Three UK, Tata team to accelerate 5G network roll-out

Among its other ambitions for the year, Three UK has designated 2021 as the year that it will ramp up business-oriented offers. To realise this aim, the operator has chosen Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to help configure its mobile network for its ongoing roll-out of 5G services.

Having spent 2020 laying the groundwork for a 5G network that, to date, has focused on consumer-centric services, Three UK announced in December 2020 that it would pivot towards better addressing the business sector – an area that, according to Three CEO Robert Finnegan, offers a great opportunity for growth.

Three UK is in the process of deploying a new 5G radio access network which is already live in 175 towns and cities in the UK, across more than 1,000 sites, providing its customers with access to next-generation 5G connectivity. 5G forms a fundamental part of Three’s 2021 go-to-market strategy, centred around the further roll-out of 5G nets, 5G home broadband and a concentrated push into the business sector. The business offering is slated to launch in the second half of 2021.

To realise these ambitions, Three UK has selected TCS as its partner to manage the configuration of a new core next-generation mobile network, and ensure it integrates correctly with the 5G radio access network. This work will include configuring the core network for new site deployments, site upgrades, performance management, and 3G and 4G tuning changes.

TCS has been a Three UK partner for the past 15 years, and its software will now see use in speeding up configuration checking and reduce manual errors, ensuring first time right network configuration. TCS is also providing 24x7 support across the network for configuration corrections and ad-hoc site testing.

The IT services, consulting and business solutions provider is confident that these improvements will help Three deliver faster, more secure and more reliable 5G services to its customers.

“We look forward to expanding our work with Three as we enter this exciting new period of widespread 5G consumer availability in the UK. Providing customers with the best possible network access is at the heart of Three’s mission and we are thrilled that it has chosen [TCS’s] network management and configuration solutions to help it achieve this,” said Carol Wilson, head of communications, media and information services business, Europe and UK, at TCS.

“With our deep telecommunications industry expertise and continued investments and innovation in 5G, we are the ideal partner to make this a success. Our new partnership will help Three’s network to continue to provide the standout experience their customers have come to expect,” she added.

“Three UK’s 5G roll-out is underpinned by our agility in bringing services to market,” said Carlo Melis, chief networks officer at Three UK. “Our decision to partner with TCS was based on this need to deliver at pace whilst being flexible to changing demands. TCS was able to rapidly mobilise and is now embedded in our 5G delivery to support our 5G journey.”