Fledgling software company 3D Cellular offers products designed to provide a more efficient method for wireless carriers with Autoplex wireless systems from Lucent Technologies Inc. to manage database information and troubleshoot network defects.
The Roam Translation Tool, Digit Translation Tool and Antenna Face Tool are overlay software products that provide network technicians and radio-frequency engineers the ability to view multiple forms for roaming, call routing and RF performance at one time.
Previously, Lucent’s database forms could be viewed and updated only one at a time, said 3D Cellular. The tools are designed to be user-friendly by utilizing graphical user interfaces and point-and-click commands to reduce typing, as well as “hot buttons” that allow users to jump from database to database.
“We don’t know of anyone providing this type of customer application for engineers. They usually deal with the databases as they come from the manufacturer,” said Bruce Shaffstall, co-founder and vice president of 3D Cellular.
The data analysis tools speed the entire process of locating and viewing the forms by taking the information from Lucent’s Autoplex database and storing it in a separate hard drive. A scheduler logs on and downloads the Autoplex data at night when traffic is low, so the hard drive is updated when users log on in the morning.
“Oftentimes, technicians spend more time getting the data than they do fixing the problem,” Shaffstall said. “When you’re logged on to the Autoplex system, others are logged on as well, and it gets slower and slower.”
Removing the data from the Autoplex system to a separate storage area not only speeds up data retrieval, it enables mobile viewing of the database as well. Carriers’ engineering personnel can take a laptop computer into the field for RF performance drive tests or service calls and have access to the network database.
“My RF people can now go out into the field with a full database on their computer,” said Bob Bailey, vice president of Frontier Cellular, a wireless service provider in New York which deployed 3D Cellular’s tools about three months ago.
“They have all the software parameter settings and channel settings, and when they go out in their vehicles, they can now view this information … In my experience this is the most complete and intuitive tool to do all kinds of understandable things quickly,” Bailey said.
The Roam Translation Tool provides carriers with a swift and efficient way to update and maintain accurate roaming databases that are configured correctly, said 3D Cellular. As carriers enter new roaming agreements or experience changes in area codes, the RTT allows them to perform centralized mass updates of their roaming database.
Previously, updates on Lucent’s UNIX-based database were performed one NPA/NXX at a time (A numbering plan area is an area code and an NXX is the first three digits of a phone number following the area code).
Once an Executive Cellular Process script file is created using the RTT, it can be downloaded to every ECP it is valid for, allowing thousands of numbers to be quickly updated. The RTT allows users to view the entire roam database for an NPA in one window, on one screen and for all systems the tool is interfaced with, as well as the ability to open other windows of information related to any data in the window.
The Digit Translation Tool provides access to all digit-by-digit call-routing databases. Every number engineered in a dialing plan can be viewed in one window. The DTT has an audit feature that will audit and find missing or incorrect dxdroute form interrelationships. Another new feature, called trace, will allow the user to automatically display all related forms in the dxdroute of a dialing pattern.
In addition, both the RTT and the DTT allow engineers to view records in a backward fashion. Users can click on a system identification number or destination point code using the RTT and view every NPA/NXX going to that location. The DTT allows users to click on a certain trunking group and view every dialing plan pattern using that route, which would be useful for re-routing and congestion maintenance.
The Antenna Face Tool allows users to view the face code information and other cell site RF information databases for Lucent systems. Multiple database forms can be viewed on one window, and multiple windows can be displayed at one time. Comparisons can be made between systems, making differences and possible problems readily noticeable, 3D Cellular said.
“One of the neat things about the AFT is you can actually see how Lucent displays the forms from within our tool,” Shaffstall explained. “With Lucent [databases], you have to type in each individual cell. You can see where something might easily be left out.”
The AFT shows the parameters for every antenna face on a system. The AFT displays hand-offs and hand-ins from and to any cell site antenna face. The AFT can also display an entire cell’s RF channel assignment on one screen, while allowing other windows of related data and other databases to also be viewed.
3D Cellular is a limited partnership based in Montreal with U.S. headquarters west of Cleveland in Elyria, Ohio. The company was co-founded about four months ago by Shaffstall and the chief systems analyst, Jeff Sajedi, who have worked together for more than three years. 3D Cellular also offers consulting services for network administration and maintenance as well as overall cellular system design.
