As more UK and European operators roll out 4G services, network engineers face the challenge of delivering a consistent quality experience to the end user. Kethees Ketheesan, VP RAN Strategy at Newfield Wireless, a Tektronix Communications company, reveals how operators can make the promise of high-speed mobile broadband a reality.
Mobile operators had their work cut out with the launch of Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus last month. Not only did the release lead to a flurry of new device activations, it coincided with the unveiling of iOS 8. These two factors combined created a challenging network environment, with engineers juggling a significant increase in data traffic with handling issues created by hot new devices entering the wild for the first time.
Based on data analysis we conducted using our RAN geoanalytics platform, we know today that Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are consuming more data than the iPhone 5, a mere 2 weeks since launch. September 2014 was no doubt one of the more difficult times for operators to ensure a consistent quality of experience for all subscribers.
Despite Apple’s popularity among European consumers, however, this increase in data traffic isn’t a problem exclusive to the latest iPhones. All major device launches present a challenge for operators to manage the subscriber experience, an issue that’s become far more complex with the move to 4G. The roll out of LTE and the shift to all-IP networks has brought with it a number of new mobile use cases, from HD video streaming to online gaming.
It’s also led to the growth of Voice over LTE (VoLTE), a key selling point for all premium handsets launched in the past 24 months and a feature that’s wholly reflective of the new network challenges operators are up against. In fact, additional analysis on the immediate impact of the iPhone 6 launches show networks in the US are seeing a sharp drop in iPhone 6 3G voice calls as voice calls in iPhone 6 are being delivered via VoLTE where available.
The problem operators’ face is that VoLTE, and LTE in general, has irreversibly changed how subscribers access mobile services. Engineers that have spent decades perfecting the Radio Access Network (RAN) for traditional voice communications now have to deal with the rise of 4G smartphones, all-IP applications and new ways for devices to interact with the core network, which all take time to deploy and test. With this in mind, it’s no longer enough for operators to maintain their networks for traditional voice, messaging and data. Instead, it has become vital to develop a much better understanding of the network complexities created by new devices like the iPhone 6, in addition to the ways subscribers now engage with the network.
Until now, engineers have relied on drive testing when deploying services like VoLTE or introducing new devices. Given the size of the average mobile network it’s no surprise this has traditionally been an expensive and time-consuming process, but it needn’t be. Tools exist that can remove the need for drive testing altogether, giving operators a visual heat map of their network and detailed information down to the device level, making it easier and more cost effective to roll out new services and to identify where subscribers are having problems. The most attractive part of this new approach is that operators already have access to the information they need. It’s hidden inside the mobile network; all that’s required are the right keys to unlock it.
Accessing data from the RAN
By implementing end-to-end geoanalytics and optimisation tools that cover the entire network from the RAN to the core, operators can unlock this valuable data they preside over. And with the move to 4G, there’s never been a better time.
The rise of 4G means subscribers are using more capacity than ever before, tapping into over-the-top (OTT) services and running data intensive applications across a wide variety of devices. To effectively manage the network and ensure a consistent quality of experience for all users engineers need to see what’s happening at the network edge, otherwise they risk running into problems.
On modern mobile networks it’s quite common for a small concentration of users to represent a high proportion of data traffic, occupying all available cell capacity. In these situations, operators will provide a satisfying user experience to a minor subset of their overall user base, but a sub-standard experience to the majority. For this reason it has become increasingly difficult for operators to ensure a consistent quality of experience for the masses. Operators with access to network monitoring and optimisation tools, however, now have the ability to fight back against customer dissatisfaction and churn by using network data to alleviate subscriber issues and gain a better understanding of the user experience overall.
Correct RAN management has become vital to maximising the potential of LTE as it holds the key to ensuring quality network performance for subscribers. According to a recent study from Tektronix Communications, 70% of subscriber issues now occur inside the RAN and at least 10% of those problems are not resolvable with existing monitoring workflows. New optimisation tools can remedy this headache for network engineers, but getting a handle on this new approach to RAN management can have wider implications too. Unlocking a better and more affordable approach to handling RAN data has become a key technical and financial differentiator for operators, particularly as they’re still looking to recoup the significant investments made into LTE network built-outs.
Better network intelligence
The RAN has a whole host of applications outside ensuring a consistent quality of experience. RAN data can support network planning as engineers can identify exactly where additional network capacity would have the biggest impact. Combine this with network geoanalytics and engineers can also benefit from an end-to-end view of subscriber quality and experience across the entire network, making it easier to handle the market challenges that could otherwise delay the roll out of new services like VoLTE.
Armed with the right data and network visualisation tools, engineers can pinpoint issues at the subscriber and device levels in real-time, track those issues as they develop across the network and identify new upsell opportunities at the subscriber level, providing highly targeted suggestions dependent on their individual needs. By having a complete end-to-end view of the network, subscriber data pulled from the RAN can even be used to support a wide range of departments beyond engineering, including those in customer care and marketing.
With a better understanding of how subscribers use the mobile network, operators will be in a better position to increase revenues and generate new business.
