Head Network Deployment
Airtel Africa
Total years of experience :29 years, 8 Months
Airtel, the 4th largest telecom operator in the world, is present in 17 countries cross Africa. I was moved to the HQ as Head Network Deployment for all 17 operations across the continent, with reporting line to the Group CTO. Being Head of Deployment, my job responsibilities include:
• This role include end to end deployment of all Network nodes including 2G, 3G, 4G, transmission backbone, optical fiber, Core Nodes and data center. Working closely with opco’s and partners to expedite deployment which is converted into incremental revenues for the group. Working closely with SCM, legal and vendors to eliminate showstoppers and bring deployment on track
• CWIP Monitoring & Control - working closely with opco’s, finance and Supply Chain Management to keep CWIP under control. Currently working on equipment repository for all 17 opco’s, enabling group to harmonize inter-country equipment transfer. This will result in CWIP reduction as well as improving CAPEX productivity
• Performing monthly reviews with big opco’s and quarterly reviews with medium and small opco’s to oversee their performance in terms of Network Availability, Network Quality, Compliance and Deployment
• Generating Deployment and CWIP reports for Airtel Africa top management on bi-monthly basis. Delivering deployment and CWIP presentations to the top management
• Weekly Governance reviews with vendors for Network Deployment
• Special Assignments - assisting group CTO by visiting poor performing opco’s for Network audit and preparing Network improvement programs. Overseeing these programs from the group HQ through periodic reviews: Congo, Niger and Gabon
• Member of Group HQ WOW (War on Waste) team - deeply involved in formulating and overseeing Network opex reduction program for multiple opco’s: Congo, Niger and Gabon
• Job Evaluation - Part of the team who is responsible for job evaluation of all the jobs across Airtel Africa, duly certified by Hay’s Group
Airtel being the largest telecom operator in DRC was having serious network availability and quality issues. I was transferred to Airtel DRC with special instructions from the Chairman to turn around this network within 2 years. Being Network Director, my job responsibilities include:
• Transformation of technical division by introducing and working through green network, site sharing, insourcing which includes movement of people from strategic partners, and road to 4G and other new technologies
• Leading from front; providing Strategic leadership to keep Network supremacy on competition. Preparing 5 year Network Improvement Plan; presenting and defending 5Y plan with Bharti group, board and investors
• Preparing technical strategies in alignment with business need and converting them into top 5+5 program with regular review mechanism in place, to achieve desired results
• Working closely with MD and the Business team to drive the strategy in increasing the revenue and making company profitable. Running Commercial Projects like Low Margin Sites Reduction, increasing Voice & Data Revenue etc.
• Network Resilience Program implemented which resulted in stability & reliability of the Network (improved Network Availability and Network Quality Index)
• De-scoping Managed Services from Ericsson to Huawei - ensuring smooth transition by preparing and following up Network improvement plan with Huawei
• Planning & Preparing Annual Operating Plan (AOP) for technical division. Controlling and Optimizing Network CAPEX & OPEX. Continuously working on innovative solutions to reduce energy OPEX and new solutions to increase CAPEX productivity
• Designing, Finalizing & Deployment of Ultra Low Cost Site (low opex and low capex site) for African market, which is quick in deployment, low in CAPEX and have much higher Opex productivity
• Working in collaboration with other operators for site sharing, fiber joint deployment, domestic roaming and active sharing for mutual benefits for both the companies
• Special Focus on Network Availability: Improvement in Radio Network Availability from 93% to 98.8% within two years through right investment & focus in microwave transmission, VSAT and power
• Design and Roll out of 3G Network in DRC and 4G trial
• Rolling out Kinshasa Metro Fibre
• Working with Ericsson, Huawei, Ceragon and other world renown vendors in Managed Services and Managed Capacity environment
Airtel acquired Warid Telecom in February, 2010. Being CTO, I am leading technical division covering Strategy, Design, Operations, Projects, Quality, Security, Network Infrastructure and Contract Management. Job responsibilities include:
• Worked closely with the Airtel HQ to merge Warid with Airtel in Bangladesh. Implemented best practices from Airtel India in Design, Rollout, Network Operations, Network Security & Quality
• Introduction and setting up Managed Capacity (Dollar per Erlang) model first time in Bangladesh
• Setting & executing technical strategy for upcoming 3G network to align with business objectives. Implementing solutions to make network up to date for smooth migration to 3G. Exploring, planning & implementing technological advancements as a foundation for product roadmap
• RFP preparation, evaluation and Contract negotiation for Managed Services and Managed Capacity with vendors. Setting up SOW, KPI’s, SLA’s and responsibility matrix. Implementation of outsourcing model in Airtel Bangladesh, which also includes transfer of employees, tools and test equipment to Strategic Partners (Ericsson & Huawei)
• Successful migration from GSM1800 to EGSM band in Airtel network - never done before anywhere in the whole world
• Planning and execution of rollout of 2000 GSM sites in year 2011-2012. This includes site design, acquisition, site build (civil work), telecom installation, commercial power connection, site integration, optimization and site acceptance
• Planning, design and implementation of 1250 kms of optical fiber network in Bangladesh. This includes metro network as well as inter-city routes between Dhaka and Chittagong, Bogra, Khulna and Sylhet
• Introduction of MSC blade cluster and Ericsson CS4.0. Successfully completed major upgrades throughout the core network which includes MSC’s, MGw, HLR, FNR, EMA, EMM, GGSN, SGSN etc
• Major overhauling in design and implementation to achieve redundancy in the network. Planning and implementation of geo-redundancy of critical nodes like HLR, CCN, SMSC, GGSN, SGSN. BCDR site is planned which will be live by 2013; other planned redundancy projects (on going) are MiP, MUX redundancy and MSC power systems
• Achieving main network Quality and Operations KPI’s through Managed Operations governance. Introduce new techniques to ensure O&M efficiency. Improvement of Network Availability from 93% to 99.7% within a year by battery swap, fixing of poorly performing transmission links, fiber backup, ring protection and alarms reduction
• Process oriented - several automation tools were built either in house or outsourced like PSA tool (energy OPEX monitor), rollout automation tool etc
• Converting Bharti Information Security Policy (ISO 27001 Security Policy), a general document into technical action points and its implementation in the network
Warid Telecom is 6th cellular operator in Bangladesh, who launched its services in May, 2007. Took over CTO role in May, 2008. Main job responsibilities include:
• Setting up greenfield operation which include setting up departments, processes, hiring, tools, vendor selection, MS partner selection etc.
