NEW DELHI -- Mobile measurements data represents a highly accurate source of data for network modeling. This enables a shift in the operator`s perception of its radio access network (RAN) quality, moving from a geographical-based modeling to the one based on actual users` experience and handset data.
The use of mobile measurements bypasses the limitations of drive tests by identifying problems in these locations and providing network engineers with the exact location of problem areas. The use of mobile measurements puts engineers in a position of proactive control, significantly reducing problems that could lead to churn, revenue loss and reduced MOU (minutes of usage). By relying on actual network data, this solution enables immediate identification of locations that are experiencing heavy usage or degradation of service quality. No more guesswork.
Schema`s Mentor analyses network data to identify network problem areas accurately. Mentor`s advanced algorithms provide network engineers with recommendations for corrective actions.
Gur Lavie, director, product marketing, Schema, briefs us on this new product and the mileage it will offer to service providers. Excerpts from the interview.
Convergence Plus: What is the range of Schema`s involvement in wireless segment?
Gur Lavie: Schema is a leading global provider of network optimisation software solutions. It specialises in solutions for wireless networks, offering solutions for both access networks as well as backhaul transport networks. The company also offers a comprehensive solution suite for optimising backhaul traffic, and more specialised solutions for various types of access networks. The company has had success in deploying its solutions globally. Its most recent optimisation solution is Mentor, which takes a new approach to the optimisation process, based on mobile measurements.
CP: What do you mean by mobile-measurements-based analysis?
GL: Mobile measurements are the only usage based data source and are therefore the best and most effective source for accurately modeling indoor/outdoor, micro/macro and moving/pedestrian traffic in the network.
In contrast, the usage of drive-test data and signal strength predictions provides only limited amount of information, which lack accuracy, incur repetitive costs and do not provide information on approximately 70 percent of the traffic which originates from stationary, in-building environments – malls, office buildings, residential housing etc.
Therefore by basing network optimisation activity on drive-test data alone, the service provider is working at a disadvantage and this could lead to a loss of traffic potential translating into lost MoUs (minutes of use) and reduced ARPU.
CP: What will be your product strategy for `Mentor` in India?
GL: India`s cellular networks are mainly GSM and some CDMA. For the GSM, the concept of mobile measurement usage is common today; hence Mentor will be a natural migration path for any service provider that will deploy a UMTS network.
For the main four CDMA operators (BSNL, MTNL, Reliance, Tata) Mentor can be deployed to address the common problems in areas with heavy traffic and resource problems, as well as in places where poor coverage needs to be identified in order to retrieve lost traffic. Mentor`s mobile measurement-based approach to network performance improvement is a perfect fit to the challenging aspects of the cellular market in India.
CP: Can you test the actual user experience of data as well as voice services?
GL: Mentor collects and analyses information on both the circuit switch (CS) and packet switch (PS) domains of the cellular network. By collecting all available information, Mentor supports the optimisation of the different service types in the network, for example - Web surfing, video and music streaming, VoIP, and videoconferencing.
Mentor makes it possible for the operator to tune their optimisation goals differently for these domains, and provides reports and analysis on the user experience and quality delivered for each of them.
CP: What makes `Mentor` different from other such tools in the market?
GL: Classical tools use calculations, simulations and extensive manual effort to try and improve network quality, coverage and performance.
Mentor takes the right approach, by coupling to the network and gaining an understanding of the real user experience. Mentor, in contrast to other tools, will automatically provide improvement plans (optimisations) to the RAN network, which are focused on the network areas where user experience is really degraded.
Mentor contribution is not ended with providing recommendations; Mentor can automatically provision the changes to the network.
By basing its operation on real network information, Mentor becomes the engineers` "best friend" for the daily work of analysing network KPIs and identifying traffic and drop call "hot spots". Mentor`s extensive reporting and analysis capabilities, together with its wizard-based work flow, improve engineers productivity while reducing time spent on data collection and lengthy analysis.
CP: How are operators responding to this tool? Did you win any deployment contract?
GL: Operators are highly enthusiastic about the product, it is the first time they can actually see how their network really performs and not just through averaged figures and special and expensive test drives reports. When we integrate the product to their data sources, they immediately get accurate understanding of where their drop calls hot spots are, and where and how their different traffic types are spread. The product is so easy to use, that after a day of work with our product specialist, we have seen engineers running straight to perform analysis and optimisation tasks that previously took them weeks of preparations and data collections.
I believe our customers find the combination of accurate and geographically oriented analysis, troubleshooting focused performance reporting and automatic correction plan to be a true asset.
As far as individual customers are concerned, we are unable to provide names due to policies on confidentiality, but network operators are beginning to deploy Mentor; in fact we announced two agreements in with major North American service providers over the summer.
CP: What key issues need to be considered with such a new technology in terms of network optimisation?
GL: The use of mobile measurements for optimisation is ideal for improving the cost effectiveness of optimisation, and shortening the duration of the process, and reducing its time to value. No need to run into costly and complex site tuning cycles: With mobile measurements you can run short optimisation cycles, focusing on the different network parameters, and get immediate and costless feedback on the result of each cycle.
With the use of mobile measurements it is also much easier to take proactive control of the network quality, quickly reacting to changing traffic patterns and make sure you keep your network resources tuned to your customers needs.
CP: What are the benefits of using `Mentor`?
GL: Mobile measurements data is readily available as a network resource. Mobile measurements can be activated immediately and involve no additional costs and recording equipment (such as drive testing) nor external engineering tools (such as prediction generators).
As a result, optimisation activities can focus on problem solving, rather than data collection, analysis, and monitoring. Network performance goals can be met by easily identifying key network problems which have a higher impact on network KPI`s bottom line, and through automatically generated recommendations for improvement.
Mentor can increase a network`s MOU and ARPU through faster adaptation to evolving traffic patterns, and through quicker identification of network quality degradations followed by rapid corrective action. The costs involved in the optimisation process itself are reduced, as Mentor minimises the time and resources that must be devoted to drive tests. Complicated, lengthy signal propagation calibration is unnecessary, and mass parameter changes are automated. Mentor can also be instrumental in a network`s long-term planning and reduce capital expenditure by better utilising existing resources for traffic hot spots. Furthermore, this solution provides the capability for balancing traffic and optimising the interface between multiple carriers.
Of equal importance, Mentor can help service providers achieve better customer satisfaction and reduce churn. With this approach, they can proactively identify network quality degradation without the need for customer feedback through CRM. Drop call rates are reduced, and network coverage is strengthened when and where it is most needed by consumers.
