Drive tests - P3 Group

Network Measurement& TestingNetwork Measurement & TestingWorldwide End-to-End ServiceQuality MeasurementsInternationalService BenchmarksDrivetestsOptimizationMeasurementsSmartphoneCustomerExperienceMobileBroadbandPerformanceUnattendedProbingNetworkCertificationPublicBenchmarks

International BenchmarkingP3 communications is the leading provider of worldwide End-to-End user focused service measurements in conjunction withdelivering management level customized reporting. We operate an extensive fleet of measurement vehicles and portablemeasurement systems for operation in overseas markets to offer high flexibility and a worldwide footprint to our customers.At P3 communications, our highly experienced project managers ensure that your benchmarking project is delivered as aturnkey service: in time, in budget and with exactly the added value and analysis capabilities that both your engineering/optimization as well as your medium and top-level management are looking for.This way, P3 communications is not only delivering towards your need for measurement data and analysis but also towards yourneed for support in your internal and external communication.Service Description:The main objective of the benchmarkis getting a clear and independentlook on network performance fromthe customer’s point of view. Thebenchmark is a representative snap–shot of the End-to-End quality,highlighting major differences betweencompetitors (or regions or vendors).Basically, there are two different mainfocuses for benchmark measurements:Technical PerformanceBenchmarking:The focus of this kind of benchmarkis the technical capability of mobileradio networks to support and carryservices like voice, web, YouTubevideo, File transfer etc. Key propertiesof the network here are coverage,signal quality, capacity, availabletechnology (2G, 2.5G, UMTS, HSxPA,LTE) and performance (e.g. throughput,latency). This kind of benchmarkingis done by scanner measurementsas well as service tests. One mainobjective of the technical networkperformance benchmarking is toget a picture of the whole network.Customer Experience Benchmarking:In contrast to the technical benchmarkan End-to-End service benchmark isexecuted to observe the performanceof a mobile radio network froma customer’s point of view, i.e.commonly used services are measuredthe applications and equipment theend customer uses. Furthermore, fordata services the particular devicesand connection manager SW sold tothe end customers have a significantinfluence on the perceived serviceperformance and form an integral partof the P3 communications measurementmethodology.Network Testing Activity Record / Reference Projects▪▪Many projects with focus on network testing, roll-out verification and networkbenchmarking. Long term network / service assurance monitoring & alarming.▪▪Benchmark experience in more then 50 Countries (EMEA, APAC regions andbeyond).▪▪International operator group benchmarks covering up to 20 countries in EMEAand APAC.▪▪Regular public benchmarks in cooperation with Connect Magazine (coveringConnect-Countries Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Serbia).P3 communicationsdrive test facts in 2011▪▪18 circumnavigations of the world,720.000 measurement kilometers▪▪104 projects in 30 countries worldwide▪ ▪ 3.000 days of measurement,20.000 measurement hours