• Setting & executing technical strategy for GSM network to align with business objectives
• Contract negotiation/renegotiation for turnkey & supply of material/services for subsequent rollout phases and Managed Operations elements, with the added responsibilities in finalizing all BOQ related items
• Comprehensively oversee and implement best practices in Design, Rollout, Network Operations & Quality
• Optimizing GSM Network CAPEX & OPEX
• Achieve main network KPI’s through Managed Operations governance. Introduce new techniques to ensure O&M efficiency. De-scoping Managed Services from Motorola and awarding it to Ericsson first before giving it to Huawei
• Building & retaining technical staff and developing in-house competence
• Aligning local activities with global Abu Dhabi group (shareholders) vision
• Lead technical due diligence with potential buyers and investors
Joined Warid Telecom as Deputy General Manager in Engineering division, and was responsible for two departments: Network Performance & Quality and Operation & Maintenance. Job responsibilities included the complete formation & operation of the following domains including the establish, grow & maintain phases of the following domains:
• Network Performance & Quality
Setting up performance reporting mechanisms & staffing
Reporting on KPI’s & Root cause analysis
Ensuring performance met as per contractual requirements
• Operations & Maintenance
Setting up O&M to manage multi-vendor managed services environment with a single front office
Setting appropriate WLA’s & creating processes for all business & technical interactions
Preparing & Controlling budget for O&M of network including Field Maintenance, Front Office, Back Office & associated support structure
Ensuring KPI’s are met as per approved processes & legal requirements
Initiated & implemented a number of initiatives in OPEX reduction with regards to power & cooling solutions
Joined Aircom international as Project Manager for Siemens Telenor Project in March 2006. Reporting to project director, I was responsible for Radio Planning, Optimisation and Data Configurations departments. Siemens is one of the two vendors selected by Telenor and has equipment installed in half of the country (Central Punjab, Sind and Baluchistan). My team had more than 30 engineers based in Karachi and Multan cities. My job responsibilities included:
• Overall responsibility of RF master plan. Making sure that RF master plan is up to date after technical site surveys and is distributed among different departments, to ensure speedy rollout
• Providing full support to Network Rollout team in achieving targets
• Leading optimisation team, which was responsible for initial drive tests, cluster acceptance, frequency & neighbour planning and parameter control
• Leading data configuration team, which was responsible for preparing databases for new site integration, site rehoming, BSC rehoming, defining neighbours, changing parameters etc
• Preparing and controlling OPEX and CAPEX for this project
Joined Project People Ltd in late May, 2005 and was assigned project with Hutchison 3 who are the first UMTS operator in the United Kingdom. Major responsibilities include:
Neighbor and Scrambling code planning
Troubleshooting and KPI improvement of 3G worst performing cells using performance monitoring tools and drive test logs
Performance analyses of sites after RNC re-parenting and proposing suitable resolutions
Neighbor audit of RNCs and proposing additions of potential missing neighbors and removal of underutilized neighbors
Parameter audit and cleaning of discrepancies
RNC dimensioning and reparenting
O2 UK is one of the GSM/UMTS operators in the United Kingdom, operating in GSM 900, DCS 1800 and UMTS. Joined O2 limited as Radio Planner in March 2004. My responsibilities included New Cell Planning of GSM and UMTS networks, GSM optimisation in Edinburgh, Dundee and Perth cities and UMTS optimisation in Glasgow and Dundee clusters. Also participated in Nokia swap program in Northern Ireland where Motorola has been swapped with Nokia (GSM)
As a part of Network Performance group for the South West region, I was responsible for the new cell planning and optimisation of Motorola GSM base stations (Incells, MCells and Horizon) and UMTS Node B (Nokia) in South coast from Portsmouth to Exeter. In Scotland region, I was responsible for optimisation of GSM base stations (Nokia Metro sites, DE21, DE34 and D5) in Edinburgh, Dundee and Perth area
Worked as Senior Systems Engineer Operations in Paktel Limited, a Cable & Wireless company with a large and diverse network. Paktel operates in the AMPS & D-AMPS and provides cellular service all over the country. Worked in various aspects and disciplines of the first cellular system of Pakistan. Tasks included design, implementation & O&M of Radio Base Stations in Northern Region