities Essential enterprises Others National administrations Central administrations County administrations Safety authorities Essential enterprises Others

Management of large TETRA project Thank You Seppo Seitsonen JP-Epstar Ltd Tel