Smartphone Customer Experience and Network Capability TestingToday’s market for mobile data services is driven by the progressing convergenceof telephony and mobile computing and networking in integrated portable deviceslike tablet PCs or smartphones.Smartphones contribute significantly to the transferred data volume and play animportant role concerning mobile data usage. The usage of smartphones differsfrom laptop usage concerning mobility as well as transferred content and traffic mix.P3 communications’ favored measurement approach reflects the specificrequirements that smartphones and the respective applications pose towardscellular radio networks. Services such as mobile web browsing, cloud services,usage of social networks and other web-based services as well as online mobilemedia consumption demand among others ubiquitous availability, responsivenessand a reliable base connectivity.In brief, our 2012 test methodology andbest practice approach comprises thefollowing: 1. on-device usage orientedEnd-to-End service quality testing forsmartphone data, 2. network capabilitytesting for smartphone data generallyfocusing on base connectivity and responsiveness.In order to get a completeview of the network and services qualityone should also consider smartphonevoice in a multi-RAB environment, i.e.CS voice with simultaneous backgrounddata traffic.Usage Oriented Services:App download from reference server(HTTP), Download from live service(HTTP) Upload to reference server(HTTP), Upload to live service (HTTP),Web browsing (popular live pages), e.g.CNN, NYTimes, Google, GMX, Facebook),YouTube live video download andplayout.Smartphone data tests are done usingstate-of-the-art Android against dedicatedreference servers and live serverswith changing content.Network Oriented Measurements:Fixed duration download (HTTP),Fixed duration upload (HTTP), Latencymeasurements. These tests focus onthe maximum capabilities offered bya network to TCP based applications.Pre-defined („fixed“) transfer durationswith pre-defined pauses are usedto spread tests in time domain andgeography.Network CertificationOur certification service provides a unique benefit to you as a certified operator: It enables your marketing to communicate yournetwork’s strengths to your customer base by means of an independent assessment and 1. support print and online Marketingcampaigns, 2. support roll-out of new devices and services and 3. support technology upgrades and successful optimisationactivities (see http://www.p3-certificates.com).The certification also eases internal communication of your technical market position in terms of service availability, integrity,coverage to senior management and stakeholders.Service DescriptionOver recent years P3 communications hasearned a high reputation in the Europeanmobile telecommunications market.P3 communications is internationallyaccepted for its crossbench andrespectable work for many reputablenetwork operators. Based on thisassurance, P3 communications alreadyperformed and published independentmeasurements, for example for thewell-known CONNECT-magazine and alsotests and verifies the quality of servicesin order to issue a certification. ThusP3 communications enjoys industrywidetrust as an independent expert.On that behalf, P3 communications isacting as an acknowledged certificationauthority and P3 communications’certificates are widely used in publicrelations and both internal and externalcommunication.Certification ProcessThe goal is the independent audit, verification and certification of clients‘statements about the quality of their telecommunication network or services.1. First step: the customer choses from a set of certifiable statements which arefixed in a certification contract between P3 communications and customer.2. + 3. P3 communications uses an accepted methodology suited to test theintended statements and independently plans and executes the campaign.4. P3 communications performs a statistical analysis of the results to verify thestatements. In case of a successful verification of the statements is documentedby a certificate, which is published by P3 communications afterclient‘s authorization.5. The client can start to use the certificate according to the contract‘sregulations.

Unattended Long-Term ProbingOperators seeking a high QoS are concerned about both customer experience and network performance, which cannot becovered by regular information from network counters. To assure service quality permanent End-to-End measurements from acustomer’s point of view “outside the network” are needed.For years, customers worldwide have been relying on SAM as P3 communications‘ unattended monitoring framework forstationary 2G/3G KPI and SLA measurements, including live overviews, alarming & trace access. 2012 will see the harmonizationof service measurement capabilities in the drive testing and monitoring areas of P3 communications‘ inhouse tool chain basedon the latest generation of the known peeq ® Box Hardware, the powerful but unobtrusive peeq ® Box nano.SAM is a full fledged End-to-Endmonitoring framework meeting theserequirements. Operators get livenetwork overviews “at a glance”. Itsonline result presentations and networktraces allow in-depth engineering. Theseoverviews and an integrated alarmingensure a fast response to networkproblems. SAM’s autonomous probesmeasure multiple services and uploadtheir data to a central server whichhandles result presentation via a webportal. Data upload is either done overthe air or by a fixed LAN connection.Popular examples of attractive usecases enabled by the SAM solutionare 1. Long term service and networkmonitoring to support operational andengineering tasks, 2. Performancecomparison between different regions/vendors/operators/settings or beforeand after soft- and hardware changes,3. Detection of system failures (e.g. perRNC/BSC area or MSC/SGSN area) and4. Detection of overload situations in thenetwork (e.g. with Mean User Data Rate,etc.).The unattended probing solutionoffers the following benefits from theoperator’s perspective: 1. Out of thebox End-to-End measurements from thecustomer’s point of view with probesthat can freely be positioned and do notneed any on-site attendance. 2. 24/7measurements with no integration intothe operator‘s infrastructure. 3. Slim butpowerful and intuitive online platformfor measurement configuration andresult access – no complicated trainingneeded (expert in 15 minutes), webbasedwithout additional client licensecost.The system is offered as a turnkeysolution provided as a managed service– customer gets results and does nothave to operate the probes, testservers, backend systems, web serversetc. As a result, we offer very shortlead/deployment times compared tothe in-house deployment of rented orpurchased solutions.SAM Concept:▪▪Unattended measurement units▪▪Permanent KPI and SLA monitoring(CS, PS and Messaging Services)▪▪Customer approach with nointegration into the operator’sinfrastructure▪▪Online (browser) access to measurementresults and configuration▪▪Easy & intuitive web interfaceReference projects:▪▪Long term End-to-End monitoringof most relevant customer services▪▪Monitoring of end user experienceduring new vendor roll-out▪ ▪ Performance validation ofnetwork optimizationP3 communications GmbHDennewartstr. 25-2752068 Aachen / Germanyphone +49 241 9437 400info.communications@p3-group.com