ActixOne Solutions Overview

Visualize, Analyze & Optimize Data Services

Surviving the Data Explosion

enable them to manage their data networks as effectively as they currently manage their voice networks. Related to this, the performance of data networks is becoming a competitive battleground between operators. As a result, operators need to understand how they benchmark against competitors, the reason for poor performance, and the most effective way to improve network quality.

Maximizing roamer revenue

With an estimated 150m subscribers now roaming on data networks, assuring data roaming revenues is a vital activity for operators. To maximise revenues from roamers, operators need to effectively target network capacity and performance to the geographic areas where roamers are.
High speed data traffic density for London

Data now accounts for the majority of total traffic carried by many of the worlds mobile networks and for operators it also accounts for the majority of incremental network investments. New technologies, such as HSPA+ and LTE, are needed to carry the increasing amounts of mobile broadband traffic. However, data is less profitable and voice continues to bring in the majority of operators revenues. As a result the key challenge for mobile operators is to ensure that their data networks are able to meet competitive coverage, quality and capacity targets in the most efficient and cost effective manner.

Troubleshooting VIPs
To retain VIP subscribers, they must get great data service from the radio network. To be able to achieve this, operators must understand the data service experience of their VIP customers and to be able to quickly identify problems, understand the underlying causes and establish the best way of resolving them.

Investigating problem handsets

The tsunami of smartphones and data devices has broken traditional testing approaches. With the complexity of data devices, post-launch problems are the new norm, from high profile antenna issues to more subtle mobility, RF or call quality issues. Operators need an effective way of measuring the performance of their new data devices in live network environments.

Challenges for Operators

Increasing network capacity
LTE is on the horizon promising increased network data capacity at a lower cost per bit; however, due to spectrum availability, especially in coverage bands, and high rollout costs, most operators remain focused on getting the most out of their existing HSPA networks by investment in additional carriers and the deployment of HSPA+. To make this evolutionary approach work, it is critical for operators to establish where additional capacity is needed to best serve data hotspots, and the most effective approach for delivering additional capacity. Once additional capacity is deployed, operators need to ensure that data service KPIs are met and end-to-end performance is effectively measured.

Introducing ActixOne
ActixOne is the only platform that delivers a unified workspace for visualizing, analyzing and optimizing modern data networks. ActixOne is Actixs mobile network optimization platform and is the realization of 15 years of experience delivering software and solutions to mobile operators. ActixOne is a multi vendor, multi technology platform that supports all key radio network data sources, embeds automated diagnostics and solution finding algorithms, and delivers visualization, analysis and optimization capabilities through a web-based interface. Actix has worked closely with leading edge operators rolling out and operating data networks to develop ActixOnes data service optimization capabilities.

Ensuring data service quality

Once data networks are up and running operators need to establish a data network performance optimization strategy to

ActixOne Solutions Overview

Visualize, Analyze & Optimize Data Services

ActixOne Data Solutions

ActixOne provides a number of solutions for data service optimization. These solutions can be deployed individually or combined in a single system capable of supporting the full lifecycle of modern data networks, right from rollout through to decommission.

IP packet inspection: ActixOne through Analyzer provides full IP layer decodes and session analysis to provide full inspection into the IP traffic layer. Performance Reports: Out-of-the-box performance reports enable operators to quickly create validation and acceptance reports.

Network Acceptance

Detailed data session analysis

Competitive Benchmarking
Network acceptance drive showing CQI measurements

The ActixOne solution for HSPA+ and LTE acceptance automates acceptance reporting to verify capacity and performance KPIs, before and after launch, and automates troubleshooting and optimization to resolve violations. To achieve this, ActixOne embeds Analyzers sophisticated drive survey analysis capabilities, allowing operators to get a true picture of performance of their data network during network acceptance and validation. Key capabilities: The broadest multi-vendor, multi-technology drive test format support: ActixOne supports the latest HSPA+ and LTE decodes from all of the major vendors. Capture detailed network measurements: ActixOne supports the measurement of the latest HSPA+ and LTE features including: CQI, frame usage, and modulation usage. Flexible voice and data service KPIs: ActixOne supports powerful top-down KPIs, allowing operators to evaluate the quality of different voice and data services as perceived by end users. Full RF analysis: ActixOne provides automated drop call diagnosis and integrated radio network analysis to diagnose cell coverage, missing neighbor, and interference / pollution problems. Layer 3 analysis: ActixOne provides embedded Layer 3 analysis, allowing detailed message-level inspection of drive survey results. Data session analysis: Detailed data session analysis makes it easy to establish whether poor data service performance is due to poor radio quality or congestion on the core or radio network.
Benchmark dashboard

Complimenting the Network Acceptance solution ActixOne also provides a rich set of data benchmark visualization and investigation capabilities, including color-coded regional maps and tables, clearly identifying how your data network compares to your competitors. Key features: Leverage sophisticated data service analysis also available within Actixs network acceptance solution. Automate processing and reporting on data benchmarking drives. Match data performance events from SwissQual, ASCOM and Nemo benchmark drives and use call event analytics to provide automatic diagnosis. View benchmark results and trends in a benchmark dashboard with integrated reports. Reuse benchmark drives for use in day to day network optimization.

