Trends

JUNE 2011 ISSUE 29

SmartCare for Your Network

By Hou Yuzhou

Mobile networks are experiencing a revolution of broadband access and IP transmission. Broadband access results in the personalization of end users and the diversification of services; IP transmission causes services to be deeply packaged, posing a challenge to in-depth service analysis. In the process of network reform and evolution, due to the personalization of users and diversification of services, there are different quality requirements on different users' different services, one user's different services, and the same service of different users, thereby posing an unprecedented challenge to operators' operation and maintenance. No longer does maintenance focus on single pieces of network equipment, nor is network optimization oriented merely towards single network element KPI. Rather, it is necessary to pay attention to QoE and KQI according to users' requirements on KQI and the requirements of services on network quality. In this about-face process, how do we make QoE and KQI visual and assessable? How do we quickly spot and address QoE and KQI problems? How do we manage QoE and KQI like network element KPI? SmartCare solution gives you a complete answer.

09 <

Trends
Challenges Posed by Broadband Access/IP Transmission to Operators
How to Conduct Overall KQI Management Broadband access subverts the single service model of voice service in traditional mobile communication networks, making the diversification of application possible. The widespread use of broadband access to mobile networks frees the last segment of traditional broadband networks from the constraint of lines. Therefore, high-speed mobile networks deliver richer application than fixed broadband networks. Mobile Web browsing, mobile online games, mobile video, mobile search and mobile mail have gradually found application in mobile broadband-based networks. Along with changes in the services carried in the networks, operators face the challenge of turning from voice KQI management to overall quality management of multiple services. Voice services are not very demanding on network quality; the key to ensure accessibility, retention, and portability. With the diversification of services, different services have different requirements on quality: Web services are not very demanding on overall rate, but require low latency from click to display; online games require low latency in full-service time; mobile videos demand low bit error (one-time transfer accuracy), etc. Mobile networks provide increasingly rich services, which have more and complex requirements on quality. In network operation and maintenance, overall KQI management poses a huge challenge to operators. How to Quickly Locate KQI Problems Overall QoE and KQI management addresses the establishment of a monitoring system, which makes KQI visual, and an evaluation system, which makes KQI problems visual. On the basis of overall QoE and KQI management, how to quickly locate KQI problems becomes a second challenge posed by the evolution of mobile networks to operators. At present, there are two barriers to the quick location of KQI problems E2E multiple equipment vendors caused by a long business chain, and deep service packaging brought about by IP transmission. Only when the two barriers are effectively removed, can the quick location of KQI problems become possible. How to Conduct Differentiated QoE Management The diversification of services carried on mobile networks brings about opportunities and challenges for differentiated QoE management. QoE differentiation means high-end users can be developed on the basis of traditional user model to enlarge operators' sources of revenue, while valueadded services have not yielded in large amounts of profits. At the same time, however, QoE differentiation will pose a great challenge to operators' operation and maintenance capability How to conduct differentiated QoE management? How to improve high-end customers' KQI while ensure general users' basic KQI? How to restrict the uncontrolled occupation of network resources by malicious users? All these are issues that urgently need to be addressed. How to Conduct Delicacy KQI Management The widespread use of broadband has beefed up mobile networks' capacity, and promoted the development of more and more high-quality services. Meanwhile, network loads grow along with users' demand. However, as operators gain revenue mainly by leasing their networks, their revenue has not increased along with load. While bringing about opportunities for operators, broadband-based networks got operators into a contradiction of increased volume without increased revenue. How to balance cost, revenue and QoE/KQI is a question that must be considered by all mobile operators that are undergoing the high speed process. Along with the widespread use of highspeed Internet access and the diversification of application, network loads are directly

> 10

JUNE 2011 ISSUE 29

related to services. Different service types and service offerings generate different network loads. How to identify service types, deeply analyze service offerings, restrict services involving high input and offering low output, encourage services involving low input and offering high output, and conduct lean management will become another challenge facing operators.

