Testing


Testing times for the Long Term Evolution


Manuel Mato, of JDSU Communications, outlines the complex challenges in testing and troubleshooting the next generation of wireless networks


‘Because of the complexity of LTE technology and the introduction of new services, there is greater potential for QoS issues than with 3G networks’


L


TE off ers carriers a means of improving network performance and effi ciency while coexisting with legacy networks. T ese performance gains are enabled by


major changes to the radio access and core networks relative to the prior 3GPP and CDMA technologies. T e familiar base sta- tion is replaced by the new eNodeB while the core network gives way to the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) of LTE. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) radio access is used on the downlink and Signal-Carrier Frequency-Division Multiple Access (SCFD- MA) provides the uplink. Multiple Input Mul- tiple Output (MIMO) antenna technology, meanwhile, is used on both the uplink and the downlink. Operators are deploying LTE rapidly, which,


along with the complexity and novelty of the standard, creates greater potential for qual- ity of service (QoS) issues than 3G networks. Understandably, service providers want to be fi rst to market with their LTE services, but it is critical that they troubleshoot and manage quality eff ectively if the services are to live up to customer expectations. T ese challenges are complicated by the


high number of test points that must be moni- tored and the huge volumes of data that need to be correlated across the network. LTE’s complexity means there are far more interfaces


About the author


Manuel Mato is regional vice president, EMEA, of JDSU Communications’ test and measurement business segment


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that need to be mined for relevant data and that signalling is much more complex.


Complex logistics Operators are faced with the challenge of suc- cessfully planning and executing LTE trials and then getting to fi rst deployment. Trial logistics are complex. T e trial team


must set the framework, communicate with all network equipment manufacturers (NEMs), police the NEMs during the trial, run test cases in a uniform way, capture and evaluate huge volumes of data, and adapt when something goes wrong. Solving the problems that occur during these trials will allow service providers to move out of initial deployments in time to beat competitors to market. Fully integrated test platforms that provide


on-the-fl y measurements from the radio access network to the network core are needed to pro- vide measurements during LTE trials. T ese tools enable trial teams to replicate services in as many diff erent scenarios and environments as are practical for all relevant standards and on diff erent frequency bands.


Critical functions Testing can verify all functions critical to fu- ture LTE services, including data capacity and throughput, network coverage, end-to-end network latency, seamless handover with leg- acy networks, interoperability of multi-vendor devices and QoS. T e latest testing tools support LSTI Field


Trial Test Cases, fl exible key performance in- dicators (KPIs), correlation of user plane and control plane data, interactive measurements


Monitoring LTE cells with a smartphone LAND mobile January 2012


with preferred UE devices and the latest per- mutations of LTE standards. T e tools work for all vendors’ equipment and enable ‘apple to apple’ comparisons. T e result is that operators are enabled to make LTE equipment purchas- ing decisions on objective criteria.


Assuring quality Because of the complexity of LTE technology and the introduction of new services, there is greater potential for QoS issues than with 3G networks. Service providers must ensure that they can identify and troubleshoot any user, service or network problem in a very short pe- riod of time in order to deliver the highest pos- sible standard of customer care. Network mon- itoring can help by delivering KPIs that provide real-time information on LTE performance and an end-to-end view that enables fast root cause diagnosis so that the problem can be cor- rected before it aff ects customer satisfaction.


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