Understanding network-visibility

1 Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved
z
Understanding
Network Visibility
Whitepaper

Understanding Network Visibility
2 Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights
reserved
Contents
1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………..…3
2. What Is Network Visibility?....................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Network performance: speed and capacity………………………………………...………… 4
2.2 New services for BSS ………………………………………………………………………….. 5
2.3 The enterprise play ………………………………………………………………………………5
2.4 Timing ……………………………………………………………………………………………..6
2.5 Data quantity and quality ………………………………………………………………………. 6
2.6 The need for open source ………………………………………………………………………7
2.7 Avoid retrofitting ……………………………………………………………….…………………7
3. What Can Network Visibility deliver? ……………………………………………………………….8
3.1 Developing new service …………………………………………………………………………8
4. Achieve Network Visibility ……………………………………………………………………………9
4.1 Network visibility for MNOs and MVNOs ………………………………………………………9
4.2 The arrival of network visibility ………………………………………………………………….9

Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved 3
1 INTRODUCTION
Knowledge is power. And for mobile operators they are about to become a lot more powerful thanks to
network visibility. With its ability to not only see the whole network but how it is fundamentally used,
network visibility can revolutionize many aspects of a mobile network.
For BSS teams, network visibility means the creation of new revenue generating services. For OSS
teams, it’s an aid to planning and improving the efficiency of the network for the future.
However, achieving it will not only require open and agnostic systems, but also system integrators that
understand both the technical aspects of a mobile network and the business needs as well.

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2 WHAT IS NETWORK VISIBILITY?
Mobile networks are becoming increasingly complex. With the growth of 4G LTE, mobile video, apps
and the expected rise of HetNets, it is becoming increasingly difficult for operators to understand both
their network performance and customer demands. What operators are looking for is a way to cut
through this noise and actually see what their networks are capable of. This is network visibility. It offers
operators not only the chance to better understand their own networks and its performance, but also to
see exactly how subscribers are using it. By knowing both how much and what type of traffic is
transported, operators can look to develop and improve both their infrastructure and entire business
models. For Business Support System (BSS) teams and Operational Support System (OSS) teams,
network visibility is the chance to improve both sectors at once.
With increasing equipment costs, falling Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), and lower revenues from
core services such as calls and texts, mobile operators are coming under increased pressure to grow
revenues while lowering capital and operational expenditure (CAPEX and OPEX). Network visibility
offers carriers the chance to combine their operational requirements and business needs. As the
demand on mobile networks increases and competition intensifies, network visibility is set to become a
powerful tool for operators.
2.1 Network performance: speed and capacity
Of course one of the most obvious areas for network visibility to help operators is network performance.
Network performance consists of two main areas of focus: speed and capacity. As our reliance on
mobile technology and networks increases, both areas will become major challenges for carriers.
Delivering ever-faster networks with the capacity to match the huge influx of devices is a difficult juggling
act for all mobile operators.

Often the big headline grabber for network
performance is speed. As soon as a new
generation of mobile technology is launched
(e.g. 3G, 4G LTE, etc.) the initial focus is often
on download speed. From a marketing
standpoint this makes sense. As the speed
increases between successive generations, it
is an easy message to transmit to subscribers.
Maintaining these speeds is where network
visibility comes in. Knowing the actual
download speed that a subscriber is seeing is
an important metric for operators. Network speed is often a key factor in subscriber churn, so any level
of improvement can have a dramatic effect on an operator’s revenue.
However, speed is not the only area that network visibility helps. In fact, the far bigger concern is
capacity. With more devices than ever connecting to mobile networks, operators are seeing huge
demand for their services. Demand though, often becomes congestion, which in turn leads to network
dropouts and a bad customer experience. As areas like the Internet of Things (IoT) begin to take shape,
the problem of network congestion is set to grow.
Demand is a double-edged sword for operators. Of course you want your network and services used,
but will need to ensure that this is not at the detriment of the quality of service provided. With careful
planning it can be overcome. By increasing network visibility, improvements can be delivered both faster
and with minimal expenditure. This offers a clear benefit to OSS teams as they deal with the demands
of growing mobile Internet traffic.
2.2 New services for BSS
Network performance is just one area that increased network visibility will help. BSS teams will equally
benefit. Along with a better service, network visibility creates an opportunity to develop new services
and plans for subscribers.
By knowing more about how an individual subscriber is using the network, BSS teams can develop
service plans that specifically meet their needs. This has a number of key benefits. With the aid of data,
BSS teams can develop new service plans that are specific to customer usage. In addition to increasing
revenues, this kind of tailor-made service helps build a stronger customer relationship.
One particular way carriers can offer new services is through partnerships with app and content
providers. By teaming up with certain apps, over-the-top (OTT) services and content providers,
operators can include services directly into plans. This creates a win-win-win scenario for operators,
content providers, and customers. Partnerships that are targeted at the right audience can add
additional revenue to an operator while further building brand loyalty and reducing churn.
2.3 The enterprise play
As well as subscribers, there is also the enterprise to consider. Network visibility offers the chance for
operators to engage more with enterprise customers. As with subscribers, the deeper knowledge and
understanding of how mobile networks are used will allow for the creation of customized enterprise-
specific service plans. In addition, operators can use data to plan for and launch products such as VPNs
to businesses.

