Site-Share - success stories

Proven and Trusted by the Entire UK mobile Industry

tarantula.net helps all mobile telecom network operators in the UK save time, cut costs, simplify outsourcing, achieve transparency, and enhance communication in the site share process, with site-share-olo.com

Situation:

In 2001, the UK Mobile Joint Operator Forum, an apex body that all the mobile telecom network operators in the UK are part of, approached tarantula.net for a workflow-integrated software application that could be used for managing the process of cellular site sharing in the UK.

The application would facilitate the potential for the operators to share sites inline with the 3rd Commitment of the “Mobile Operators’ 10 Commitments to Best Siting Practice” – that of “Site-Sharing.” The tool would also enable accurate reporting of numbers and trends in site sharing for submission to the UK government.

Launched in 2001, the aim of the “Mobile Operators’ Ten Commitments” is to ensure transparency in building mobile phone networks, and to provide more information to the public and local planners and to boost the community's role in the siting of radio base stations.

Solution:

Tarantula.net was innovative in creating a unique workflow-integrated global platform for all the cellular operators and tower owners in the UK, a software application service that could be used for managing the site-share process and to enable accurate reporting of numbers and trends in site share for submission to the government.

The site-sharing solution is based on the principle of sharing a location, which in the cellular model is, “when two or more mobile phone network operators agree to put their base station antennas on the same structure” (MOA, 2006). Another form of site sharing is the use of co-located-sharing based on sharing rooftops to create greater coverage.

Using the Software as a Service (SAAS) proposition, tarantula.net built the site-share.com, branded as “site-share-olo.com” in the UK. The solution acts as a key facilitator in managing, tracking and reporting on the complete cellular site-sharing process workflow between the network operators and site/infrastructure/property owners and the 3rd party site agents.

Features & Advantages:

site-share.com - A Simple Solution for Complex Business Needs:

* Web-based: 24X7 Global connectivity! No need to access proprietary company LANs!

* Site Finder: Finding the sites has never been easier. eQuickLooks increase the percentage of sharing due to the ease of use. In the UK, one of every three eQuickLooks converts into an actual share. So, more revenues with greater ease of use!

* Automated Workflow: Reduced Time to Market, thanks to simplified and standardised processes. Transparent and enhanced communication. Saves time at various stages of the site-sharing process!

* Process Milestones: A flexible system that adapts to your customers’ requirements; Milestones are configured based on share type/customer with different SLAs as required!

* Scheduler: Automated reporting process, thereby saving time!

* Graphical Dashboards: Measuring the shared process and SLA performance is simpler and faster!

* One-click access: All information is auditable, and securely stored and shared thanks to “partition views”!

* Fully Managed end-2-end: all hardware, software interfaces, backups, resilience, and disaster recovery are handled by tarantula.net.

Results:

Strategic benefits – Industry
The solution from tarantula.net :

Helps the operators meet Commitment No 3 of the UK Mobile Operator Forum’s “Operator 10 Commitments” – that of “Site-Sharing.”
Provides the operators with a “One-Stop Shop” reporting for Incoming and Outgoing site-sharing information and provide the relevant information to the UK government.
Provides the operators with the ability to search for all shareable sites across operators including O2, H3G, Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, NGW, Arqiva and Airwave.
Helps the operators track site-share applications and improve the process by capturing accurate data with online forms.
Provides operators with a transparent quality process, which is used by all the operators to measure the end-to-end site sharing process. For example, use of the service has helped in improving timescales between "application submitted" and "offer accepted,” and therefore, revenue streams have come in earlier.
Helps the operators increase revenue from site sharing through having an automated online quality process to measure performance.
Helps the operators manage knowledge and allow cost savings through ‘outsourcing’ of key parts of the site-sharing process.

The B2B tool is used by operators to manage the site sharing process externally and internally, and for reporting their site sharing statistics to the government, though the 3rd party roll-out agents use it as their workflow tool on behalf of the operators. According to most operators, this is the best way to satisfy the reporting requirements for the MOA.

Before the system was created, the operators could never report on the number of sites that were sharing, i.e., there was no overall picture of sharing. But, with the site-share-olo.com service, the operators are now able to keep a history record for sites shared. The solution helps the operators produce the MOA milestone reports with the Reportula tool. The application has helped some operators reduce build costs.

