Service Assurance: The Key to Success for Emerging Applications in Cellular Networks

Cellular networks have been instrumental in the way we communicate and access information. While the first generation of cellular networks was designed primarily for voice communication, the latest generations (4G and 5G) are pushing cellular networks into new territories. The advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications, and other emerging applications is making cellular networks ubiquitous. However, for cellular networks to meet the needs of these emerging applications, service assurance becomes a critical factor in their success.

The Need for Complete Visibility and Automated Recovery

Complete visibility of the network and automated recovery in case of customer-impacting issues are crucial to meet customers’ demanding expectations and achieve the desired monetization from a service provider’s point of view. For instance, if an IoT sensor fails to transmit data due to a network outage, it could seriously affect the overall service, resulting in a loss of revenue, dissatisfied customers, and brand erosion. Therefore, it is paramount to have complete network visibility and automated recovery mechanisms in place to ensure that customer-impacting issues are resolved quickly and efficiently.

Service assurance in the context of cellular networks

Service assurance in private networks poses additional needs, namely safety-critical and mission-critical applications. Therefore, designing an end-to-end service assurance framework for such networks is imperative to ensure that the expected quality of service (QoS) is met. The framework should be designed while considering the network topology, the type of services offered, and the underlying technology.

The Role of Key Performance Indicators in Service Assurance Frameworks

In any service assurance framework, it is critical to define the correct set of key performance indicators (KPIs). KPIs can help measure various aspects of network performance, user experience, and operational efficiency, among others. Some examples of KPIs for private LTE/5G networks include latency, availability, reliability, throughput, voice and data quality, among others.

Service assurance requirements in private LTE/5G networks

Private LTE/5G networks typically have more stringent service assurance requirements than commercial networks. For instance, industrial IoT (IIoT) applications demand ultra-high reliability, ultra-low latency, and high availability. Therefore, the service assurance solutions for private networks must be designed keeping in mind these stringent requirements. One way to achieve this is by using technologies such as network slicing and edge computing, which can enhance network performance, efficiency, and QoS.

Orchestration and Automation in Service Assurance

Service assurance in cellular networks requires orchestration and automation. A typical service assurance framework involves collecting real-time data from the network and running some analytics on this data. However, to achieve the desired performance, reliability, availability, etc., for private networks, it is necessary to integrate this information with end-to-end service orchestration frameworks. Some examples of such frameworks are the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) Open Source MANO (OSM) and the Linux Foundation Open Network Automation Platform (ONAP).

Standardization for Zero Touch Network and Service Management

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), and other standardization bodies are working towards defining the requirements and procedures for Zero Touch Network and service management. Zero Touch refers to the ability to operate, manage, and monitor networks without human intervention. Zero Touch management can help service providers achieve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance QoS (Quality of Service).

Integration with end-to-end service orchestration frameworks

While providing real-time data and running analytics on this data is one part of the problem, achieving desired performance, reliability, and availability for private networks requires integrating this information with end-to-end service orchestration frameworks such as ETSI OSM and LF ONAP. These frameworks can help service providers achieve network automation, reduce time-to-market, and enhance operational efficiency.

The Importance of Service Assurance Infrastructure for Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

While better speeds, ultra-low latency, and reliability are needed for advanced applications around analytics, digital twins, etc., the real monetization from these networks will not be possible through these indirect benefits alone. Therefore, setting up the proper service assurance infrastructure for measurable KPIs and frameworks to monitor them and take preventive or corrective actions is the real key to success.

In conclusion, cellular networks are evolving to meet the demands of emerging applications. To enable these applications to reach their full potential, service assurance is essential. Service assurance requires complete network visibility, automated recovery, KPI monitoring, orchestration and automation, standardization, and integration with end-to-end service orchestration frameworks. With the proper service assurance infrastructure in place, cellular network service providers can ensure that customer expectations are met, revenue is generated, and brand loyalty is maintained.

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