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With the ability to not only improve network performance but also develop new services, increased
network visibility should be thought of as a bridge between the OSS and BSS teams. Greater knowledge
of the network, its users and the problems it faces can increase revenues and reduce subscriber churn
while still preparing for the future.
2.4 Timing…
One of the most important questions to consider is why now is the time for improving network visibility.
With a whole host of revolutionary new technologies anticipated over the next decade, along with the
continuing growth of the mobile network’s role in everyday life, network visibility is needed to improve
both the services and performance operator’s offer.
5G
Although 4G LTE networks are still in the process of being deployed, talk has already begun
about the next evolution of mobile broadband – 5G. Although fixed standards have yet to be
agreed, 5G is already expected to have a number of key features that need to be considered.
These include speeds of 1Gbps, less than one millisecond latency and increased energy
efficiency. Making the most of this will require careful planning and data analysis backed up by
network visibility.
M2M
Along with 5G, the next evolutionary phase of the mobile Internet will continue to see the rise
of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication. We are still very much at the beginning of M2M
deployments. With at least 1 billion devices expected by 2020, M2M is predicted to become a
major source of revenue for mobile operators. Connecting all of these devices and ensuring
that the network is able to cope will be an important feature for network visibility.
Network infrastructure
Due to the growing demand of mobile, the actual physical infrastructure has been changing.
New technologies such as small cells and Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) will be needed
to cope with the extra demand. With networks set to become even more complex, the
management and optimization that is required will be a growing challenge.
2.5 Data quantity and quality
As you can see network visibility will live and die by the data it receives. This means not only quantity,
but quality too. As a result, data loss is a real issue and major concern for those looking at implementing
it as a project. With information on both the network and subscriber usage, operators will be collecting
a lot of data. Making sure that all the information is collected, stored and analyzed correctly is a
fundamental aspect of achieving network visibility.
Before any analysis can even take place, the data must be collected. This means that the type, origin,
and amount of data to be analyzed must be determined and the collection protocols and methods
implemented. As this is the first step, it is key to achieving network visibility that offers value to OSS
and BSS teams.

Once you know what you are collecting, the next challenge is storage. There are many different options
when it comes to data storage. However, for network visibility there is one key feature that a storage
solution must be – open source. Open source solutions such as Hadoop offer a number of advantages
over closed, vendor specific options. Not least in terms of costs, where being locked in with a single
vendor means potentially being held to ransom when it comes to buying new equipment.
2.6 The need for open source
Going open source is not just about costs. Vendor-agnostic solutions allow operators to also pick the
best systems for their particular use case. Having the flexibility to change and select both hardware and
software options that best suit individual needs can play a further role in reducing costs and improving
the customer experience.
With vendors often setting metrics and KPIs that best fit their needs and solutions, the actual customer
experience can be lost. Instead, operators need the option of designing and setting their own KPIs that
fit what they hope to achieve. For network visibility, it makes it much easier to capture data as all the
information is open for collection and storage. With the generation of data expected to continue to
accelerate, making its capture as easy and cost effective as possible has huge benefits to an operator’s
bottom line.
2.7 Avoid retrofitting
Rolling out new technologies such as 4G LTE should be seen as a major opportunity for all carriers
looking to both improve their customer experience and reduce costs. Planning for network visibility from
the start makes installation and deployment for it much quicker and easier – even if it is not deployed
straight away.
With the need for increased network monitoring and customer analyses, it is important to plan for
network visibility now. Planning for it in current and future network upgrades means operators save both
time and money when the inevitable happens and the need for better analyses arrives. And with what
it can offer, it is likely to arrive sooner than expected.

