UMTS Quality of Service enabling new mobile applications

1. UMTS Quality of Service enabling new mobile applications CANTO St. Kitts & Nevis, 19th – 22nd June 2005 Heidi Lagerström, heidi.lagerstrom@omnitele.fi

2. Agenda • Introduction to UMTS • New services • Quality of Service (QoS) in UMTS network • Using QoS to improve service quality • Service quality measurements in UMTS network • Different ways to measure service quality • Defining correct Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) • Conclusions

3. New generation of mobile networks UMTS • New data services are driving up traffic in mobile networks • ARPU generated by data users is rising • Rise in traffic will bring challenges in maintaining acceptable quality of service • Service quality is closely tired to new service acceptance Need to build more network capacity!

4. Broadband in wide area 3G-specific services take advantage of higher bandwidth and real-time QoS Video sharing Video telephony Real-time IP Multimedia and games A number of mobile services are bearer independent in nature WEB browsing Corporate data access Streaming audio/video MMS picture/video xHTML browsing Application downloading E-mail Presence/location Voice & SMS GSM GPRS EDGE UMTS HSDPA Introducing new services Improved performance, decreasing cost of delivery Higher bit rates

5. Agenda • Introduction to UMTS • New services • Quality of Service (QoS) in UMTS network • Using QoS to improve service quality • Service quality measurements in UMTS network • Different ways to measure service quality • Defining correct Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) • Conclusions

6. Why do we need QoS? • UMTS networks support services with very different performance requirements • Real-time services require performance guarantees • Customer acceptance closely tied to service quality • Optimal usage of network resources • Radio resources scarce • Cost-effectiveness • Return of investment • Service and user differentiation • Meet different needs of customers (e.g. business vs. consumer) • Support different services (real-time vs. best effort) • Competitive advantage!

7. QoS Traffic Classes • Demanding • Delay • Jitter • Demanding • Bit rate • Jitter • Tolerant • Delay and bit rate can vary • Integrity • Easiest • Delay and bit ratecan vary • Integrity

8. QoS Profile Attributes Depends on operator’s QoS strategy Depends on the QoS strategy and UE/RNC capabilities

9. Conversational RAB Streaming RAB Interactive RAB, THP/ARP = 1 Interactive RAB, THP/ARP = 3 Video telephony Background RAB Streaming Push-to-talk Web browsing MMS QoS Differentiation • Each service gets the treatment it requires according to the QoS profile • Network resources are shared according to the service needs • Network resources can be used more efficiently

10. Conversational RAB Streaming RAB Interactive RAB, THP/ARP = 1 Interactive RAB, THP/ARP = 3 Application server Node B Background RAB 3G GGSN 3GSGSN RNC HLR Operators’ QoS Strategy User profiles are stored in HLR. Each user can have several user profiles, which correspond to different services and are mapped to different bearers according to the operator’s strategy. • Operators can practise user differentiation by giving each user set of QoS profiles, which he/she is entitled to use • Operators can practise service differentiation by mapping each service to the bearer that meets its requirements • Meet the needs of different customers • Offer each service the quality it requires • Optimise network resource usage

11. Agenda • Introduction to UMTS • New services • Quality of Service (QoS) in UMTS network • Using QoS to improve service quality • Service quality measurements in UMTS network • Different ways to measure service quality • Defining correct Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) • Conclusions

12. Customer feedback Network Performance Monitoring  Optimisation Performance statistics from application server Network statistics from different counters and interfaces E2E service quality, QoE Application server Node B 3G GGSN 3GSGSN RNC UTRAN Core nw External nw Measuring network performance

13. Hot spot tests • Service performance • Indoor coverage • Congested places(e.g. railway stations, shopping malls) • Drive tests • Coverage • Service availability • Mobility • Walk tests • Service availability(e.g. city center) • Mobility (low speed) • Benchmarking • Comparative data • Competitor evaluation End-to-end field measurements Application server Node B 3G GGSN 3GSGSN RNC UTRAN Core nw External nw

14. Defining the right KPIs • Different services have different quality requirements • KPIs must be defined separately for each of the key services • KPI categories • Service Accessibility • Service Integrity • Service Retainability • With inadequate performance indicators and monitoring • Hidden problems in network performance and user perceived quality of service • Poorly defined indicators may show better quality than in the reality • Incorrect formulas and counters • Unreasonable measurement periods (too much averaging etc.)

15. Example: Voice Services - CS

16. Example: Data Services - PS

17. WCDMA vs GSM field measurements GSM WCDMA • BCCH carrier CPICH • TCH DCH • PDCH DCH, Common RACH/FACH • RXLev RSCP • C/I on BCCH CPICH Ec/No • RXQual/ BER DCH BLER • MS TX power UE TX power • HO success SHO/HHO division, ISHO IFHO success, CM usage • Throughput (GPRS) Throughput per RAB

18. Example: CPICH coverage – Ec/No Operator 1 According to Ec/No values both operators have good coverage. Couple of RED areas, which need to be further investigated! Operator 2 If large interference areas are generated, the problem could be minimised later by adjusting the antenna direction or height, or by down tilting the antenna or by slightly tuning the pilot power levels.

19. Agenda • Introduction to UMTS • New services • Quality of Service (QoS) in UMTS network • Using QoS to improve service quality • Service quality measurements in UMTS network • Different ways to measure service quality • Defining correct Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) • Conclusions

20. Conclusions • UMTS networks bring more capacity to GSM/GPRS mobile networks • Enables operators to launch new services • Increases the ARPU generated by subscribers • Offers better service quality • In 3G networks QoS management is required • Real-time services require QoS guarantees • Need to support different kinds of services • With QoS mechanisms operators can use their network resources more efficiently and gain competitive advantage • To maintain and improve the network performance and user experienced service quality constant monitoring and performance follow-up is needed • Successful network measurements are based on correct KPI definitions • A combination of end-to-end field measurements, interface probes, network element counter statistics and customer feedback is required

21. For more information about Omnitele, please visit our web site www.omnitele.fi

22. How can Omnitele help you? • Network acceptance testing • Network parameter planning • Network audits for GSM/GPRS/EDGE and UMTS networks • KPI analysis • Drive tests • Hot spot tests • Benchmarks • Network counter analysis • Network optimisation