On the use of composite indicators for mobile communications network management in smart sustainable cities

Beyond 5G networks will be fundamental towards enabling sustainable mobile communication networks. One of the most challenging scenarios will be met in ultra-dense networks that are deployed in densely populated areas. In this particular case, mobile network operators should benefit from new assessment metrics and data science tools to ensure an effective management of their networks. In fact, incorporating architectures allowing a cognitive network management framework could simplify processes and enhance the network's performance. In this paper, we propose the use of composite indicators based on key performance indicators both as a tool for a cognitive management of mobile communications networks, as well as a metric which could successfully integrate more advanced user-centric measurements. Composite indicators can successfully synthesize and integrate large amounts of data, incorporating in a single index different metrics selected as triggers for autonomous decisions. The paper motivates and describes the use of this methodology, which is applied successfully in other areas with the aim of ranking metrics to simplify complex realities. A use case that is based on a universal mobile telecommunications system network is analyzed, due to technology simplicity and scalability, as well as the availability of key performance indicators. The use case focuses on analyzing the fairness of a network over different coverage areas as a fundamental metric in the operation and management of the networks. To this end, several ranking and visualization strategies are presented, providing examples of how to extract insights from the proposed composite indicator

Quadri-dimensional approach for data analytics in mobile networks

The telecommunication market is growing at a very fast pace with the evolution of new technologies to support high speed throughput and the availability of a wide range of services and applications in the mobile networks. This has led to a need for communication service providers (CSPs) to shift their focus from network elements monitoring towards services monitoring and subscribers’ satisfaction by introducing the service quality management (SQM) and the customer experience management (CEM) that require fast responses to reduce the time to find and solve network problems, to ensure efficiency and proactive maintenance, to improve the quality of service (QoS) and the quality of experience (QoE) of the subscribers. While both the SQM and the CEM demand multiple information from different interfaces, managing multiple data sources adds an extra layer of complexity with the collection of data. While several studies and researches have been conducted for data analytics in mobile networks, most of them did not consider analytics based on the four dimensions involved in the mobile networks environment which are the subscriber, the handset, the service and the network element with multiple interface correlation. The main objective of this research was to develop mobile network analytics models applied to the 3G packet-switched domain by analysing data from the radio network with the Iub interface and the core network with the Gn interface to provide a fast root cause analysis (RCA) approach considering the four dimensions involved in the mobile networks. This was achieved by using the latest computer engineering advancements which are Big Data platforms and data mining techniques through machine learning algorithms.Electrical and Mining EngineeringM. Tech. (Electrical Engineering

Assessment of Internet Service Provided using UMTS operators at the University of Ilorin main campus

Over the years the need for mobile broadband had seen a great increment due to the demand of internet mobile users. In this research work, data size for Internet operation on UMTS mobile network operators on the University of Ilorin Campus was assessed. The study assessed three UMTS network operators using an Infinix T627 android smart phone and RantCell App. to measure the download and upload at the selected points on the University of Ilorin Campus. It was observed that the number of active subscribers with their relative position in a cell have a great effect on the performance of the networks and therefore, the authors recommend the need for the operators to improve their data sizes so as to enhance users’ satisfaction. Keywords: GSM, CDMA, ISP, PS, UMTS

