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Rolling Out 5G — Practical Challenges

Part 1

The roll-out of 5G is progressing steadily across the globe but it is clear that 5G is proving particularly challenging in terms of achieving pervasive, broad availability. The latest generation of cellular technology is simply intrinsically more complicated compared to 4G and 3G. In the case of 5G, operators face a unique set of questions — unique physical and practical challenges, but also unique financial challenges.

 

In this two-part article, Netradar takes a look at the 5G roll-out challenges faced by MNOs around the world. Understanding these challenges helps explain why 5G the roll-out programme is progressing at a gradual yet unimpressive pace. In part one we cover the many unique, practical challenges of rolling out 5G.

Acquiring and managing 5G spectrum

Rolling out improved mobile data services depends on access to more spectrum. The existing spectrum MNOs have access to cannot fully deliver the most promising elements of 5G technology. Yes, MNOs can roll out aspects of 5G within the existing spectrum, but users won’t experience the full benefit of 5G.

 

5G requires a healthy mix of low and mid, as well as high-band spectrum to broadly deliver ultra-low latency and multi-gigabit speeds. Licensed spectrum is, of course, not cheap, and the fact that 5G spreads over so many spectrum bands only complicates the planning and utilisation of spectrum which, of course, must happen within fixed budgets.

The complexity of 5G networks

Spectrum is not the only complex aspect of 5G. Advances in cellular network technology have always required new network models and indeed new physical components, but 5G requires far denser networks too, and that requires significant changes in the way operators perform network planning.

 

The different frequencies at which 5G operates further complicates matters — down to the device level: not all 5G devices are capable of accessing all 5G services. It makes for a complex mix of hardware and software. Operators must carefully tread the line between overpromising on 5G’s performance potential — and real-world ability to deliver enhanced network access given highly complex network infrastructure.

Delivering consistent coverage

The coverage picture for 5G is very complex too. As a first consideration, indoor coverage is a hot issue for 5G given the fact that shorter wavelengths make achieving consistent indoor coverage more difficult. Operators need to consider carefully where and

 

Coverage consistency also exhibits practical problems in terms of user density. Multi-gigabit 5G speeds are only practical in a dense environment such as city centres, given the network density required demanded by fast 5G — and the amount of equipment that it requires. MNOs are facing complex decisions around 5G capability and where to draw the line in terms of expensive to achieve network density vs. suboptimal 5G speeds.

Privacy and security

New technology inevitably brings new security threats. Yes, in some ways, threats increase merely because 5G brings a wider and more responsive data pipe. More data transmission brings more security risks. 5G falls under AKA, the authentication and key agreement system, but to a large degree, it is still up to operators to tighten security practices and to ensure that new equipment and network configurations are as secure as these need to be.

 

Arguably the biggest security threat posed by 5G is simply increased usage which in turn generates more opportunities for intrusion. Again, MNOs will have to focus on water-tight network security to avoid taking the blame for cybersecurity failures. Whatever the view on equipment suppliers as points of security failure, MNOs will also have to carefully vet the vendors that they deal with.

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Why user experience data is critical to 5G roll-out?

Optimising a 5G roll-out?: You need augmented user experience data

Operators increasingly offer 5G to their customers, if only in city centres. However, blanket coverage is still a long way off and users do not yet enjoy a consistent, smooth 5G experience. As it stands, operators are actively making roll-out decisions.

 

In our article about 5G investment decisions, we pointed to the importance of enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) as the most prominent use case for 5G, at least initially. We’d argue that a customer that is confident that their apps and services will perform better thanks to 5G will consequently spend more with their operator — leading to higher average revenue per user.

 

There is, of course, no easy, fast or cheap way to provide blanket 5G coverage. It is a pain-staking process. Operators need to consider carefully how to optimise an investment-heavy 5G roll-out programme to maximise the 5G user experience. After all, a superior user experience drives 5G ROI.

 

The best decisions rely on solid, comprehensive data. However, in this article we outline how Netradar’s user experience data sketches a far more complete network experience picture and how operators that use Netradar make better 5G roll-out decisions.

