Direction for element managers and network managers

In the past, each new network element of a wireless network had a corresponding management system to provide management capabilities. Each of these management systems had a different user interface, employed a different computing platform, and typically managed one type of network element. The total O&M system was the sum of these independent resources, consuming partial solutions that made network management tasks inefficient, complex, time consuming, and expensive to administer. Large operations costs borne from these inefficiencies were once buffered by large cellular operator profits. With the introduction of PCS, operators became extremely cost conscious and sought to eradicate these large costs. Additionally, wireless service providers moved into a mixed vendor environment, where network elements manufactured by several vendors are used, so they could no longer afford different management systems for each network element. In today's environment, a wireless service provider who can provide better service quality at the lowest price will be the ultimate winner. The key to providing better service quality at the lowest price is to have efficient network management. As the wireless industry strives to push wireless prices on a par with wireline, the necessity for reduced network operation and management costs takes on increasing importance.