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3 WHAT CAN NETWORK VISIBILITY
DELIVER?
So far, discussions around network visibility have focused on the improvements it can deliver to the
customer experience and reduction in CAPEX and OPEX, for good reason. The two biggest concerns
for operators are reducing costs and subscriber churn – both of which network visibility help to lessen.
As with every new mobile technology, 4G LTE has arrived with a whole host of promises to improve the
customer experience. Faster data speeds, more capacity and fewer dropped calls and sessions are
undoubtedly concerns for many subscribers. However, actually achieving these improvements is not as
simple as plugging in 4G and walking away. As can be seen in the UK right now, operators are suffering
from increased mobile service demand and the promised improvements to the customer experience
are beginning to disappear. Network visibility helps readdress this balance. By understanding the exact
demands a network is seeing, operators can optimize the most vital areas, thus controlling spending on
CAPEX while still improving the customer experience.
What makes improving the customer experience so crucial is not just the overall churn of customers,
but the churn of high value customers. In fact, the customers with the highest Average Revenue Per
User (ARPU) are those with the highest expectations. Power users who spend significant amounts of
time on their mobile both working and streaming media do not want to be interrupted by outages or the
sight of a buffering wheel. Network visibility can therefore play a significant part in holding on to these
higher value subscribers, which is a big benefit to the BSS team.
For the OSS teams, it is all about improving network performance at the lowest possible cost. Although
attention is often given to the Radio Access Network (RAN) and its impact on network performance, the
backhaul is just as important. With data collected from both, OSS teams can see where specific
problems lie and optimize them accordingly. This can mean that problems are dealt with before
subscribers even notice an issue.
Another benefit for OSS teams arrives when new devices are installed on a network. Whenever new
devices are installed, there is always the issue of interoperability. Combining technology from multiple
vendors into one seamless network is always a difficult challenge for operators and their OSS teams.
But the combination of open source and network visibility makes this process a lot easier and quicker.
3.1 Developing new services
As well as improving the customer experience and lowering OPEX and CAPEX costs, network visibility
is also creating the opportunity to develop new services. By understanding how their networks are being
used, operators can develop new products and services to meet specific subscriber needs. And with
new technologies like HD voice calls and VoLTE set to arrive soon, network visibility can help maximize
the revenue potential of these services too.
In addition, with the ability to peer into the application level, the services and plans offered can be
incredibly well tailored to specific customers. For instance, with network visibility in place, it is possible
to see if iPhone 6 Plus users consume more video than iPhone 6 users. This information can be turned
into a promotion to target higher data users with extra services. The simple addition of data analytics to
this area of the network offers operators the chance to grow revenues further, without the need to
increase OPEX and CAPEX spending.

4 ACHIEVE NETWORK VISIBILITY
Achieving network visibility requires a combination of skills. Not only do you need the obvious network
monitoring skills but also intricate knowledge of IT infrastructure too. The right engineers for the job
therefore need to be telecoms generalists rather than network specialists. With both OSS and BSS
teams having very different requirements and ways of operating, network visibility engineers need to
be able to understand both cases. With OSS teams focusing on the network and its performance,
engineering teams will need high-level knowledge of the RAN, backhaul and packet switching.
However, with BSS teams relying on IT infrastructure to monitor subscribers and develop new services,
engineers will also need to understand how they work too.
Bringing together these different techniques and skill sets is not easy for a mobile operator and its own
team of engineers. In addition, with the need to be open source and vendor agnostic, operators also
cannot turn to vendors for help. A strong answer to this is independent system integrators. Being both
vendor agnostic and working with all aspects of an operators network and business, they are perfectly
placed to help plan and develop network visibility.
Once a systems integrator has been selected, it is time to start planning. Including BSS and OSS teams
in discussions from the start will save time later on down the line, and ensure that all the requirements
and needs are met. Once these have been decided on, system integrators can move fast and begin to
set up and install the necessary features of network visibility. A successful network visibility program
will see system integrators working closely with the BSS and OSS teams.
4.1 Network visibility for MNOs and MVNOs
Network visibility should not be seen as an exclusive feature only for mobile network operators (MNOs).
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) have just as much to gain from its insights. However, as
every MVNO’s set up is unique and interacts with its host network differently, systems integrators need
to be flexible and able to deal with the unique challenges of each.
Nevertheless, the results for both can be the same, with an improved service, lower expenditure and
the opportunity to develop new services. Although there may be some restrictions when it comes to
accessing data on network performance from a host network, MVNOs can still use network visibility to
improve the customer service by offering tailor-made products to specific subscribers.
In addition, by learning more about how the network is used, MVNOs can look to lower costs either
through optimization or compression features. Knowing how, what and when to do this will be crucial in
providing the best customer services while controlling costs.
4.2 The arrival of network visibility
Network visibility will soon be a necessity for all MNOs and MVNOs. The chance to see further and
deeper into not only how the network is performing, but also how it is being used will fundamentally
change BSS and OSS teams. With the ability to help save operators CAPEX and OPEX as well as
improve the end user experience, planning and development of network visibility needs to happen now.
With network visibility, the possibilities for operators will only be limited by their imagination. Achieving
this will require operators to get expert help from systems integrators. Independent system integrators
with experience in open source software and hardware, such as Computaris, can bring about
tremendous opportunities for telcos and a quantum shift in how mobile networks operate.

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About Computaris International
Computaris International, an R Systems business, provides specialist BSS technical consultancy,
software development and system integration services for the telecommunications industry in Europe,
North America and South East Asia. The company offers the highest level of expertise in the area of
real-time rating and charging, messaging, provisioning, mediation, subscriber data management,
mobile broadband data policy management, and loyalty and churn management.
To find out more about how Computaris International can help with network visibility and open-source
software frameworks such as Hadoop,
Contact us at:
Email: contact@computaris.com
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Understanding network-visibility

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