ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT ON TRAINING
During the 1st phase of the Broadband Wireless Network installations in July 2014:
• Extensive professional training (both theoretical and hands-on) was conducted for the ANPTIC (L'Agence Nationale de Promotion des TIC) engineering team and a test-bed installation was set up.
The training covered the following modules on the Broadband Wireless System and components:
• Module 1: Expedience Overview, infrastructure Site preparation, Installation and Configuration
• Module 2: Expedience NetProvision System – Overview and Operation
• Module 3: Expedience CPE Installation, Configuration and Operation
• Module 4: Expedience NetManager Element Management System Configuration and Operation
Extended training material was delivered together with a full set of data sheets and manuals of all the network elements. Simplified protocols for the BTS and servers configuration were described and delivered together with extra documentation for the BTS configuration & basic commands, the Network Operation and the Network Architecture.
The fundamentals of a network frequency plan implementation as well as relevant sample studies were described for a future frequency assignment per sector.
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| Fig.1 The planned 10 project sites of the nationwide Broadband Wireless Network in Burkina Faso |
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Further training was conducted for MDENP key engineers and for the entire MDENP engineering team for CPE channel plans and firmware upgrades.
During the Installations, the local and experts engineering team was informed that the list with the sites (fig.1) has changed and not yet finalized and the installation continued on the selected sites.
Following the extensive professional training, a test-bed installation was set up for continuous practicing as well as the in-lab configuration of the BTSs to be installed in sites, according the provided protocol.
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| Fig.4 Test-bed installation and configuration for advanced training |
The test-bed installation consisted on
• a BTS and its power supply module
• a test antenna with attenuator
• Networking devices (switch, router, E1 /ETH converters, etc)
• PC with NetProvision System
The focus of the training was aimed at providing the knowledge and hands-on experience to the MDENP engineers necessary to perform all the scheduled work of the deployment.
ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT ON FIELD INSTALLATIONS
As a definitive training milestone, the configuration, installation and commissioning of the three BTSs was conducted successfully by the MDENP engineers under the supervision of the Codium engineering team.
• The NOC was installed in Ouagadougou and the configuration of the NOC servers and related software was completed.
• One site in Ouagadougou (Ouaga1) was installed for all RF, network and power equipment installation including all the hardware, software and ancillaries. The site is active and operational and offers Broadband Wireless Access services to clients and governmental organizations in Ouagadougou including Mobile access for Police, Army and Ambulances.
In remote areas, three sites (Ziniare, Kaya, Fada N’Gourma) were chosen by ANPTIC for Field installations
Reconfiguration and final installation of the NOC servers and all related software
The NOC (Network Operating Center) was conditioning and installed in Ouagadougou and the configuration of the NOC servers and related software was completed. Backup servers, router, switches where also installed and the resolving transmission connectivity issues where solved between the NOC and the sites.
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| Fig.5 The Core Router, Expedience, EMS Servers and networking elements installed in the NOC installed in Ouagadougou |
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Supervision of RF equipment installation, including all the hardware, software and ancillaries
The engineering team presented the RF planning work undertaken using advanced RF simulation tools. A draft RF propagation simulation for the three scheduled site installations was delivered depicting the network’s primary shadow areas.
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| Fig. 7 RF Propagations and Simulations per site |
• The site conditioning are consisting on servers, router, switch, converters installation and configuration, site shelter preparation and configuration as well as resolving transmission connectivity issues between the NOC in Ouagadougou and the selected site.
• The site installation was consisting on the antennas, BTSs, GPS, power supply and cabling installation.
• The trained and capable ANPTIC engineering team finalized the installation and commissioning of Ziniare and Kaya sites. During the filed installations, professional training of ANPTIC technical staff was undertaken regarding all the parts of a successful operation (antennas and BTS installation, antennas' proper azimuth orientation and down-tilt setup, indoor equipment installation and the secure power supply installation).
• After each site integration, extensive on-field measurement tests in the site wide areas were performed and certified the proper network operations. (e.g. cities center, the Polytechnic School of Kaya, villages near Ziniare, etc.)
• Installation and reconfiguration of the management server (EMS Server) and the AAA server for the centralized CPE authentication (Expedience Server) were successfully completed in the NOC.
During the implementation process technical meetings to monitor progress and resolve issues were conducted almost daily. During these meetings the IP plan was extensively discussed and finalized and several other technical issues were also clarified. The backhaul connectivity of the majority of the sites has been implemented with the use of optical fibers. It was verified that the existed power systems can provide the appropriate power consumption for the proper and safe operation of the ITU/McCaw Broadband Wireless Network in Burkina Faso.
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| Fig.8 On-field measurements & tests in the Ziniare area |
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| Fig. 9 BTS, Antenna and GPs assembling on the ground at Ziniare site |
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| Fig. 10: Three sectors installed on the tower at Ziniare site |
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| Fig. 11 BTS’s power supply modules installed in the back of the rack |
