OptiMon - 3G/4G Network Optimization and Troubleshooting

Provides key performance indicators, geo-location reporting and drill down tools that enable radio access network engineering and operations to substantially reduce the cost of 3G optimization and network troubleshooting

Your Challenges

Mobile operators face the challenge of addressing continual 3G mobile network quality problems such as dropped calls, loss of data connections and low throughput. Yet mobile network quality is becoming increasingly difficult to understand and diagnose because of weaknesses with the current network troubleshooting toolset used by many operators. Operators largely depend on operations and maintenance center (OMC) counters provided by network equipment manufacturers with radio network controllers (RNCs) to understand radio access network (RAN) performance. OMC counters are often unable to determine the root cause of a problem in a timely fashion. Using RNCs to provide network optimization data also consumes CPU power, running the risk of impacting network performance. The use of OMC counters for 3G optimization also represents a potential conflict of interest since the NEM’s equipment is potentially being used to evaluate the NEM’s performance.

How We Can Help

OptiMon suite gathers performance data from all of the equipment on the 3G RAN interfaces including Iub, Iu and Iur. Captured data is analyzed to provide key performance indicators (KPIs) and long term trending analysis. Users can drill down into protocol detail level to determine the root cause of network problems. OptiMon’s unique 3G optimization feature set improves the efficiency of radio network optimization and troubleshooting and provides measurements and analysis results far beyond those offered by OMC counters and other test tools.

The OptiMon suite enables mobile network operators to increase the efficiency of radio network optimization and troubleshooting. Actionable information is extracted from all critical interfaces and users can drill down based on KPI threshold crossings, signaling anomalies and correlation of radio, service, and transport issues. Users can more efficiently perform their daily tasks and focus on the most important issues. This reduces the time to resolve problems, resulting in a higher Quality of Experience (QoE) while reducing operations costs. OptiMon’s ability to provide traffic and quality analysis on geographic maps enables network planning engineers to determine more precisely where additional sites or equipment upgrades are needed. The result is often significant improvements in network quality while reducing capital expenditures. The OptiMon system offers an objective source of information to operators who are currently forced to rely on the NEM’s OMC counters for 3G optimization.
 

Features and Benefits

  • Intelligent drill-down to root cause provides faster time to fault isolation, eliminates dependence on metrics supplied by the NEMs and simplifies decision-making and confirmation of suspect root-cause
  • Control and user plane analysis helps identify the root cause of the network troubleshooting issue by distinguishing between issues that originate in the handset, radio network and network element
  • Geo-location of issues and potential problems provides a graphical indication of where the problem is occurring and helps select the next optimization step for timely root cause isolation
  • Ability to distinguish between accessibility, retainability and performance issues helps determine whether: 1) the user had issues accessing the network such as making a call or a data connection 2) the user had issues maintaining the call 3) the user had a handset issue or there was a problem with the network.
  • OptiMon’s geo-location capabilities make every user of the mobile network a virtual test device, significantly reducing the need for drive testing.
  • OptiMon’s system flexibility allows users to choose between a top-down or bottom-up network troubleshooting strategy by drilling down from KPI’s or drilling up from call traces and messages.
  • Automatic audit generation capabilities provide a user-configurable network performance reports that can be used by management, optimization, planning and operations teams to improve the efficiency of work procedures and time to problem resolution.
  • Automated alarming warns the network operations and optimization teams when user-defined RAN KPI thresholds, such as failed set up attempts or call drop levels, exceed a certain user-defined level. The same OptiMon system can then be used to diagnose the problem.
  • Automatic configuration function discovers all elements in the monitored area of the network based on signaling from the monitored links.

Applications

  • Multi-RAB analysis
  • Top cell benchmark report
  • Top handset benchmark report
  • Top roamer benchmark report
  • Handset benchmarking
  • Cell benchmarking
  • Customizable KPI view for daily snapshot
  • Cell analysis reports:
  • Cell radio analysis
  • Cell performance charts
  • Problematic cells
  • HSDPA cell ranking analysis
  • HSDPA cell time analysis
  • Soft-handover cell matrix
  • Inter-radio access technology (RAT) handover cell matrix
  • Geo-location application

Multi-RAB Analysis

It’s often difficult for RAN engineering and operations teams to troubleshoot multi- radio access bearer (multi-RAB) sessions involving simultaneous voice and data transmissions in a 3G network. Devices may drop more calls or be less successful at initiating calls while they are also receiving emails. OptiMon KPIs are based on counting and classifying dedicated failure events so they help identify multi-RAB problems quickly. OptiMon provides instant and seamless drilldown that enables efficient root cause analysis of identified problems. OptiMon enables RAN engineering and operations groups to pin-point the root cause of a call drop much faster than is possible using traditional methods. The result is that problems can be solved before they cause major customer satisfaction issues.

 

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