COM5.Mobile Audit

A detailed, comprehensive view of the network configuration is not always a given for operators. Incorrect or inconsistent base station configurations lead to significant loss of quality, which is also noticeable for customers. An increase in disconnections – known as the dropped-call rate – is another possible result, as well as connection problems or problems with voice quality.

With COM5.Mobile Audit (formerly: CPCM Network Audit), MicroNova offers an out-of-the-box solution for the complete visualization of network parameters. It reads the current live network independently of vendor, region, and technology, and records the corresponding information in a central database for auditing.

An automated delta calculation determines the configuration differences from the previous import and stores them in a cumulative database, which is especially helpful for MNOs. A logged history of the network configuration, including trends, can be displayed as configurable reports according to freely selectable criteria. In addition to logging network growth to manage it, the history database can also be used to troubleshoot specific network areas.

The first step of network auditing takes place within COM5.Mobile Audit: The system checks the consistency of the imported live data via an integrated rule-based engine; a user-friendly graphical interface makes administration of the corresponding rules an easy task. Any violations are logged according to their severity (blocking/warning) and presented to the user via reporting mechanisms. An optional dashboard also allows the results to be displayed in a configurable overview for even greater ease-of-use and efficiency in troubleshooting.

COM5.Mobile Audit comes ready “out-of-the-box” with a set of standard consistency rules that the user can expand on as needed. The most common rules include checking handover connections (number of handovers per cell, target frequency, etc.), frequency plans, cell parameters, dependencies between parameters, user-specific dependencies and compliance with operator requirements. Basic functionality includes the creation, deletion and editing of consistency checks and rules. Users can also create new rules based on copies of existing ones. It is also possible to exchange rules with other users.

COM5.Mobile Audit considers all parameters available through the vendor’s standard OSS Northbound Interface (NBI), including parameters that may have been configured automatically by a Self-Organizing Network-System (SON). Thus the solution is “SON-ready”, i.e. capable of interacting with and monitoring SON systems. With configurable rules, MNOs can generate reports and warnings at any time with COM5.Mobile Audit.

Another important functionality of COM5.Mobile Audit is the support of operator-specific default values (default templates) over the entire network. Users can easily create configuration templates according to certain criteria and check them against the live network. Potential configurations include indoor/outdoor stations, stadiums, and events, etc. All imported network configurations are archived and available for further comparisons as well as evaluations (history function). This makes it possible to monitor Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between the network operator and third-party companies (managed service).

Thanks to the vendor-neutral and cross-technology comparisons, MicroNova‘s auditing system can play to its strengths, especially in the areas between management regions of different vendors. In this case, the standard features of proprietary systems are usually inadequate. Since COM5.Mobile Audit already stores a complete map of the Radio Access Network (RAN) within a central database – including history – the system can be connected as a cross-network data source for comparison with other systems. Examples include inventory, optimization, and measurement.

Knowledge is power: Only with complete knowledge of all relevant parameters of their network, Mobile Network Operators have the power to maximize the user experience for their customers and – consequently – their own revenues. COM5.Mobile Audit ensures that network providers can get the most out of their network investments.