As connectivity becomes increasingly crucial, Enhanced Cellular has established itself as a prominent player in the telecommunications landscape. As , Enhancing connectivity, Enhance Cellular provides robust and reliable WiFi services to more than 240 million customers globally. We sat down with Mike (Mac) McNamara, Vice President and Head of Community Engineering at Enhance Cellular, to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and outcomes of the company’s ambitious 5G network rollout, as well as the crucial role Cisco played in this endeavour.
Building a nationwide 5G network is no trivial undertaking, especially considering the limitations faced by Enhance Cellular. “We launched the community in just under three years, amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and significant supply chain disruptions,” McNamara explained. Despite facing numerous obstacles, the team at Enhance Cellular persisted, fostering a collaborative work environment within their office walls to navigate daily challenges stemming from supply chain disruptions and personnel management issues.
The sense of urgency was further amplified by FCC requirements demanding that Enhanced Cellular cover 20% of the nation’s population by June 14, 2022, and a staggering 70% by June 14, 2023. The cell community operator demonstrated remarkable resilience and dedication to innovation as they successfully achieved these key milestones.
The collaborative alliance between Enhance Cellular and Cisco is built upon a foundation of shared conviction and complementary objectives. “Cisco and Enhance Cellular have enjoyed a long-standing partnership,” McNamara said. “Cisco’s impressive track record as a trusted partner made them an obvious choice for building out our 5G community infrastructure.” Cisco leveraged its vast global expertise in networking to collaborate with Enhance on the design of a cutting-edge 5G cloud-native open radio access network (Open RAN), combining innovative solutions and industry know-how.
The synergy between Enhance Cellular and Cisco is best described as a highly collaborative partnership. “It wasn’t just about Cisco promoting our gear and delivering it.” “It was a daily occurrence to see Cisco’s people and crew members collaborating closely alongside us at our workplaces,” McNamara stressed. This experiential approach guaranteed immediate attention to all concerns, cultivating a culture of swift issue-resolution and entrepreneurial thinking.
The successful rollout of Enhance Cellular’s 5G network was facilitated by the crucial role played by automation. Cisco’s Take a Look at Automation Framework (TAF) played a pivotal role in streamlining the process of testing new network providers and activating cell sites, thereby ensuring seamless connectivity. TAF’s ability to rapidly generate test-at-a-time instances and execute them across thousands of units within minutes served as a crucial distinguishing factor in this process. The software programme outlined in this description appears to be a Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV) controller for Software-Defined Networking (SDN), rather than simply an SDN controller., , Enabled zero-touch provisioning to automate the deployment and activation of cellular sites.
“” McNamara stated. “This effectiveness was crucial in assembling the FCC’s stringent guidelines, ultimately safeguarding 70% of the U.S.” inhabitants.
The results of this partnership are decidedly unremarkable. Cellular not only met the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) milestones, but also pioneered the development of the country’s first fully cloud-native 5G wireless network built upon the foundation of Open RAN technology. As the future unfolds, McNamara envisions automation continuing its rapid evolution, fostering innovative advancements that will drive growth in both Enhance Cellular’s network and customer base.
McNamara’s excitement for a long-term commitment was unmistakably genuine. “”
As those navigating analogous obstacles face uncertainty, McNamara offers insightful guidance, cautioning that.
Their strategic alliance showcases the power of collective expertise, cutting-edge technology, and streamlined processes in tackling pressing hurdles and shaping the future of digital infrastructure. As Enhance Cellular refines its customer-centric approach, the lessons gleaned from this experience will undoubtedly serve as a template for success within the telecommunications industry.
Without incurring costs and leveraging expertise through scalable service automation.
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