1. Quality of Service Measurements of Mobile Networks
Workshop on “Monitoring and Benchmarking of Quality of
Service and Quality of Experience of Multimedia Services in Mobile Networks”
(Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014)
Quality of Service Measurements of Mobile Networks
Yvonne UMUTONI
Quality of Service Development Group (QSDG) Chairperson 1

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This presentation focuses on the quality of service monitoring and enforcement for mobile networks from the Regulatory point of view.
It covers the following:
purposes of QoS regulations
Requirements for a Regulator in order to enforce Quality of service
Purpose of Auditing the QoS and auditing methods
prerequisites so as to conduct a QoS Measurement Campaign
QoS Parameters of some mobile services such as voice, sms, data…
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

3. QUALITY OF SERVICE REGULATION
QoS is defined as the “Collective effect of service performance, which determines the degree of satisfaction of a user of the service” [ITU-T Recommendation E.800].
QoS regulation is part of customer protection;
But customer protection is broader than QoS regulation and
QoS is not the same as network performance, which is more concerned with standards for the network, not user experience.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

4. QUALITY OF SERVICE REGULATION (Cont…)
Main purposes of QoS regulation are [ITU-T Supp. 9 of E.800 Series]:
Helping customers be aware of the Quality of service provided by Telecom Operators/ ISPs through networks (mobile & fixed), so that to make their own choices;
Checking claims by operators;
Understanding the state of the market;
Maintaining / improving the QoS in presence of competition;
Maintaining / improving the QoS in absence of competition;
Helping operators to achieve fair competition; and
Making interconnected networks work well together.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

5. ENFORCEMENT OF QUALITY OF SERVICE
Requirements so as to enforce the quality of service:
ICT Law:
Adopted and published in the Official Gazette
Regulations / Guidelines of Quality of Service in Mobile networks:
With a purpose:
Improve / maintain service quality;
make QoS Information available to customers;
assist the development of telecommunication markets and;
improve operation and performance of interconnected networks.
Guidance about:
Methodologies for measuring, reporting and recording.
QoS parameters definitions and thresholds.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

6. ENFORCEMENT OF QUALITY OF SERVICE (Cont..)
iii. Reports of QoS submitted Monthly or Quarterly by Telecom Operators to the Regulatory Authority:
Include technical and non technical parameters
iv. QoS Monitoring Tools for auditing the QoS of mobile networks independently
v Staff in charge well trained
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

7. AUDIT OF QUALITY OF SERVICE
Purpose of QoS Auditing :
Verify the QoS of Mobile Networks experienced by customers and
Compare the Results (from audit exercise) against the licence obligations
Methods to audit telecom operators’ mobile networks are, but not limited to:
Drive Test (performed on quarterly basis or any time required)
Consumer survey
Data submitted on monthly or quarterly basis by Mobile Telecom Operators
Etc.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

8. METHODOLOGIES FOR MEASUREMENT
This presentation focuses on Drive Test Methodology
QoS Measurement Campaign prerequisites:
Specify Locations (e.g.: City, sector)
Prepare maps for those locations
Calculate Samples (attempts) required for each location based on population: For more information, please refer to ITU-T Recommendation E.804.
Calculate number of days/ hours required
Calculate number of hotspots (for measurement of data services) and locate those hotspots
Prepare a script for each service (e.g: Voice, FTP, HTTP…)
For Voice service measurement, specify the Mode (e.g: GSM, 3G or Dual mode)
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

9. METHODOLOGIES FOR MEASUREMENT (Cont...)
Example of Voice call sequence:
Start loop
Make a voice call from MOC to MTC
Call duration: wait 90, or 120 seconds
MOC disconnects the call (Hang-up)
Pause (Idle Mode) time: wait 20 seconds
End loop (go back to step 2)
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

10. QUALITY OF SERVICE PARAMETERS
VOICE KPIs
Definitions
Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR)
CSSR denotes the probability that the end-user can access the mobile telephony service when requested if it is offered by display of the network indicator on the user equipment
Call Setup time (CST)
CST describes the time period between sending of complete address information by the MOC and receipt of call set-up notification or an alerting message.
Call Drop Rate (CDR)
CDR denotes the probability that a successful established attempt is ended unintentionally by MOC or MTC party
Speech Quality
Speech quality on sample basis: is an indicator representing the quantification of the end-to-end speech transmission quality of the mobile telephony service.
Service coverage Area (Signal level): ≥ -95 dBm.
The Service coverage area verification depends on Operator’s coverage plan.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

11. QUALITY OF SERVICE PARAMETERS (Cont…)
KPIs for SMS
Definitions
SMS Service
Accessibility
SMS service accessibility denotes the probability that the end-user can access the SMS when requested while it is offered by display of the network indicator on the user equipment.
SMS Completion
Ratio
SMS Completion Ratio is the ratio of successfully received and sent messages from the sending UE (user equipment) to the receiving UE, excluding duplicate received and corrupted messages.
SMS End-to-End
Delivery Time [s]
SMS end-to-end delivery time is the time period between sending a short message to the network and receiving the very same short message at another UE.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

12. QUALITY OF SERVICE PARAMETERS (Cont…)
KPIs Data services
Definitions
Attach failure ratio
Attach failure ratio denotes the probability that a subscriber cannot attach to the Packet Switched (PS) network.
Attach Setup time
Attach setup time describes the time period needed to attach to the PS network
PDP Context Activation Failure Ratio
PDP context activation failure ratio denotes the probability that the PDP context cannot be activated. It is the proportion of unsuccessful PDP context activation attempts and the total number of PDP context activation attempts.
PDP Context Activation Time
PDP context activation time describes the time period needed for activating the PDP context.
PDP Context Cut-off Ratio
PDP context cut-off ratio denotes the probability that a PDP context is deactivated without being initiated.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

13. PUBLICATION
For Consumer protection and Awareness purposes, the Quality of Service results from Audit Campaign (drive test, consumer survey...) are published by Regulators, on website, or in magazine for a regulator;
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014

14. Thank you for your attention
Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2014