An analysis of a class of telecommunications models

In this short note we outline a general method for characterizing the ergodicity and computing performance measures for a large class of telecommunications models. We also point out errors that have appeared in the literature when using the transform method to analyze such models.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/31202/1/0000104.pd

Accident Analysis Methods and Models — a Systematic Literature Review

As part of our co-operation with the Telecommunication Agency of the Netherlands, we want to formulate an accident analysis method and model for use in incidents in telecommunications that cause service unavailability. In order to not re-invent the wheel, we wanted to first get an overview of all existing accident analysis methods and models to see if we could find an overarching method and commonalities between models. Furthermore, we wanted to find any methods that had been applied to incidents in telecommunication networks or even been designed specifically for these incidents. In this article, we present a systematic literature review of incident and accident analysis methods across domains. We find that accident analysis methods have experienced a rise in attention over the last 15 years, leading to a plethora of methods. We discuss the three classes in which they are often categorized. We find that each class has its own advantages and disadvantages: an analysis using a sequential method may be easier to understand and communicate and quicker to execute, but may miss vital underlying causes that can later trigger new, similar accidents. An analysis using an epidemiological method takes more time, but it also finds underlying causes the resolution of which may prevent accidents from happening in the future. Systemic methods are appropriate for complex, tightly coupled systems and executing such a method takes a lot of time and resources, rendering it very expensive. This will often not be justified by the costs of the accident (especially in telecommunications networks) and it will therefore be too expensive to be employed in regular businesses. We were not able to find any published definitions of structured methods specific to telecommunications, nor did we find any applications of structured methods specifically to telecommunications

Concept Maps and Information Systems: An Investigation into the Assessment of Students\u27 Understanding of IS

At the end of a four-year undergraduate program, it is often difficult to capture the knowledge of the graduating students. The use of mental models, specifically concept maps, can aid in the assessment of this knowledge at a conceptual level. Concept maps provide a visual representation of conceptual and relationship knowledge within a particular domain. Students in a senior-level, undergraduate class were given an assignment of creating conceptual maps of Information Systems. These maps were coded and analyzed for their “coverage” or conceptualization of the sub-field of Telecommunications. The analysis included both quantitative and qualitative assessments as well as comparisons across students’ maps. Preliminary assessments have indicated that there is a fairly large degree of overlap between maps, though a full analysis is not yet complete

Stochastic user behaviour modelling and network simulation for resource management in cooperation with mobile telecommunications and broadcast networks

The latest generations of telecommunications networks have been designed to deliver higher data rates than widely used second generation telecommunications networks, providing flexible communication capabilities that can deliver high quality video images. However, these new generations of telecommunications networks are interference limited, impairing their performance in cases of heavy traffic and high usage. This limits the services offered by a telecommunications network operator to those that the operator is confident their network can meet the demand for. One way to lift this constraint would be for the mobile telecommunications network operator to obtain the cooperation of a broadcast network operator so that during periods when the demand for the service is too high for the telecommunications network to meet, the service can be transferred to the broadcast network. In the United Kingdom the most recent telecommunications networks on the market are third generation UMTS networks while the terrestrial digital broadcast networks are DVB-T networks. This paper proposes a way for UMTS network operators to forecast the traffic associated with high demand services intended to be deployed on the UMTS network and when demand requires to transfer it to a cooperating DVB-T network. The paper aims to justify to UMTS network operators the use of a DVB-T network as a support for a UMTS network by clearly showing how using a DVB-T network to support it can increase the revenue generated by their network

Power Systems Monitoring and Control using Telecom Network Management Standards

Historically, different solutions have been developed for power systems control and telecommunications network management environments. The former was characterized by proprietary solutions, while the latter has been involved for years in a strong standardization process guided by criteria of openness. Today, power systems control standardization is in progress, but it is at an early stage compared to the telecommunications management area, especially in terms of information modeling. Today, control equipment tends to exhibit more computational power, and communication lines have increased their performance. These trends hint at some conceptual convergence between power systems and telecommunications networks from a management perspective. This convergence leads us to suggest the application of well-established telecommunications management standards for power systems control. This paper shows that this is a real medium-to-long term possibility

Asset allocation, cross-class correlation and the structure of property returns

Practical applications of portfolio optimisation tend to proceed on a “top down” basis where funds are allocated first at asset class level (between, say, bonds, cash, equities and real estate) and then, progressively, at sub-class level (within property to sectors, office, retail, industrial for example). While there are organisational benefits from such an approach, it can potentially lead to sub-optimal allocations when compared to a “global” or “side-by-side” optimisation. This will occur where there are correlations between sub-classes across the asset divide that are masked in aggregation – between, for instance, City offices and the performance of financial services stocks. This paper explores such sub-class linkages using UK monthly stock and property data. Exploratory analysis using clustering procedures and factor analysis suggests that property performance and equity performance are distinctive: there is little persuasive evidence of contemporaneous or lagged sub-class linkages. Formal tests of the equivalence of optimised portfolios using top-down and global approaches failed to demonstrate significant differences, whether or not allocations were constrained. While the results may be a function of measurement of market returns, it is those returns that are used to assess fund performance. Accordingly, the treatment of real estate as a distinct asset class with diversification potential seems justified

A study of patent thickets

Report analysing whether entry of UK enterprises into patenting in a technology area is affected by patent thickets in the technology area