Optus looks to spend $1.5m on transportable 4G small cells – Telco/ISP

Optus is set to devote $1.5 million in a fleet of transportable modest cells that are lighter and a lot easier to deploy in catastrophe zones than the telco’s current fleet of satellite cells on trailers or SatCats.

The telco unveiled the planned financial investment in its newest sustainability report [pdf], declaring that the modest cells could enable it give “a extra helpful response to normal disasters and emergencies.” 

“Our catastrophe administration fleet utilises SatCats (a satellite mobile on a trailer that utilizes satellite transmissions for protection in a minimal selection, with out the will need for infrastructure),” it said.

“During calendar 2019, our functions staff explored the use of fast deployment cell remedies for catastrophe administration and as a result, our current fleet of four SatCats may perhaps be complemented by an supplemental financial investment of $1.5 million on modest cells. 

“Small cells are lighter, a lot easier to transport, give fast entry to the 4G platform and are cheaper than SatCats. 

“This financial investment will improve our catastrophe response capabilities by speedily deploying cell protection remedies to influenced zones.”

Optus confirmed a side-by-side graphic of a SatCat and transportable modest mobile the latter is substantially significantly less bulky.

Optus said in a individual submission to a federal bushfire inquiry that it deployed its current SatCats in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia throughout the most the latest summertime bushfire disaster.

Automation push continues

The sustainability report provides supplemental information on Optus’ 3-yr adoption of clever automation systems.

It – for the first time – effectively describes the function of a bot named TARA that was formulated throughout a the latest hackathon method.

“The Expertise Acquisition staff aimed to use automation to enable them and their leaders recruit talent extra correctly,” Optus said.

“TARA (Expertise Acquisition Robotic Assistant) will scan hundreds of resumes for keywords and phrases to allow for categorisation, enabling the staff to offer with people today extra than paperwork.”

Optus also said its iAutomate centre of excellence, IT and robotic method automation (RPA) teams throughout its consumer, Optus wholesale and networks divisions had “set up a new Robotics Operation Centre (ROC)”.

The ROC would be utilized to centally “observe, govern, work and assistance our electronic workforce of extra than one hundred fifty RPA bots, guaranteeing our automation apply is sustainable, adheres to regulation and insurance policies, and satisfies our evolving requirements.”