Next-Generation Self-Organizing Networks through a Machine Learning Approach

Fecha de lectura de Tesis Doctoral: 17 Diciembre 2018.Para reducir los costes de gestión de las redes celulares, que, con el tiempo, aumentaban en complejidad, surgió el concepto de las redes autoorganizadas, o self-organizing networks (SON). Es decir, la automatización de las tareas de gestión de una red celular para disminuir los costes de infraestructura (CAPEX) y de operación (OPEX). Las tareas de las SON se dividen en tres categorías: autoconfiguración, autooptimización y autocuración. El objetivo de esta tesis es la mejora de las funciones SON a través del desarrollo y uso de herramientas de aprendizaje automático (machine learning, ML) para la gestión de la red. Por un lado, se aborda la autocuración a través de la propuesta de una novedosa herramienta para una diagnosis automática (RCA), consistente en la combinación de múltiples sistemas RCA independientes para el desarrollo de un sistema compuesto de RCA mejorado. A su vez, para aumentar la precisión de las herramientas de RCA mientras se reducen tanto el CAPEX como el OPEX, en esta tesis se proponen y evalúan herramientas de ML de reducción de dimensionalidad en combinación con herramientas de RCA. Por otro lado, en esta tesis se estudian las funcionalidades multienlace dentro de la autooptimización y se proponen técnicas para su gestión automática. En el campo de las comunicaciones mejoradas de banda ancha, se propone una herramienta para la gestión de portadoras radio, que permite la implementación de políticas del operador, mientras que, en el campo de las comunicaciones vehiculares de baja latencia, se propone un mecanismo multicamino para la redirección del tráfico a través de múltiples interfaces radio. Muchos de los métodos propuestos en esta tesis se han evaluado usando datos provenientes de redes celulares reales, lo que ha permitido demostrar su validez en entornos realistas, así como su capacidad para ser desplegados en redes móviles actuales y futuras

Optimization of the methodology of configuration of mobile communication networks

The mobile communication network has been growing quickly, and the mobile network maintenance is becoming more complex, in performance, network coverage, energy, time consuming and expensive. The telecommunication service provider and mobile network telecommunication operator worries to what is the better methodology to optimizing a mobile network configuration and to improve the most efficient operation and functionality, to increase a superior performance in technical aspect (Create, and integrate new network planning in hardware and software level), economic aspect (cost reduction in maintenance) and environmental aspect (use of renewable energy through solar panels or wind power system). The work developed in this dissertation aims to propose an optimization of methodology of configuration of mobile communication network and build an automated configuration system in different technology (GSM, UMTS and LTE) to provide a good quality and improvement in its architecture to meet the requirement for a large number of services or application through distinct means transmission and using technology appropriate with a new generation of hardware to reach certain area in a Base Station Transmition (BTS) and a Radio Network Controller (RNC) that permit configure and integrated hardware and software issues in distinct networks technology (GSM, UMTS and LTE).A rede de comunicação móvel tem crescido rapidamente e ficando cada vez mais complexa, sendo cada vez mais complicado melhorar o desempenho, a cobertura, a eficiência energética e ao mesmo tempo aumentar o numero de utilizadores e serviços. O provedor de serviços de telecomunicações e a operadora de rede móvel têm de se preocupar em optimizar de forma a garantir a melhor configuração de rede móvel tendo em vista melhorar a operação e funcionalidade, a fim de esta ser mais eficiente, no seu desempenho. Relativamente aos aspectos técnicos (Criar novo planeamento e integrar a uma rede ao nível hardware e de software), aspecto econômico (redução de custo na manutenção) e aspecto ambiental (uso de energia renovável, quer através de painéis solares como de sistemas eólicos). O trabalho desenvolvido nesta dissertação visa propor uma otimização da metodologia de configuração das redes de comunicação móveis e construir um sistema de configuração automatizado em diferentes tecnologias (GSM, UMTS e LTE), para garantir os mais altos padrões de qualidade e atender a exigência de um grande número de serviços ou aplicações através de diferentes meios de transmissão e uso de tecnologia apropriada com uma nova geração de hardware para atingir determinada área em uma Estação de Transmissão de Base (BTS) e numa Rede de Controlador de Rádio (RNC) que permitem configurar e integrar diversos tipos de hardware e software em tecnologia de diferentes redes (GSM, UMTS e LTE)