The site sharing process is web-enabled, automated and better managed; and the workflow enablement has speeded up the process. The reporting of information is now easier and speeded up for the agents as well. Operators say that before the site-share-olo.com service, collation with the old database reports took a long time; now the information is readily available.

The Online Workflow ensures greater accuracy of data and quicker timescales –

Consider this: From Sep through Oct 2002, the inter-operator average was 48 working days against an SLA of 30 working days. For this same period in 2003 with the online process in place, these timescales were reduced to 15 working days. This is a 320% increase in performance compared to the previous year!! In real terms, it used to take an average of nearly 12 weeks to complete just the first stage of the site-share process and get a decision on a site-share offer. Now, this has decreased to a staggering 3 weeks. This is 50% under the inter-operator SLA.

Some of the operators have claimed a saving of at least 5 hours per week per user. This translates into 5.4 million pounds annual savings for the entire UK mobile industry.

Customer Speak:

“ …the system is open and transparent…” -

“…there is an improved transparency of bottlenecks in process…the software encourages site sharing…”

“…the overall image of site sharing has undoubtedly improved…the fully managed service works very well and ensures an excellent level of service with both administration and strategic elements…”

“…(site-share.com) makes the service open and transparent. People are no longer hiding the information. Conflicts due to operator and sharer version of the data don’t happen anymore…the documentation is audited and committed to record…”

"…there is no doubt that the system is an extremely good one as evidenced by the number of current users from all the Operators and their myriad of Consultants…”

"…site-share-olo.com is a platform, which allows good visibility of WIP (Work in Progress) activities and where ownership lies…”

Strategic Benefits – Businesses


Client Specs	Business Benefits at a Glance
* O2 is a leading provider of mobile services and data connections in the UK * O2 UK is part of the wider O2 group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Telefónica S.A. * O2 is present in the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic, and the Isle of Man. * It also owns 50 percent of the Tesco Mobile (UK) and Tchibo Mobilfunk (Germany). * O2 was formed in 2001 following the demerger from British Telecom of its former mobile business, BT Wireless. Testimonials: “…As a result of the use of the Olo service, better workflow has been achieved as there has been better communication between the users… Having all the information including comments and documents with an audit trial means the system is open and transparent…” - - Site Share Business Owner, O2	* For O2 “site-share-olo.com is the only way to satisfy the reporting requirements for the MOA/Government. This is also the only tracking tool that O2 use for site sharing.” O2 is now able to keep a history record for sites shared. * All information in one place, “it saves the use of spreadsheets and reports can be easily produced.” * O2 reduces build costs, where niche shares such as cabin sharing, has been done. * Reportula is “useful and easy and well-used” at O2. O2 is “easily keeping track of all applications with the ability to drill down into the detail of the information.” * Quick looks increase the number of shares by about 10-20% at O2. * The application helped O2 reduce build costs, where niche shares such as cabin sharing, has been done. Also, O2 finds it easier to manage its agents. * Time saving – According to O2, reporting in general and exception reports specifically have vastly improved time-wise, improved thanks to the Olo system.


Client Specs	Business Benefits at a Glance
* 20 years ago, on 1 January 1985, Vodafone made UK’s first mobile call, marking the launch of the mobile industry there and transforming global communications. * Today, Vodafone is the world’s leading international mobile telecom group with equity interests in 27 countries across 5 continents, 186.8 million proportionate customers and 33 partner networks.	* The simplicity of use has enabled users to speed up the site sharing related processes. The application provides “a transparent means of tracking both Operator and Sharer performance against agreed criteria.” The use of the service has made reporting of issues easier. It’s now easier to know the hold ups in the site sharing process. It also gives a clear indication of the Sharer's ability to progress applications. * The Milestone reports from OLO enable Vodafone to accurately assess their agents' respective performance and allocate work accordingly. The service provides a clear visibility of Vodafone Consultants’ performance and helps easily identify bottlenecks in the process. * The dashboard reports provide a clear concise means of measuring Vodafone’s performance as both a Sharer & Operator. The dashboard reporting is particularly helpful as a means of monitoring Vodafone's performance against that of the OLOs. The application is the best way to satisfy the reporting requirements for the MOA. * The Quick Looks process has encouraged Sharers' to submit enquiries. It is an attractive means of gleaning information regarding the suitability of sites for site sharing. * All the information Vodafone needs about a number of sites are in single place. The application holds all the information on the individual applications, allowing paper files to be dispensed with. Vodafone is now able to keep a history record for sites shared. * Time Saver – the timescales for the issuing and acceptance of offers has been greatly improved as have the issuing and acceptance of HoTs. Site-share-olo.com is a one-stop shop that precludes the need for other monitoring tools.


