To equip Proximus and Orange's mobile masts with 5G, Nokia knocked on Circet's door. We quintupled our capacity and something beautiful emerged.
"Can you help equip our mobile masts with 5G equipment?" Last year, Nokia knocked on Circet's door with this challenging question. A year later, 25% of the project is complete and we are one of Nokia's key partners. Sandro Scolaro, Project Director Nokia: "Circet doesn't just execute, we constantly exchange ideas. With Circet, we want to go further."
The challenge
Providing Proximus and Orange mobile network masts with 5G equipment, commissioned by Nokia.
Circet's solution
After the start-up, we increased our production volume fivefold, with the help of partners as well as fresh staff. So we suddenly became one of Nokia's key partners.
Proximus and Orange want to move fast with the rollout of 5G: the equipment of as many as 4,500 mobile masts must be replaced and equipped with 5G functionality in a few years' time. Nokia provides the hardware and the plans, for implementation they can turn to Circet.
"It was a big challenge," says Gerd Bogaerts, Operations Director Circet Belgium. "It's not just about the masts, it's also about all the peripherals. That requires a lot of planning. To that end, we set up a new organisation in the first half of last year."
But planning is not enough, the works must also be carried out. Moving quickly was the answer. "In the second half of the year, we quintupled our production volume just like that," says Gerd. That was the only way for us to fulfil Nokia's ambitions - and customer promises."
"To make that leap, we in turn sought good partners who could work with us to provide the installation teams. But we also recruited people ourselves. We have trained these in our Circet Academy, with the help of our French colleagues."
After a year, the project is 25% complete. A great result, according to Sandro Scolaro, Operations Director Nokia: "Our goal is simple: build the best possible network for our customers. You can do that with a lot of suppliers, but we prefer to collaborate with a few dedicated partners. Partners who work together and are in continuous consultation to achieve the best solution. Circet does not simply execute but keeps its eyes on the goal. That's what sets them apart."
"Thanks to this project, Circet has become one of our key partners in one year. Naturally, we want to move on. We are currently looking together at how to scale up the cooperation - which is going extremely well - even further."