A comparison of IP vs 3G network performance indicators

Telecommunication networks of mobile operators are evolving to use an underlying packet- based IP (Internet Protocol) network using Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) as their core technology. The key performance indicators (KPIs) for monitoring the performance of the 3G mobile network’s voice and data services are well established, as are the key performance indicators for interfaces and nodes on an IP network. For this research report an investigation was done on the correlation between the IP KPIs and 3G KPIs through analysis of packet level traces to obtain the IP KPIs as well as reports on KPIs collected on the nodes of the 3G data network. The study was done on MTN South Africa’s operational network at two sites for 2 observation periods of 30 days, with specific focus on the busy hour performance. In addition to the well-known IP KPIs, two extra measurements that were found during a literature survey (SRTO - Spurious Retransmission Timeout and ISR - Invalid Sample Ratio) were calculated based on the packet level traces of IP traffic. The 3G KPIs were chosen from industry standard network quality benchmark reports. The correlation study found no strong linear relationships between the sets of IP and 3G KPIs. This was due to certain limitations in the experimental setup and the observed behaviour of the network (few instances of degradation of behaviour). Further study with modifications to the experimental setup and packet-trace analysis and possibly artificial introduction of negative network conditions will be necessary to verify if correlations exist between the IP and 3G KPIs

Data analysis methods for cellular network performance optimization

Modern cellular networks including GSM/GPRS and UMTS networks offer faster and more versatile communication services for the network subscribers. As a result, it becomes more and more challenging for the cellular network operators to enhance the usage of available radio resources in order to meet the expectations of the customers. Cellular networks collect vast amounts of measurement information that can be used to monitor and analyze the network performance as well as the quality of service. In this thesis, the application of various data-analysis methods for the processing of the available measurement information is studied in order to provide more efficient methods for performance optimization. In this thesis, expert-based methods have been presented for the monitoring and analysis of multivariate cellular network performance data. These methods allow the analysis of performance bottlenecks having an effect in multiple performance indicators. In addition, methods for more advanced failure diagnosis have been presented aiming in identification of the causes of the performance bottlenecks. This is important in the analysis of failures having effect on multiple performance indicators in several network elements. Finally, the use of measurement information in selection of most useful optimization action have been studied. In order to obtain good network performance efficiently, the expected performance of the alternative optimization actions must be possible to evaluate. In this thesis, methods to combine measurement information and application domain models are presented in order to build predictive regression models that can be used to select the optimization actions providing the best network performance

THROUGHPUT OPTIMIZATION AND ENERGY ENHANCEMENT IN MASSIVE MIMO SYSTEMS

For the last few decades mobile technologies have undergone enormous transformation. Mobile broadband for cellular networks has been exponentially evolving with time and in order to meet the future expectation for this high demand newer and better technologies have to be invented. The enormous success of smart electronics such as tablets, smart phones and other hand held devices that use the Internet have generated a lot of Internet traffic therefore, diving LTE to its limit. LTE (4G) which is a high speed wireless communication standard for mobile phones and data terminals is a significant upgrade of GSM and UMTS network technologies. The Technology has downlink peak rates of 300Mbits/s and Uplink peak rates of 75Mbits/s with transfer latency rate of less than 5ms. Power Consumption level for LTE is of significant concern as well as the energy consumption in cellular networks. To solve the limitations in LTE, one great candidate is 5G radio standard. 5G relies heavily on massive MIMO to achieve its targets. This thesis looked into significance of Multi-antenna (Massive MIMO) at the BS as a solution for energy efficiency, increased data rates and the reduction of latency rates in wireless broadband communication. And the simulation results proved that Massive MIMO has better performance compared to conventional MIMO.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format

Telecommunications Networks

This book guides readers through the basics of rapidly emerging networks to more advanced concepts and future expectations of Telecommunications Networks. It identifies and examines the most pressing research issues in Telecommunications and it contains chapters written by leading researchers, academics and industry professionals. Telecommunications Networks - Current Status and Future Trends covers surveys of recent publications that investigate key areas of interest such as: IMS, eTOM, 3G/4G, optimization problems, modeling, simulation, quality of service, etc. This book, that is suitable for both PhD and master students, is organized into six sections: New Generation Networks, Quality of Services, Sensor Networks, Telecommunications, Traffic Engineering and Routing