As if it wasn’t demanding enough managing your core network components out in space, there are also extreme on the ground challenges for a satellite operator like OneWeb. The network is as reliant on its purpose designed user terminals as it is on its satellites. These units, the vital connection points for end-users, are often in extremely hard to reach locations, e.g. in remote communities or even on board ocean going ships.
In a rapidly developing, high performance network, it’s vital that these units can be deployed and updated automatically from a distance. Plus, their performance data needs to be continuously monitored and integrated with that from other network sources to permit rapid, automated service quality management in an extremely complex environment.
That’s why OneWeb has partnered with Axiros to deploy their suite of CPE management tools, including its core Auto Configuration Server (ACS – AXESS) and Quality of Experience monitoring and management (QoE – AXTRACT) modules.
This partnership delivers OneWeb a vital network component with 3 critical characteristics: absolute reliability, the flexibility to meet OneWeb’s and exceptional demands, and light touch, dependable deployment freeing OneWeb to focus precious resources on its most critical challenges.
The Axiros system offers the levels of reliability and core functionality that OneWeb needs ‘straight out of the box’. No mean feat when the OneWeb network brings a whole new level of meaning to the idea of ‘carrier grade’ reliability and performance. Yet the core of Axiros’s system already offers the performance required, a testament to the technical excellence telco customers around the world have come to expect from Axiros’s German engineering heritage. As Vincent Birlouez, senior product owner at OneWeb, says, “Absolute reliability is number 1, 2 and 3 on our priority list. We chose Axiros.”
OneWeb also needed flexibility as its user terminals are of a level of sophistication far beyond standard domestic or even enterprise customer CPE devices. Yet Axiros’s modular, re-configurable architecture is able to efficiently meet this challenge, and to extend to incorporate customised User Interfaces and integration with OneWeb’s enterprise data fabric. “We know our needs are complex and demanding. We needed a partner who shared our passion for innovation and problem solving, and one who could work seamlessly as part of our team” says, John Melton, programme manager at OneWeb.
Finally, OneWeb chose Axiros not just for what it could do but also for how it could do it. During its critical development and launch phase, OneWeb needs to focus all its efforts on its core challenge deploying its satellites into a fully functional network. The role of a CPE partner has to go beyond providing system components and IP. These components also have to be deployed in ways which minimise the management load and resource burden on OneWeb. Axiros is able to fulfil this trusted partner role in many ways, e.g. managing the complexities of automated cloud deployment on behalf of OneWeb, and integrating its bespoke development teams seamlessly into OneWeb’s company wide Agile processes and rhythms.
The commercial launch in late 2021 was a true landmark in OneWeb’s development, and Axiros is proud to be part of the army of people working in partnership to ensure its success. We are able to bring to this project the same professionalism, technical excellence and innovation that characterises our work with all our customers. And by pushing the boundaries of our system on such a complex challenge we are reinforcing our capability to be the trusted partner that can meet any challenge from any of our clients.