ActixOne Solutions Overview

Visualize, Analyze & Optimize Data Services

Traffic & Roamers

Traffic maps can be further split to identify lucrative smartphone and VIPs customers. Knowledge of exactly where these customers are hitting your network allows engineering teams to ensure the network is optimized to capture the maximum revenue from these high-value customers

Network Status & Performance

High speed data coverage map for Los Angeles

ActixOne automatically processes subscriber trace data and geo-locates all subscriber activity, including in-building and pedestrian users. The solution allows detailed density maps to be created, indicating where data service demand is highest. With detailed traffic maps, engineers can then determine the best solution to a particular capacity issue, potentially deferring CAPEX for more expensive options or at a minimum ensuring that the CAPEX is used highly efficiently.
Data optimization using subscriber trace and OSS counters

ActixOnes unique ability to combine subscriber trace, network OSS data, planning and drive survey sources in a single platform allows operators to streamline day-to-day analysis of data service performance. These integrated visualization, analysis and optimization capabilities enable engineers to follow a multi data source approach to troubleshooting data service performance; for example: High level data service optimization process
1. Identify sectors with data service issues:
a. Use OSS performance statistics reporting to identify sectors with data service quality / capacity issues

Roaming locations central London

Likewise, roaming hot spots can be identified and optimized to ensure a high quality of customer experience in order to maximize roaming revenues. Key capabilities: Accurate GEO location of Ericsson (GPEH), Huawei (CHR) and NSN (ICSU) subscriber traces allows detection of data hotspots to the sub sector level. Generate traffic maps based on data session volumes and throughputs to build a picture of usage hotspots Combine with RF coverage, quality and capacity measurements to identify the underlying cause of subscriber issues. Detailed drop call analysis that goes beyond vendor cause codes for better identification of underlying causes.

2. For sectors with issues visualize and analyze performance KPIs to establish underlying cause:
a. For quality: look at CQI, PRACH, SHO, Power/user, UL RTWP, Noise Rise, EcNo, RSCP b. For capacity: look at Traffic volumes, blocking

3. Use GEO located subscriber trace data to identify if there is a geographical component:
a. For quality: check coverage , quality, drop call density b. For capacity: check traffic density, blocks

4. Decide best course of action

a. For quality: adjust tilt, tune neighbors, b. For capacity: offload traffic, add carrier, add site, ..

In addition the ActixOne rules engine can streamline processes automatically generating a prioritized list of issues, which are then tracked from inception to resolution including hand-offs between other groups within the operator.

ActixOne Solutions Overview

Visualize, Analyze & Optimize Data Services

Device Performance

Network Optimization

Sample from a device performance report

Actixs Device Performance solution uses subscriber trace data to compare the performance of devices used by customers in the live network.
Electrical tilt recommendations

The solution captures rich RF, call and data session information to build a detailed picture of the performance of individual devices. Reports provide manufacturer and handset level information on: Data session failures and their underlying cause RSPC & ECN0 RRC Request types RAB type breakdowns Accessibility, retainability and mobility

ActixOne - when integrated with Radioplan - enables automated planning of new sites and additional carriers needed to bring additional capacity to data networks. Integrated neighbor list optimization and antenna visualization supports day to day optimization activities to tune neighbor lists and correct overshooters and pollution issues.

Measurable Customer Benefits

VIP Subscriber Experience
ActixOne solutions have been widely deployed to support the visualization, analysis and optimization of data networks; results seen by Actix customers include: A global top 30 operator accelerated HSPA capacity rollout tasks by 20x by automating a standardized validation process A top Asian operator accelerated subscriber problem resolution tasks by 18x through the use of real-time subscriber trace data A global top 30 operator automated their operational optimization process improving efficiency by 40% A global top 30 operator automated benchmark analysis increasing speed 15x and as a result moved to number 1 in data quality in a previous problem region
Fast detection of VIP issues

About Actix
Actix provides analytics software to visualize, analyze and optimize the Mobile Network. The company is a leader in this segment, with over 230 operators in 106 countries using its optimization solutions. Actix software solutions provide analysis of network-wide, multi-vendor and multi-source Mobile Network data, to enable our customers to optimize the performance of their Mobile Networks. Our software solutions address key challenges including rolling out new technology such as HSPA+ and LTE, automating network optimization processes, and troubleshooting customer experience issues. For more information, please see http://www.actix.com

ActixOne loads and processes subscriber trace data as it becomes available, and automatically extracts information on VIP customers to measure their experience and to identify any problems, along with their root cause. Key features: Generate reports detailing the network experience of VIPs in terms of drops and the network coverage and quality they received Detailed VIP drop call analysis goes beyond vendor cause codes for better identification of underlying causes Proactive notification on VIP issues to enable rapid response and effective problem management