Andy Train
Chief Network Officer, Cornerstone
Telecommunications infrastructure within the UK continues to face unprecedented demands. With the convergence of 5G networks, the Internet of Things (IoT) and autonomous systems, a sophisticated level of connectivity is required that is far beyond anything previous generations of mobile technology have seen.
Such a shift is inevitably creating significant pressures on the physical infrastructure required to power our communications, including the equipment that forms the critical backbone of mobile networks.
Cornerstone, the UK's largest mobile infrastructure provider, maintains the foundational network of towers and equipment that supports mobile operators, including the global telco giants.
“There would be no mobile phone coverage unless we did what we did. There'd be nowhere to accommodate the cellular operators and provide the relevant cellular coverage that you experience as an end user,” explains Andy Train, Chief Network Officer at Cornerstone.
“We handle complex land acquisition, sophisticated design and engineering, as well as the construction and maintenance of cell sites.”
Transforming the network
The complexity of managing telecommunications infrastructure increases with each technological advancement. From AI to the Internet of Things (IoT), the mobile networks of today must be adaptable to support a range of applications such as voice calls or autonomous vehicles.
Cornerstone’s recent transformation reflects these broader changes in the telecommunications industry. Where the company once focused on passive infrastructure - towers, concrete, compounds and leases - it now pursues a five-tier digital strategy to modernise its operations.
“This year, we'll undertake about 8,000 upgrade activities,” Andy says. “These activities require coordination across multiple teams and specialised suppliers, creating a complex operational environment.
“Our main focus is that technology is driving us into new areas. We're looking at expanding our estate into streetscape and urban densification.”
Embracing digital transformation
The digitalisation of Cornerstone's infrastructure management marks a shift from traditional documentation methods.
The company’s records, including maintenance evidence books and design specifications, are now being transitioned from PDF and Excel formats to digital systems. This will ultimately enable new capabilities in asset management and maintenance.
“We have introduced digital capture and digital twins to digitalise all the assets we have within our estate,” Andy explains. “The digital evolution and the introduction of AI and digital twins is enabling Cornerstone to enhance not just customer experience by the reduction of deployment timescales, it's also enhancing the end user's experience by giving you 5G or more capacity faster.
“We’re looking to use AI across pretty much every aspect of what we do. We use it to tell us when there's potentially large developments taking place and may need additional infrastructure to be deployed.”
He adds: “We're deploying infrastructure in extremely remote locations, but we will be deploying infrastructure at streetscape level, both urban and rural, to really focus on densification to ensure that the end user has seamless connectivity.”
Creating a workforce ecosystem
Like other leaders in the industry, Cornerstone faces workforce challenges common within the telecommunications sector. Currently, the average age of a field engineer is 54, with limited new talent entering the industry.
In response, Andy established the Cellular Network Field Engineer (CNFE) apprenticeship programme to get young people into the industry.
“We're really pleased that this year now we have roughly 15 apprentices enrolled,” he says. “That's 15 young, talented people coming into what is a really fast moving, vibrant industry and a well-paying industry.”
CNFE is designed to confront the evolving skill requirements of the technology industry. To keep diversifying the workforce, the programme removed minimum requirements from job specifications.
Andy explains: “We want to understand what the person is all about. We understand that some people have had better educational starts in life than others. Those others who didn't have that good start in life shouldn't miss out on the opportunities.”
Young talent is the future of mobile
The rapid pace of technological change is creating opportunities for workforce development. Cornerstone continues to work with local schools and colleges on T-level introduction and collaborates with industry partners to recruit postgraduates.
The company also explores international talent development, engaging with professionals from regions including the Philippines and across Africa.
“Young talent is coming out of schools and colleges and they know more than what we do,” Andy notes. “If you sit and talk to 18-19-20-year-olds, they've just got such a powerful mind, and if we can embrace that, magic starts to happen.”
To read the full article in the magazine, click HERE.
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