Monitoring Experiences on Data Services

Value Added Services are so named because they hold a perceived level of value above services viewed as standard offerings. To that end, customers are willing to pay a service premium and network operators are expected to deliver a high quality experience with the contracted services.

In monitoring value added data services, a traditional network management approach focuses the network engineer on measuring the availability of the network accessing the services. The challenge with this approach is that it fails to provide insight into the experience each customer is having with the services from the end device.
 

To understand the end user’s experience with value added data services, Tektronix Communications recommends monitoring a customer’s experience of Data Services (MMS, Games Ringtones, web pages, Mobile TV etc.) with touchpoint™. Transactions are monitored for new services and particular problems on internal URLs (i.e. games) are highlighted so the network operator can act proactively in resolving the problem and contacting the customer to provide additional assistance if needed. Monitoring the quality of service of streamed content (e.g. Mobile TV) and popular APNs (e.g. blackberry.net) will ensure continued consumption of these services.

Implementation of this approach can improve the quality of services, reduce the number of failed attempts and represent an increase in data services revenues.