EXFO’s Top 5 LTE Troubleshooting Tool Characteristics
We recently conducted a poll to rank the order of importance of effective LTE network troubleshooting tool characteristics. If you are looking for the best possible tool based on the feedback of over seventy key industry players surveyed, check out the top 5 list of features you must consider.
5. Portability
Portable tools enable technicians to access any location and cover more sites without having to carry a large
amount of heavy hardware. The best tools must be easy to transport in the field and small enough to fit into
tight quarters such as small equipment rooms.
4. Technology Coverage
Having one tool for the entire network that is capable of covering all LTE interfaces, the LTE control plane and
IP application analysis saves time and money. It is important to have seamless correlation between signaling and
the user plane.
3. Ease of Use
Easy-to-use tools allow for faster adoption, greater usage levels and clearer reporting. The best troubleshooting
tools have a short learning curve and an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI).
2. Performance
Shorter analysis times equate to faster mean time to repair (MTTR). This is one of the key elements to increased
OPEX and CAPEX savings. The tool must meet the requirements of live network data rates over 10 Gbit/s
interfaces.
1. End-to-End Analysis
A tool that can identify the fault location rapidly and enable faster root-cause analysis is essential in LTE network
troubleshooting. A diagnostics suite generating data related to quality of service (QoE), a Calland Session Analysis
application for troubleshooting, and a protocol monitor enabling root-cause analysis are some of the applications
that should be considered when selecting a tool.
To avoid network failures and reduce mean time to repair while improving customer experience and increasing operational efficiency, network operators should implement best-of-breed troubleshooting solutions.
For further information on best practices, watch EXFO’s latest Live LTE Network Troubleshooting webinar. You can also attend our July 15 seminar in Reston, VA. For a full list of upcoming events, visit our Events webpage.
