A major network operator with operations across four continents was spending over $5 million annually on its repair programme for access network hardware. Their model routed all faulty equipment to a single vendor, who repaired approximately 70% of units, but charged for testing and inspections regardless of repair outcome. Critically, there was no connection between actual network demand and what was repaired, resulting in surplus, inflated warehousing costs, and eventual disposal of unused stock.
The Challenge
This fragmented approach led to:
- High volumes of repaired legacy hardware with no operational need
- Obsolete Next Generation Access (NGA) components taking up warehousing space
- Lack of inventory visibility across storage and repair cycles
- No firmware standardisation checks on return
- Significant environmental and financial waste
PICS Telecom’s Solution
PICS Telecom implemented a circular repair process tailored to the operator’s NGA hardware lifecycle. Using our Full Circle Asset Management approach, we delivered:
- Repair triage aligned to actual network usage and forecasted demand
- Inventory reconciliation of stored and in-repair equipment for smarter planning
- Firmware verification and updates, ensuring all repaired units met operational standards
- Sustainability-first practices, including responsible recycling and zero-to-landfill disposal for unrecoverable assets
- Centralised reporting, offering full traceability and performance analytics
The Outcome
Within 12 months, the operator reduced annual repair spend by over 80%, falling below $1 million. This was driven primarily by a strategic reduction in unnecessary repairs, ensuring that only network-relevant assets were serviced and redeployed. Equipment stock was streamlined, environmental impact minimised, and full circular control restored across the asset lifecycle.
Why PICS Telecom?
PICS Telecom brings over 32 years of global expertise in network sustainability and circular economy solutions. Our operations are underpinned by ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environmental), ISO 27001 (Information Security), and R2 (Responsible Recycling) certifications, as well as a zero-to-landfill accreditation, making us a trusted partner for NGA asset repair, reuse, and recycling at scale.
