CERN Mobile network migration Communication Systems group, IT Department, CERN

Agenda CERN mobile services Call for tender challenges Mobile network migration Mobile service changes SIM card distribution Conclusion

CERN mobile services Mobile services: Infrastructure Technologies Single contract with a Swiss operator Closed VPN comprising > 5800 mobiles Voice and data services (GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/LTE) GSM calls from Switzerland routed via the CERN telephone exchange Dedicated access to CERN’s Intranet Roaming worldwide Infrastructure > 50 km of leaky feeder cable covering underground facilities CERN’s own infrastructure to cover LHC tunnel 68 radio/transmission sites at CERN Technologies GSM, UMTS (3G) and LTE (4G)

Call for tender challenges Why? End of current contract, CERN financial rules lead to tender. Give an equal chance to all FR and CH operators to submit a competitive bid Market survey to motivate and preselect interested operators Take into account the CERN’s long-term needs and specificities Cross border surface coverage 2G/3G/4G everywhere (surface and underground) Indoor coverage (many surface buildings) Large leaky feeder infrastructure (Limitation to 1Ghz signals) Special subscription profiles BASIC: only CERN numbers without roaming BASIC+: any numbers without roaming MASTER: any numbers with roaming CERN APN (Environmental monitoring and remote maintenance) Email2SMS Data roaming control

Call for tender challenges Closed User Group Allow a short numbering plan Fixed phones 7xxxx, 6xxxx, 8xxxx Mobile phones: 16xxxx, 24xxxx (voice mail) Allow strict control over external calls Special interconnection Next will be based on SIP Numbering plan CERN fixed number range 022766000-0227689999 Mobile numbers within a contiguous 10’000 numbers range

Call for tender challenges Radio coverage 98% radio coverage with 2G/3G/4G within blue polygon Locations GSM services UMTS services LTE-Advanced services In the LHC and SPS tunnels, and 2 GSM(EDGE) sectors broadcasted from two different RF transceivers 2 UMTS/HSPA+ sectors broadcasted from two different RF transceivers 2 LTE sectors broadcasted from two different RF transceivers   In a standard LHC access point 2 GSM(EDGE) sectors 2 UMTS/HSPA+ sectors 2 LTE sectors In LHC experiment caverns In Meyrin experiments 1 GSM(EDGE) sectors 1 UMTS/HSPA+ sector 1 LTE sector 100% radio coverage on CERN sites and access roads MAP 2

Call for tender challenges TIME: Only 6 months to deploy all services!

Mobile service migration Network deployment The network was installed while operating the current one: New space, fibres & power supplies required in all sites New mast/antennae for outdoor coverage Network complexity: 2G, 3G and 4G in all sites 14 outdoor sites 37 indoor sites: LHC & injector chain covered 17 CERN indoor sites in the LHC (REs & TI8) Advanced services were integrated in parallel: CERN APN, roaming control, PBX interconnection… French and Swiss regulation: Radio emission Construction permits New outdoor network activated on the 8th of June

Architecture

Mobile services changes Mobile services were improved: LTE (4G) available in the Swiss part UMTS (3G) and LTE (4G) in the underground facilities LTE throughput target: 150Mbps DL in LHC experiments LTE in LHC tunnel to be installed during the next technical stops New SIM cards and new numbers 076487xxxx became 075411xxxx Generated some level of complains Contacts in Exchange mailboxes were automatically converted ALL SIM cards were changed (~5800) before the 24th of June 1 month for the distribution Distribution done mainly via department secretariats Labo Telecom was in the second line for any difficult cases Locked phones, Special equipment (like industrial modems) All subscriptions activated simultaneously (15th June) To allow basic preliminary tests, but not all advanced services were ready

Seamless migration On the 24th in the morning Users had to swap their SIM cars the 24th at 9am The 54 indoor radio sites were swapped: Only one operator available at the same time Several teams working in parallel All internal databases were updated CERN directories, active directory, call right management, alarm servers, piquet directories.... Activation of an IVR informing callers that CERN mobile numbers have changed. Transfer of the 022766xxxx and 022767xxxx ranges to Swisscom Crisis room at building 31 To manage any difficult cases....

Results and improvments All services and networks were implemented in time Two project leaders (Swisscom + CERN) working in close collaboration Weekly project report to an executive board with clear status about the service delivery schedule A direct contact with the Swisscom top management was extremely helpful No safety incident To improve Currently there is no 3G/4G radio coverage on surface Discussions are still on-going with the FR and CH regulators and the French operators. Several radio coverage issues to address Some indoor sites not well covered Users took the opportunity to report coverage issues (not related to the migration) The new number range (075411) is not recognized by all international operators

Conclusion Challenging project performed in time Mobile services much improved in tunnel and experiment Outdoor coverage will be improved in few months