In-depth Service Analysis, Quick Service Failure Locating Huawei's KQI management platform can implement multi-vendor E2E network equipment including "wireless + core network + bearer network", addressing the long business chain of mobile broadband service and the difficulty of locating faults across vendors. Apart from voice service (CS), packet service (PS), multimedia service (IMS), and even cloud computing and CDN can also be introduced in the platform gradually. Through Huawei's KQI management platform, information on the IP bearer network is acquired in real time and deeply analyzed to the database in the shared layer, including topology information on the core network and bearer network, service path, information on bearer equipment, bandwidth traffic information, and bearer network KQI information. This addresses analysis difficulty caused by deep service packaging. After addressing E2E multi-vendor equipment and deep service packaging, help customers quickly locate and address KQI problems through Huawei's knowledge system for KQI problem locating and solving: KQI problem locating based on different service types Quick KQI problem solving based on user position Active Care, Differentiated User Management In differentiated user management, we focus on two types of users: VIP users: They are important support for operators' revenue. By guaranteeing VIP users' KQI and proactively showing concern for their QoE, operators can boost VIP users' satisfaction and loyalty, and avoid the negative impact of the churn of key customers on their revenue. VAP users: They are a main source of pressure in network operation and maintenance. By quickly identify VAP users, locating and solving their KQI problems, and proactively showing concern for their QoE, operators can ease the pressure in network operation and maintenance, and avoid

the negative impact of the churn of key customers on their network brands. Huawei SmartCare solution helps customers conduct differentiated management of VIP users and VAP users: Real-time KQI monitoring of VIP users Real-time monitoring of VAP users Quick KQI problem solving for VIP/VAP users SmartCare solution can provide KQI assurance in VIP areas. With regard to regional KQI assurance for major events like the Olympic Games and the World Cup, eliminate KQI problems at the venues and in surrounding areas in advance through user KQI and active detection based on QoE. Intelligent Pipes, Detailed Data Analysis With the widespread use of broadband and the diversification of services, operators still gain revenue mainly by leasing their networks, and their revenue has not increased along with the sharp rise in network loads. If anything, increased network loads pose unprecedented pressure to network operation and maintenance and network investment. Huawei SmartCare solution helps identify service types and deeply analyze service offerings. Before considerable profits are generated, it helps operators restrict services involving high input and offering low output, encourage services involving low input and offering high output. Meanwhile, it helps operators accumulate experience and data in profits from future services. Based on Huawei's KQI management platform, SmartCare solution can help customers open MBB network pipeline to conduct in-depth analysis and delicacy management of services, and work out relevant business strategy, covering Web, WAP, Email, IM, MMS, FTP, Streaming, etc.: Analysis of business models based on terminal types/user types Analysis of network loads based on different services In-depth service analysis based on particular areas In-depth service analysis based on different SP/CP

Value Care of SmartCare Solution

In response to the challenges facing operators in broadband access/IP transmission, SmartCare solution establishes an overall evaluation system for data KQI and QoE. Utilizing the solution, not only can operators quickly locate and solve KQI problems, they can also proactively spot and quickly address potential user complaints, and conduct customized differentiated user management and lean management. Not only does it integrate Huawei's KQI management platform for E2E monitoring and analysis of KQI and QoE, SmartCare combines professional consulting, integration, evaluation and optimization services to help operators cope with challenges in overall KQI management faced in the development of broadbandbased IP-based mobile networks, quickly locate and solve KQI problems, and conduct differentiated user management and lean management, thereby occupying the high ground in future fierce competition. Making E2E Network KQI Visual With the modeling of KQI evaluation system for different types of services and the associated modeling of objective KQI and subjective QoE at the core, gather E2E signaling data, from users to wireless access, to transmission, to core networks, and target networks on Huawei's KQI management platform, and conduct normalized database management and analysis. On such basis, help customers make overall E2E KQI visual through flexible report customization and geographic customization: Make KQI of different types of data services visual Make different users' QoE of different services visual

Editor: Graham Willis graham.willis@Huawei.com

11 <