RPM SYSTEMTM Case Study

Auditing QoS/ QoE of

Mobile Operators in
Cote d'Ivoire

Challenge
To ensur e Mobile Operators' compliance with QoS/QoE
limit and target values.

Solution

Near real-time QoS continuous monitoring of MNO

network nationwide 24/7.

Benefits
QoS Reporting anywhere via an on-line Dashboard
Monthly QoS Benchmark Reports for public consumption
Monthly QoS audit Reports for Mobile operators
Proactive non-intrusive monitoring platform
Drive tests reduced by 90%, OPEX reduction by 60%

Results
40% reduction in NP related customer complaints within two years
of RPM system implementation.
MNOs were more reactive in dealing with network outages and
service degradations
Nationwide QoS/ QoE improvement

>

Case Study:
QoS/QoE Audit
Cote d'Ivoire

One of the key ambitions of any

telecom regulator is to monitor and
act based on what the customer really
perceives, by calculating the KPIs
itself rather than relying on the
'perfect' network performance reports
submitted by MNOs.

About Cote d'Ivoire

With over 21.6 million habitants and 2G mobile penetration rate
of 97.5%, QoS/QoE becomes the main challenge of ARTCI -the
regulator. There are five major operators with Orange leading
the pack with a market share of 39%

The Challenge
With alarming rates of Poor QoS of mobile services complaints
piling up day after in ARTCI complaints center. ARTCI strives to
protect the interest of the consumers and adress the poor QoS
issue.
Reliance on monthly NP reports my MNO, and carrying out outdoor
Drive tests during the day in the capital city-Abidjan where as most
complaints were coming from outside the capital meant that they
were not getting a full grip at the problem at hand, furthermore
waiting a week or more for test results, as was the limitation of their
existing solution, was not an option.
ARTCI s existing tools were expensive to deploy, cumbersome and
required an expert to oversee operation, in addition to taking over
a two to three months to produce results. Clearly this was not
going to deliver the nationwide QoS that ARTCI desired
ARTCI wanted a non intrusive proactive monitoring solution as
against reactive intrusive testing which has failed to address the
QoS issue in the country. It was essential that the solution
benchmarked performance of all MNOs, also with near real-time results
nationwide, not just Abidjan- the capital city.
Regulatory Performance Management (RPM) system is just that
solution.
.

>

Case Study:
QoS/QoE Audit
Cote d'Ivoire

Our Solution
By collecting passively data from the radio, transmission, core
and VAS domains of wireless networks as well as IP and
traditional wire line networks, RPM system empowers the
Regulator with a web-based user interface that acts as a single
point of access to information about network events, capacity,
etc for each mobile network operator.

RPM System 3D GIS showing KPI CSSR QoS

for operator X nationwide.

RPM Systems ability to monitor, through dashboards and

trending alarms, optimize, through reports and analysis packs,
through its query builder which allows customization reporting
down to counter level, ensures a user can quickly access the
information they require at the detail level relevant to them.
As a web-based managed service, RPM system could be easily up
& running within the tight deadlines ARTCI demanded.
The platform provides automatic QoS reports in conformance
with ITU-T/ ETSI recommendations on QoS Measurements and
evaluation.

RPM System
Server web
interface

RPM System

RPM System Server Tower installed in ARTCI Server room located in Abidjan.

>

Case Study:
QoS/QoE Audit
Cote d'Ivoire

Just a year after

implementation over 50%
reduction in the list of cells that
failed to meet the QoS target
values consequently reducing
by 40% the number of
complaints made by the end
users in the area of these
serving cells. Penalties levied
also generated some form of
fund for the Regulator which it
used in customer awareness
campaign throughout the
country.

The Results
From the commissioning of the system in the presence of the
operators, the QoS status of the MNO's network (five of them) left
nothing to be desired. One of the operators-Operator X, with a total of
3000+ cells in the network had over 1000+cells that failed to meet the
QoS target values. Each operator received a QoS Audit report with the
list of cells "warning cells' to be resolved under two months after which
the said operator would be fined per cell should the problem persist.
After a year of implementing the system, ARTCI has seen reduced
number of warning cells across the nation for the five operators.
As the monthly audit QoS report and the penalty system mechanism
made the MNO's more reactive as MNO's CEM engineers, are
immediately notified of site outages resulting in swift resolution of
the problem.
The level of engagement, excitement and enthusiasm of MNOs, to be the
best in monthly published Benchmark QoS report for the public on
ARTCI website, increased significantly. This also created a level
playing field as operators competed to stay ahead of the pack.

Operator X, April, May, June 2011.

Warning Cells over 1000+ out of
3000+

Operator X, April, May, June 2012.

Warning Cells less than 500 out of
3320+

>

Case Study:
QoS/QoE Audit
Cote d'Ivoire

The Future
Almost 50% of operators
around the globe will launch 4G
LTE networks by 2014.
How will regulators efficiently
monitor the associated QoS?

ARTCI clearly understood the benefits of RPM systemTM as a flexible,

real-time QoS monitoring solution.
ARTCI now only does Targeted Drive test and most of the time for
coverage purposes reducing its drive test by 90% and associated
OPEX.
ARTCI is now planning to use RPM system to monitor MNOs' 3G
Network, given the excellent results the solution delivered in 2G.
Also with the pending arrival of 4G LTE services in Cote d'Ivoire. RPM
System is now an integral part of the ARTCI QoS strategy for
ensuring gold medal quality of service compliance nationwide.
About RPM systemTM
The RPM systemTM QoE Monitoring Solution allows network operators
to see Delivered Quality of Service (QoS) in near real-time as
experienced by mobile customers. RPM system is scalable and even
4G-ready.

In Hindsight, comparing the 2010 OMC-R data with that of 2012,

it appeared that the existing solution paid off only during Audit
period (June -September) and after which lots of site outages
resumed, mostly rural cells.
With RPM system in place, It seemed like continuous Audit
24/7, Network Availability(NA) nationwide, was most of the time
above the target not only for urban cells, but for rural cells alike
for fear of being penalized by ARTCI.

>

About Planet Network International (PNI)

PNI is a leading provider of software and service
assurance solutions to government regulators
and mobile network operators around the globe.
Founded in 2005, PNI is based in Labege,
Haute Garonne, France.
For more information, please contact;
Planet Network International
102 Rue du Lac
31681, Labege cedex, France
Tel: +33 (0) 562 471 624
info@planetworkint.com

www.planetworkint.com