5G-ready mobile network with virtualized network traffic analytics With a cross-functional approach, a mobile network operator derives maximum value from network data provided by R&S®INTRA.

IP TRAFFIC ANALYTICS

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Challenge: Network awareness to reduce capex and opexAn MNO faces strong competition by two large-scale Tier 1 operators who have a historical advantage as for-mer incumbent phone companies. Despite the projected steady increase within the network traffic, there is a need to maintain profitability whilst reducing the capex and opex. Not only the increment of traffic per se is a key chal-lenge. In the country concerned, growth projections vary significantly among the different regions. For the MNO, it is very important to understand where the implementa-tion of a new cell will provide the best return of investment and where it rather creates more expenses through over-provisioning. A network traffic analytics system designed to provide the demanded insights for the MNO needs to be future-proof. Upcoming impacts on mobile networking such as 5G, Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing, to name a few, need to be addressed. The MNO requires a virtualized network analytics system for an easy integra-tion into its own vEPC network infrastructure with combo EPC elements for cost management.

Solution: Granular, efficient and accurate network traffic analyticsInitially, the MNO was looking to renew an existing analyt-ics tool for customer experience management. One of the initial standout features of R&S®INTRA was the depth and variety of detail it could offer. With a measurement granu-larity of one second, it provided the MNO with the pos-sibility to analyze the consumed data rate of a subscriber at a given time, compared to other products that could only provide a more time aggregated value. With precise subscriber data in real time, the customer care team can handle customer bandwidth issues and technical problems with enhanced confidence. Additionally, analyzing radio access attributes and communication quality KPIs helps to improve quality of service (QoS), quality of experience (QoE) and the overall coverage analysis.

Since network traffic grows exponentially and rather unpredictable, a pricing model for the network analytics solution that is based on traffic throughput would be a high entrepreneurial risk. With its advantageous pay-as-you-grow pricing model, R&S®INTRA allows for a fixed price for software. New commercial off-the-shelf hardware is only needed occasionally. Additionally, modular and flexible APIs reduce cost and risk (no vendor lock-in), which is a huge benefit in today’s cost-sensitive environment.

Following the initial engagement, it was rapidly understood that R&S®INTRA could provide benefits to the wider MNO business and its strategic planning for the future. Through the provision of R&S®INTRA within a virtualized architecture, the data about subscriber bandwidth con sumption, application distribution and

Challenges & solutions

Summary

Area of businessA mobile network operator with strong competition by incumbent phone companies

ChallengeSaving capex and opex despite increasing IP traffic and building up a 5G-ready infrastructure

SolutionNetwork traffic analytics with R&S®INTRA, a powerful combination of the IP probe R&S®Net Sensor and the analytics tool R&S®Net Reporter+, in a virtualized soft-ware installation

Traffic analytics benefitsIntegration in big data tool generating valuable business insights for all departments

Setting up a future-proof telecommunications network architecture, a mobile network operator (MNO) derives maximum value from network data. With a cross-functional approach, network analytics is not just a byproduct of marketing and customer care, but the center of a new business model. This way, the MNO is well positioned for upcoming impacts of 5G and IoT.

Rohde & Schwarz 5G-ready mobile network with virtualized network traffic analytics 3

communication quality KPIs could be utilized as part of the customer’s wider big data strategy. This strategy is to provide a cross-functional data platform for the whole business and as such empowering all departments by granting access to crucial business information.

Results: Cross-departmental usage of dataWithin the marketing and sales departments, product man-agers are able to develop new packages based on accurate and anonymized subscriber data. R&S®PACE 2, the in-house developed DPI engine as a part of R&S®INTRA, pays out with its unique precision in concurrence with the competi-tors, providing the most up-to-date library of applications and protocols on the market. For example, recognizing which application causes the highest data traffic growth becomes an easy task with R&S®PACE 2.

The networks operations department is now able to plan capacity increment with concise input based on real network usage and application performance (with regard to location, technology and traffic peaks). This way, capex and opex can be reduced significantly. Extension and optimization of the radio infrastructure are possible based on careful analysis of the type of traffic, amount of connections and subscriber groups in relation to the geographical location of the cells. For example, in residential areas media streaming QoE is very important, while in business areas email access, instant messaging and other business applications must run as smooth as possible.

Peering decisions with content delivery networks and OTT providers, as well as wholesale negotiations with virtual network operators are now based on accurate knowledge, providing benefits also for finance and controlling.

As a result of implementing R&S®INTRA, the customer care department can use the provided data to apply algorithms to find potential churn candidates. As, for example, streaming services are slowing down, R&S®INTRA helps to clarify potential QoE and QoS issues that can be solved. For the MNO it is important to proactively identify issues before the subscribers leave, as this often happens without any prior customer complaint or consultation.

Altogether, the MNO gains considerable advantages in many areas and departments. With R&S®INTRA as a network traffic analytics solution, future challenges in mobile networking can be faced.

Deployment of R&S®INTRA with combo EPC elements

Big data system

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Example: traffic data per application

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Network

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PD 3609.3371.32 | Version 01.00 | April 2019 (mh)

5G-ready mobile network with virtualized network traffic analytics

Data without tolerance limits is not binding | Subject to change

© 2019 Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG | 81671 Munich, Germany

© 2019 ipoque GmbH | 04109 Leipzig, Germany

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