SupplyChain Magazine May 2018 | Page 12

200 %. Small cell technology allows much better and faster mobile coverage , providing average indoor coverage of up to 30,000 sq ft , and with a signal that extends data coverage to Sprint customers in nearby homes and businesses . The company recently hit a milestone of 100,000 deployed Sprint Magic Boxes to businesses and consumers in approximately 200 cities . Sprint plans to deploy more than a million units as part of its multi-year roadmap .
Sprint Magic Box represents an outcome from the company ’ s integrated strategy on partnership , innovation , customer focus , technology leverage and , crucially , end-to-end supply chain management . As part of Sprint ’ s representation at Barcelona , Martin Fijman , VP of Products and Supply Chain , was there to further relations with the global industry , notably the manufacturers of the devices on which we rely . “ Everything at MWC was about 5G ,” Fijman says . “ I think the convergence of 5G technologies , the devices and the digital supply chain is a very powerful combination . Sprint is very well positioned from a technology and supply chain point of view to bring this disruptive technology to the market . We will be the first in the USA with a mobile 5G network , and we will have the devices supply chain in place to make it happen .”
Fijman joined SoftBank in 2014 with responsibility for a multi-billion dollar global spend , negotiating with key manufacturers and managing sourcing strategy , purchasing operations and contract management for Sprint . At the time he was drawn by the vision and leadership that drove the company at this crucial stage of its development , and was excited by the prospect of driving an aligned transformation in its supply chain function . He is adamant that an effective supply chain organisation should fully support the company ’ s strategic vision . Since then , his role evolved to lead and implement a unified devices supply chain across all Sprint consumer products , channels and brands , driving a differentiated customer experience ( one of the key corporate goals ) at an optimal cost . As such he is accountable for boardroom-level relationships with key partners and manufacturers , endto-end forward and reverse supply chain operations , inventory and device
12 May 2018