This customer experienced challenges in demand and inventory planning for cell towers linked to the 5G rollout, coverage strategy and the recent merger with Sprint.
o9 Digital Brain for Operators
One of the largest global telecommunications companies. The brand is active in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United States.
Sustainability Impact
Less transportation movements and reduction of inventory
Business Scope Challenges
Forecast Accuracy
This company had a multitude of different planning systems for demand and inventory planning. Due to the merger, demand exploded, but the company was unable to forecast this demand accurately. Demand Planning is complex as the company installs ~1,000 new cell towers and each consists of ~32,000 components.
Opportunity
With o9, the company can connect the dots, forecast demand accurately, and plan for the right inventory at the right location.
Phase-in / Phase-out
The company experienced planning challenges in upgrading their network to 5G cell towers. The transition from 3G and 4G towers to 5G towers requires sophisticated phase-in and phase-out planning.
Opportunity
With o9, the company obtained outstanding analysis of phase-in and phase-out plans, to accelerate the upgrade problem, reduce salvage risk for old items and manage obsolescence efficiently.
End-to-End Visibility
The company operated in silos and lacked visibility on inventory, supplier capacities, install base of cell towers, new demand for 5G towers, etc.
Opportunity
With o9, the company was to connect the dots in the value chain. From demand
for new cell towers to integration of
key suppliers, the company has obtained
E2E visibility across every node in the value chain.
Value Delivery
Key Functionalities Implemented
The o9 Enterprise Knowledge Graph was used for demand planning, supply planning, phase-in and phase-out planning, and IBP to move away from PPT, spreadsheets to data- driven planning and decision-making.
Systems Replaced
Excel, SAP, homegrown systems.
Customer Benefits
Success Factors — 3 reasons why o9 was selected
- The o9 platform being able to bring all key planning workflows together where data can be converted to knowledge. This knowledge, combined with analytics, drives planning and decision-making
- The o9 platform being future-proof, e.g. connecting components of individual cell towers to the EKG and driving maintenance, service and replenishment decisions based on various inputs such as location, exposure to heavy weather, etc..
- Ability to connect the entire value chain, from demand for new 5G cell towers to integration with critical suppliers.
KPI Impacted
- Inventory reduction.
- Reducing obsolescence through better managing phase-in and phase-out.
- Faster response to market developments (e.g. faster rollout of new cell towers).