Rohde & Schwarz and Tutela integrate drive test and crowdsourced mobile network QoE test solution

Mobile network operators are facing the challenge of truly understanding their subscribers’ Quality of Experience (QoE) for voice, video, and data. This requirement will expand and become more critical with the emergence of 5G and IoT use cases. To gain deep insight into a network’s performance and quality, data gathered under precise, controlled conditions during drive tests can be supplemented with crowdsourced data collected by applications running on subscribers’ smartphones. After post-processing, the combined data creates a complete understanding of network performance and quality. This robust and insightful intelligence is the basis that helps operators understand their network, benchmark it against competitors, and identify and prioritise investment decisions.

A Memorandum of Understanding between Tutela and Rohde & Schwarz has been signed, providing Rohde & Schwarz with access to Tutela’s crowdsourced data and Tutela with access to Rohde & Schwarz NQDI database structure. As a consequence, Rohde & Schwarz customers will be able to supplement their field-based methods of network testing with Tutela’s global crowdsourced data. In addition, Rohde & Schwarz will be able to use Tutela’s data within its own test and measurement solutions. Tutela’s network collects over 30 billion mobile quality measurements every day, from more than 250 million devices around the world, more than any other crowdsourcing test company. This enables operators to confidently derive insights from a number of customer experience metrics including signal strength and quality, device usage, and download speed patterns.

Tutela tests mobile networks in a way that represents the day-to-day usage and experience of mobile users. The methodology and configuration simulate typical mobile user behaviour, such as accessing websites or downloading and sending images, rather than testing for maximum potential speeds under optimal test conditions.