BT boosts network monitoring to improve customer experience

On 11 December 2022, as users headed online to shop, stream music and download films, BT-owned Openreach carried more broadband traffic than ever before, with 229PB (petabytes) of data across the network.

To ensure users do not suffer poor experiences from such spikes in traffic, which will only get higher in future, BT has expanded its partnership with Nokia to implement its AVA Analytics software for fixed networks.

AVA Analytics is designed to help operators improve network diagnosis and troubleshooting processes, while reducing unnecessary manual fixes, which will help companies such as BT strengthen their network monitoring through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and improve their subscriber experience.

Nokia believes that making smarter use of network data is one route to success. It adds that the convergence of analytics, AI, automation, public cloud and software as a service can turn network data into a powerful business enabler – driving improved performance, greater productivity and a superior customer experience. Moreover, it believes network data is a strategic asset for communications service providers to meet business goals and achieve digital transformation.

The new five-year deal enhances Nokia’s Homeview dashboard solution for BT to give its call centre agents a real-time, full view of its network, from individual subscribers to devices, allowing them to quickly correct access and in-home issues and provide the best service across all its phone and digital channels. Nokia will also provide BT with the use of automated workflows with deep analytics to deliver operational efficiency improvements and boost BT’s net promoter score, a key barometer of how likely a customer is to recommend a provider or service to another user.

Along with AVA Analytics, the use of Nokia’s Home Device Manager and Service Management Platform will enable around 6,000 BT care agents to remotely manage over 10 million Wi-Fi connections, with more than 100 million actions taken each day to optimise the broadband experience for BT’s domestic network customers.

“Our expanded partnership with Nokia is another demonstration of our commitment to providing the best customer experience by investing in AI, analytics and other state-of-the-art technology,” said Nick Lane, managing director for consumer customer services at BT. “Our partnership will help BT’s customer service agents provide the best service across all phone and digital channels and continue to make BT the only network to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK.”

Hamdy Farid, senior vice-president, business applications, at Nokia, said: “Nokia AVA Fixed Network Insights is a critical component to helping operators improve network diagnosis and troubleshooting processes, while reducing unnecessary manual fixes. We are very pleased to be taking our partnership with BT to the next level with this agreement.”