Client Specs	Business Benefits at a Glance
* Hutchison 3G UK is UK's leading mobile media company offering a convergence of communications, entertainment and information. * The 3 network is available across eight countries and has over 10 million customers. * In the UK alone, 3 has acquired 3.5 million 3G customers, up by nearly half a million since March 2005. Testimonial: “ “…As a result of the use of the Olo service, Site Sharing has become more visible within the industry and is gradually moving away from the stigma of being a lengthy and expensive option. The overall image of site sharing has undoubtedly improved. The fully managed service works very well and ensures an excellent level of service with both administration and strategic elements…” - Project Manager, National Acquisition, Network Rollout, H3G	* H3G is now able to keep a history record for sites shared. The solution helps H3G produce the MOA milestone reports with the Reportula tool. * The workflow framework has made huge time savings in the first 3 key milestones (Initial Application & Receipt of application, Offer Letter, Sharer Response) of the inter-operator site share process. H3G saves around 5 hours per week per user in the site share process. The revenue from site-sharing comes in quicker as the process is speeded up. According to H3G, the service saves “undoubtedly weeks on each individual site.” * All information in one place. Reportula is “excellent, intuitive, very adaptable and makes reporting quicker and easier,” and “dashboards, and drill down functionality are the best features of the system,” H3G says. * Quick looks increase the number of shares by about 10-20% at H3G. * The structured process and accountability certainly make the overall process more efficient. This is a more efficient process for those using the system on a regular basis and there is a greater transparency for senior managers of timescales, overall numbers and trends, says H3G.


Client Specs	Business Benefits at a Glance
* T-Mobile is the UK network of T-Mobile International, which serves over 87 million people worldwide. * It’s one of the four strategic divisions of Deutsche Telekom, Europe’s largest telecommunications group. * In the UK T-Mobile have over 12.5 million subscribers. * T-Mobile is a partner of FreeMove. Testimonial: “ “…Reportula has so much information… (site-share.com) makes the service open and transparent. People are no longer hiding the information. Conflicts due to operator and sharer version of the data don’t happen anymore. People still use the phone; however the documentation is audited and committed to record…” - Site Share Manager, T-Mobile	* T-Mobile is now able to keep a history record for sites shared. This is also the only tracking tool that T-Mobile use for site sharing. The solution helps T-Mobile produce the MOA milestone reports with the Reportula tool. * T-Mobile saves around 4.5 hours per week per user in report collation. The revenue from site-sharing comes in quicker as the process is speeded up. The workflow framework has made huge time savings in the first 3 key milestones (Initial Application & Receipt of application, Offer Letter, Sharer Response) of the inter-operator site share process. * All information in one place. Reportula is “one of the best areas of the system,” and enables faster collations and reporting of information. * The service resolves potential issues between sharer and operators (conflict resolution)

About Tarantula.net

Tarantula.net are a UK-based niche software innovator specialising in the mobile telecom space for a decade. Tarantula.net have facilitated the concept of cellular site-sharing software since 2001 in the UK with site-share.com, its flagship innovative software application service.

Tarantula.net are committed to the heart of new technology – technology that betters the lives of clients and their customers. A trusted partner of FTSE100 companies, mostly from the telecom sector and apex industry bodies, tarantula.net have innovated and delivered several product and application services through agile development processes, using the latest of technologies.

Unlike traditional software models, tarantula.net have maximised the ‘software as a service’ proposition to the customers’ advantage by providing a fully managed 24X7 secure access to site-share.com for every mobile company and network infrastructure owner in the UK since 2001 – including Vodafone, Orange, O2, H3G, T-Mobile, NGW, Arqiva and SSE.

Tarantula.net are now in India, and are offering a completely managed software service for Site Rollout, Maintenance and Sharing. The suite of applications includes modules on Site Rollout Project Management, Site Finder, Operations and Maintenance, Supply Chain Management, Asset Management, MIS and Site Sharing.

UK CONTACTS: +44 (0) 845 680 0045