Understanding Traffic Dynamics in Cellular Data Networks

We conduct the first detailed analysis of network resource usage and subscriber behavior using a large-scale data set collected inside a nationwide CDMA-based 3G cellular data network. The data set tracks around 850,000 subscribers over about 7,000 base stations. We analyze the individual subscriber behaviors and observe a significant variation in network usage among subscribers. We characterize subscriber mobility and temporal activity patterns and identify their relation to traffic volume. We then investigate how efficiently radio resources are used by different subscribers as well as by different applications. We also analyze the network traffic from the point of view of the base stations and find significant temporal and spatial variations of traffic in different parts of the network, while the aggregated behavior appear predictable. Broadly, our observations deliver important insights into network-wide resource usage and can provide a base line for improved network planning, new protocols for radio resource management and spectrum allocation, and effective pricing strategies.