Testing Visualizing the net
A critical challenge in realizing the potential of LTE networks is to understand how they are being used by subscribers. Warren Dumanski shows how the latest testing tools can help operators to know their network thoroughly
mercially launched LTE networks and 185 com- mitments from operators in 66 countries. Driving this technological shift is the insatiable
T
demand for mobile data services, born from the rising number of smartphones, tablets and M2M applications in the market. VisionMobile recent- ly estimated smartphone penetration in Europe at 51 per cent and North America at 63 per cent. With room for growth, the expansion of mo-
bile data usage should increase for the foreseeable future. However, ensuring LTE lives up to its po- tential creates a series of problems for operators. During the launch of new LTE networks,
wireless operators now have the ability to assess the performance of their infrastructure and the devices operating on it, in real time, through net- work visualization technology. Such systems are especially valuable to RF and
network performance engineers, who can use the data they produce to identify network problem areas and fi nd solutions to solve them – such as deploying small cells. Moreover, engineers can then use the technology to measure the perform- ance of the optimization in real time. Network visualization applications also allow engineers to assess how certain devices perform on the net- work, and the dependencies between the legacy 3G network and the LTE infrastructure. While network equipment vendors can assess
these aspects on their own infrastructure, the challenge is magnifi ed with multiple radio access and core network suppliers. Operators must look to their third-party supplier ecosystem to gain a composite view of their network.
Warren Dumanski is vice president of sales and marketing at Newfi eld Wireless. The company’s TrueCall tool supports mobile operators by
providing information on real-time call and data sessions which they can use to improve network performance
LAND mobile January 2012
he deployment of LTE is becoming a reality. According to the Global Mobile Suppliers Association, there are 35 com-
T e deployment, and maintenance, of an
LTE network is a costly business, but visuali- zation technology can help operators optimize their LTE networks in a cost-eff ective way. One example is in reducing the need for drive-testing. Drive-testing is the process of driving around a
geographic area and recording network perform- ance data, using measurement equipment that can detect a variety of the physical and virtual net- work parameters. Traditionally, drive-tests have been used to provide data to optimize networks, but reliance on these procedures can be greatly reduced with network visualization applications.
Visualizing effi ciency As LTE becomes operational, subscribers could experience teething troubles in using the network. Network visualization tools can help here, too. Real-time call and data session information made available through the applications can be used by the operator’s customer care representative to fi nd whether a subscriber’s complaint is related to a problem in the network or to the device they use. Having clarifi ed the problem, the representa-
tive can provide the engineering group with actionable data to solve the problem and help reduce the time in closing the complaint. T e effi cient workfl ow allowed by the visualization tool allows the operator more freedom with their operational budget, which means they can lower the need to hire additional resources to support the LTE network deployment. T e cost of deployment of LTE is front of mind
for an operator’s management team, its board and its investors. Network visualization applications are already in use on 3G networks, providing detailed information on their performance. T is information can be used in network planning to prioritize the site locations for an LTE overlay. Once an initial network design is deployed and
on air, the visualization application can identify areas where further capital investment on distrib- uted antenna systems, or additional sites, is best spent. T e application allows performance engi- neers to ‘sweat the assets’ of the existing network infrastructure, both hardware and radio spectrum. With mobile data demand driving LTE de-
ployments, operators must use every advantage provided to them by the wireless supplier eco- system when rolling out LTE.
Top: using state-of-the-art network visualization applications, operators are able to get a network-wide view in real time. Image is from Newfi eld Wireless’s TrueCall. Above: access to detailed call and data session information enables engineers to understand the root cause of problems. Here, the green site is overshooting and causing interference to subscriber calls in the identifi ed area
T e introduction of network visualization
and optimization solutions provides operators with access to a wealth of information, from their existing subscribers, that can be used to cost-eff ectively optimize and monitor their LTE network in real time. Perhaps more im- portantly, such technology provides a window into an operator’s LTE network so they can un- derstand the subscriber’s experience. As the penetration of smartphones grows,
network visualization applications provide op- erators with the raw tools to build, and operate, effi cient and profi table LTE networks.
29
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36