Location-based performance-measuring techniques in UMTS

This paper explains how location-based performance-measuring techniques in the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) can pinpoint vital call information like call drops, congestion, and quality of service (QoS) with Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates. This information can be used to plot coverage holes and hotspots from subscriber data on an area map unlocking immense value to service providers, vendors, and research and development teams. Currently, second-generation and third-generation performance measuring and monitoring capabilities in wireless networks are limited to analyzing key performance indicators and measurements based on historical trends. Operation and maintenance centers (OMCs) across networks collect measurements that are processed and used for planning, maintenance, and revenue reports. The current measuring and monitoring techniques require highly skilled personnel to rigorously drive test coverage areas to find the exact location and nature of field problems. The data collected from a typical drive test is post-processed to generate reports that pinpoint the location and describe the problem. This amounts to delays and large deployment/maintenance costs to the vendor and the service provider (C) 2003 Lucent Technologies Inc.