Spare parts management & logistics

Why is telecom logistics different?

Operators of critical national infrastructure need to be able to access a spare part to remedy a fault at any time of day or night. For this reason our customer service operations desk is available to clients on a 24/7 basis. In addition to this, basic storage and good in / goods out is type service is unlikely to meet the customers’ requirement. This is because the operator will likely require a so-called “last mile” service. This means that not only can the required spare part be located on the system, picked and packed but it should also be delivered to the place of installation at short notice at the right time.

There are other reasons too. Not all logistics companies have the right sort of warehouse management systems that can record part code, hardware revision description, firmware as well as configuration details and so on. Likewise, the generalist companies lack product knowledge which can make all the difference – for example, simple things like the difference between multi-mode and single mode fibre or LC or SC connector. Here at TXO, we can handle not just the hardware needed but also the IRM (installation related materials) which is associated with a particular works order.

A specialist company such as ours understands that telecoms equipment is high value, has to be packed and handled correctly, and is time-critical due to the value of services running over the network. Our dedicated and end to end approach means that we are chosen by telecom professionals for both the forward and reverse logistics. Reverse logistics covers everything that happens to the product after the customer has finished using it such as decommissioning, transport, recycling, resale, revenue sharing and reporting. See here for more information about reverse logistics and asset recovery.

Very often the operator will require other services as part of a package such as staging and configuration services or even repair. Once again, the generalist logistics providers are not always best placed to provide such services because sound engineering capability is called for. In addition, security clearance and appropriate clean room environment is also needed which is something only the specialists such as TXO are able to provide. This means that the product can be delivered to the place of installation already having been fitted inside the cabinet with cabling and software configuration already applied. The benefit of this is a greatly reduced time to deploy the equipment.

That’s what we mean by an integrated telecom specific logistics service.