Bouygues Telecom entrusted Axione with the redesign of its mobile network architecture in Clermont-Ferrand. Its aim was to successfully redevelop the transmission network before the buildings that housed the network were demolished. This operation required the migration of all digital radio-relay systems. This posed a challenge for Axione’s teams, as mobile services had to remain running for the operator.
January 2019, Bouygues Telecom appointed Axione to migrate 39 digital radio relays, involving a total of 38 mobile sites, in order to ensure the continuity of its mobile network service in and around Clermont-Ferrand. This posed a challenge for the teams, as they had to ensure the network was operational by February 2020.
To facilitate this, Axione, at Bouygues Telecom’s request, was involved right from the initial design phase. For two weeks the teams used long-distance viewing equipment to observe the new remote mobile relay sites that were to be used. This observation work was essential in order to ensure that no tall structures (trees, pylons, etc.) were blocking the redirection of traffic from the old sites to these new relay stations.
Work was carried out on various parts of the infrastructure to accommodate the equipment and complete the administrative paperwork necessary to obtain authorisation from the Agence nationale des fréquences (ANFR – “National Frequency Agency”) and the Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes (ARCEP – “Telecommunications Regulation Authority for Electronic and Postal Communications”) to order to switch on the new digital radio-relay systems.
The second-phase works, involving integration and commissioning, took 6 months.
The major challenge was performing integration of the new mobile sites while ensuring continued network operation
Bouygues Telecom was also keen to reuse some of the equipment from the soon-to-be demolished building and integrate it into the new network. This phase required some of the equipment to be dismantled so the new radio-relay systems could be installed. The teams worked in several staggered waves to ensure the simultaneous integration of the new mobile sites while maintaining the operation of the old network. Once all migration had been carried out, the equipment on the building could be dismantled.
4 members of staff based at Axione’s Toussieu branch and 6 engineers were actively involved in ensuring the success of this phase of the work. This project demonstrates Axiome’s ability to work across several disciplines, as a number of departments within the Toussieu Production Unit were involved.
This achievement demonstrates Axione’s expertise in technical project management and network lifecycles, reaffirming and strengthening the links between Bouygues Telecom and Axione. All-in-all, a great reference in terms of our expertise in meeting operators’ needs when it comes to developing their mobile networks.
Alexandre Bourblanc, Network Lifecycle Project Manager for the Toussieu Production Unit (Lyon)
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