TowerXchange had the privilege of visiting Vodafone Procurement Company in August 2016, exposing us to possibly the greatest concentration of telecom SCM expertise in the world, responsible for a mind-boggling €25bn annual spend for Vodafone and for selected third parties. Vodafone has 250 procurement, technology and category management experts who buy everything from handsets, to what Vodafone call “Network Site Infrastructure” (NSI). With 13 years’ experience at Vodafone, and seven within the Procurement Company, Solange Karwera is Vodafone’s Senior Category Manager for NSI.
TowerXchange: How does Vodafone buy network site infrastructure equipment and services?
Solange Karwera, Senior Category Manager, NSI, Vodafone:
Vodafone breaks down the Network Site Infrastructure product portfolio into nine categories:
- Power supply, cabinets / shelter
- Antennas
- Cables
- Batteries
- Towers
- Air conditioners
- Civil works (now “deployment services”)
- Generators
- Power cubes / renewables
We also manage accessories and consumables, which includes safety equipment such as fall arrest systems and personal protective equipment.
