Author: Markos Nalchajian

 10:45,

YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS. For exactly three weeks, employees of various departments of mobile network of the Ucom’s Technical Directorate once again shared their professional skills, knowledge and know-hows in telecommunications field with ten students from the Faculty of Information and Telecommunication Technologies and Electronics of the National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA).

The internship was held in 8 departments, including those of Radio Network Planning and Optimization, Radio Network Operation (BSS: Basic Service Set), Service Quality Control (AQP: Advanced Quality Planning) and Transmission Department. The students took part in the works on the localization of the new station, defined the main parameters, integrated them, and operated the station software. Future radio engineers monitored how mobile network management systems were maintained, analyzed station statistics, ensured connectivity between all stations and the mobile core network, as well as international connectivity.

With the help of specific software packages, “I conduct a drive-test, through which I study the quality and coverage of the network”, said student Nune Baghdasaryan.

“During the internship period at Ucom, we studied the operations of all departments: we were in the radio one, we were engaged in planning, installed stations, visited AQP, answered subscribers’ questions, we opened tickets, redirected them to the relevant departments, which could give solutions on a more serious level. I liked Radio Department and BSS because those seem more interesting, and you have a deeper understanding of what profession you are studying and how you will subsequently work in this role. We have 5 female students on the course, both girls and boys study equally, but mostly it is girls who want to work at Ucom,” said Tamara Poghosyan, 4th year student of the Faculty of Telecommunications and Signal Processing of NPUA.

Both Liliya Husikyan, the Head of the Polytechnic University students’ internship and Senior radio network engineer at Ucom, and Armen Ayvazyan, Head of the Mobile Department, strictly ensured that future colleagues also learn to monitor the operation of stations through a 24/7 system, notice problems, analyze the alarms and offer solutions.

“We attach great importance to cooperation with the National Polytechnic University of Armenia. This year, 10 students completed an internship with us, during which they got acquainted with a number of technical professions and realized how to pave their career path in our company, saw our technical team, understood how much they can learn from us. They’ve spent their internship both in the office and on the streets of the capital city, conducting drive tests; as well as in the regions, visiting base stations; they figured out how they could apply their theoretical knowledge in practice and what practical skills they would need to develop in order to really start working. I believe that this is a model of mutually beneficial cooperation, because it is these students who have shown high involvement and the best results that are our primary candidates for replenishing entry-level technical vacancies,” said Viktorya Baghdasaryan, Director of Human Resources Management and Organizational Development at Ucom.

At the end of the internship, with the support of the Ucom Stations’ Operation and Maintenance Department staff, the students once again visited one of the regions of the country to understand how stations are maintained and how the failed equipment is being replaced, namely, the antennas, modules, cables, generators and batteries.

 11:44,

YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. Heavy gunfire was heard early on Friday at the main military base outside Mali’s capital Bamako before easing after about an hour, Reuters reports.

Three residents of the camp, who asked not be identified, said they believed the base at Kati, about 15 km (10 miles) outside Bamako, had been attacked by Islamist militants, who have been waging an insurgency in Mali for the past decade.

The Kati base was the site of mutinies in 2012 and 2020 that led to successful coups, but the residents said the soldiers did not appear to be fighting among themselves.

Reuters could not immediately verify the cause of the gunfire at Kati. Mali’s military spokesman was not immediately available for comment and an official at the presidency declined to comment.

 13:36,

YEREVAN, JULY 20, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan visited the 2nd Army Corps on July 20. He was accompanied by the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defense said in a press release.

Papikyan toured the military bases of the Army Corps and inspected the logistical works and the course of military training of the troops.

Minister Papikyan discussed with the command staff issues pertaining to strengthening of the personnel’s combat readiness, infrastructure modernization and improvement.

Then, the Minister of Defense visited the eastern borderline and inspected the works of equipping the frontline at military positions.

The commander of the military base reported on the implemented construction and reinforcement works at the frontline and the actions aimed at the security of the personnel.

Papikyan assured that all issues regarding ensuring frontline security will be properly studied and resolved.

During discussions with the command staff and on-duty servicemen, the Minister of Defense also addressed the ongoing reforms in the military, the programs related to social protection of servicemembers, and assured that these issues are always under the spotlight of the military-political leadership of the country.

 15:40,

YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. Daniel Ezukam, who was born in an Armenian-Nigerian family, was drafted into the Armenian Army today, on July 15, Spokesperson of the Armenian defense minister Aram Torosyan said on social media.

“Daniel Ezukam was born in Armenia, but spent most of his live in other countries. He has been in the homeland of his mother mostly during the summer. But last year they made a decision to stay in Armenia for a longer period of time”, the spokesperson said.

 11:43,

YEREVAN, JULY 12, ARMENPRESS. By creating a ministry of interior and making a number of other changes, the government of Armenia aims at making the service in the system more attractive, and the country’s internal security environment – more manageable, Chairman of the Parliament’s Standing Committee of Defense and Security Affairs Andranik Kocharyan said during the parliamentary hearings on the creation of the ministry of internal affairs.

“Police reforms have a special place in the reforms relating to security in the government’s 2021-2026 action plan, with a priority given to the establishment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Within the frames of these reforms, we have managed to create a patrol service in the capital city and already in some provinces, and its activity framework is gradually expanding across Armenia. With its high professionalism it will become competitive and will constantly expand the professional capacities”, Kocharyan said.

According to him, by restoring the Ministry of Interior the government will solve several important issues. The concrete functions of the ministry will be defined, a new system for training personnel will be installed. In fact, the ministry of interior will become a body developing the sectoral domestic policy.

“Democratic control over power structures is one of the key principles of the countries with a parliamentary system of governance. And by creating the Ministry of Interior, we not only will make the structure more under control, but also will contribute to increasing its transparent operation and accountability. This and a number of other changes will lead to the point that we will make the service in the system more attractive on the one hand, and the internal security environment of our state more manageable, on the other hand”, he said.

He said that these hearings aim at making the public participants of these important reforms.