Mobile Network Data Sources

Every optimization solution we build to visualize, analyze and optimize the mobile network has one basic requirement: support for one or more mobile network data sources. Our ability to support a wide variety of mobile network data sources is the core capability that enables us to offer so many optimization solutions.

ActixOne supported mobile network data sources

ActixOne supported mobile network data sources

ActixOne supports the following mobile network data sources across 2G, 3G & 4G technologies and major network equipment and drive survey equipment providers:

• Network OSS Data – ActixOne loads data from a variety of network OSS data sources including leading network equipment provider formats and in-house and other proprietary databases. Our SOA architecture and ETL technology enable robust, non-standard interfaces to be rapidly developed, deployed and maintained. The supported network OSS data sources include the following categories:
  • Radio Access Network Operations & Maintenance Centers (R-OMC) data – R-OMC data include proprietary mobile measurement reports, neighbor cell statistics and other RAN related statistics and measurement data. This data is typically a fraction of the size of subscriber trace data, while providing a rich set of information for detecting neighbor list issues and over propagating cells among other issues.
  • Performance Management databases – These databases provide statistics performance counters, typically over time periods of 15 minutes or more, for radio & core network elements. The databases integrate to all leading providers of network elements and are typically provided by independent third party vendors, although some operators also implement in-house systems.
  • Fault Management databases – These databases aggregate fault events for alarmed equipment. The main purpose of support for this data is not to replicate Network Operations Center (NOC) functionality, but rather to rule out faults as a factor when diagnosing complex performance issues and determining corrective action.
  • Configuration data – These data are either exported directly from major provider’s OMCs or taken from in-house or third party configuration databases. In either case, ETL may be used to effectively load data into the ActixOne database. The data typically include soft network configuration data such as neighbor lists and handover thresholds; however, physical site configuration may be included as well.
  • Trouble Ticket databases – Our ETL technology and SOA architecture enable two-way integration to any trouble ticket database.
• Subscriber Trace Data – ActixOne loads detailed call and data session traces for all or a subset of subscribers on a particular 2G Base Station Controller (BSC) or 3G Radio Network Controller (RNC). Sometimes called “RNC traces” or simply “call traces”, these subscriber traces represent a powerful breakthrough in the ability to understand the customer’s experience of the network, while also capturing the information required to diagnose and in many cases resolve the problem. Subscriber trace data is proprietary to each Network Equipment Provider and includes key call and data events like dropped calls and data connections and air-interface data including RF measurements and mobility events such as handovers and neighbor list measurements. Subscriber Trace Data may be geo-located, enabling this data set to be used in lieu of drive tests in many cases.
• Drive Survey Data – ActixOne loads detailed call and data session metrics, including a rich set of IP and application layer metrics, plus RF and air-interface protocols for all major vendors of drive test equipment. ActixOne is typically used to store “drive surveys” which are periodic, recurring measurement campaigns where data is collected along the same drive routes. Drive surveys may be performed for a single operator (across network technologies) or for multiple operators and technologies. Drive surveys for multiple operators are referred to as competitive benchmarking drive surveys, since the main purpose of these campaigns is to benchmark operator service quality vs. competitors.
• Planning Data – ActixOne imports physical site configuration and RF propagation data from all major independent planning tool provider’s databases for all technologies. Furthermore, our ETL technology allows us to rapidly build interfaces to in-house databases or data warehouses which store this information.
• Map Data – ActixOne provides support for wide variety of street, boundary, demographic and other map data including support for Google Maps and Bing Maps.