A challenge unique to 5G: indoor coverage

Operators know that 5G is a different beast when it comes to a network rollout — particularly where gigabit speeds are at stake. In large parts of the world 5G operates on higher frequencies than 4G. And even with 4G, providing indoor coverage has been challenging at times. The use of higher frequencies with shorter wavelengths makes the indoor coverage challenge far greater with 5G.

 

It is true that operators can continue with their usual planning process, installing base stations where the mix of physical aspects and customer demand makes sense. However, the unpredictable nature of user behaviour vastly complicates this process. And operators have limited insight into user behaviour.

 

For 5G, delivering and monitoring the indoor network experience and tuning networking planning accordingly is highly challenging. Operators can take a range of measurements, but it is very difficult for an operator to know whether a user with a poor experience is outdoors, indoors next to a window, or indeed sitting in the basement.

 

Here, Netradar provides a critical source of data to augment 5G decision making. Operators that harness the Netradar Suite get a device-sourced perspective that is unique to Netradar. The Netradar Suite uses an internally developed, proprietary algorithm

 

With Netradar’s unique user location data, the operator can better understand where on the indoor, outdoor continuum a user is located with every data session and how that influences the user experience. It means more accurate decisions around 5G networks — more so than relying on network or user complaint data.

Managing and meeting customer expectations

The unique indoor, outdoor user experience challenge brought forward by 5G is just one aspect of the complex 5G customer picture. Understanding the complete picture is key: a consistently superior 5G experience means winning and retaining the customers that deliver the highest average revenue per customer. We next highlight three key ways that the Netradar Suite can help operators tune 5G their roll-out to meet customer expectations.

Is it the app — or the network?

First, when a user has a poor app experience, such as buffering video, the user will blame their operator without giving it much thought. Users will not weigh up the chances that the app developer or OTT provider serving streaming content is at fault.

 

But operators must be able to distinguish the cause of the poor user experience — is it the app provider, or is it a network bottleneck? Operators that make assumptions purely based on user experience reports are at risk of skewing their 5G roll-out in ways that undermine investment efficiency.

 

As with indoor vs. outdoor concerns, Netradar Suite is uniquely positioned to help operators narrow down the source of poor user experience.

In contrast to network measurements, Netradar takes measurements on the actual device on which the user experience takes place. So, Netradar data indicate to operators whether OTT providers are the source of poor user experience, or indeed the network. In turn, operators can make accurate roll-out decisions.

App trends and broad usage statistics

The second consideration is app and usage trends. Yes, 5G serves existing customer use cases better simply by providing more bandwidth and therefore avoiding network congestion. But which future apps will trend thanks to 5G-driven network capabilities?

 

Operators that observe these trends and how new apps put unique demands on their networks can ensure stellar user experience for a newly popular app. In contrast, competitor networks that have less insight into the impact of trending apps risk customer churn.

 

Again, Netradar provides the device-centric data that operators require to analyse the impact of trending apps. It helps operators make 5G investment decisions that reflect the future — not the past.

 

Nonetheless, current user habits also matter when making efficient 5G investment decisions. Merely observing network statistics will not deliver these insights. Operators that deploy the Netradar Suite get a broad-based picture. Just a few of the aspects covered in the Netradar Suite:

 

• Netradar outlines whether an operator’s network is able to serve the requirements of specific apps and does so in context of the apps that are most popular with the operator’s users

 

• Our user data also indicate at what times of the day what type of app is used most often and how the usage patterns affect demand on a network — and indeed when networks fail to meet demand

 

• We also reveal in which locations apps are the most popular so that operators can make location-specific decisions

 

This information helps operators prioritise 5G rollouts. As we know, in addition to higher throughput 5G delivers capacity and it is often this additional capacity that enables a smooth user experience.

The enterprise use case

As a final point, to emphasise how Netradar’s unique, augmented user experience data is invaluable for operators, we conclude with an enterprise use case. Network slicing, the ability to create private cellular networks with unique properties, is not new. However, 5G takes network slicing to the next level — including the ability to deliver end-to-end network slicing.

 

Network slicing has many different purposes, but often the aim is to deliver a superior network experience compared to the public network. Network slicing is tied to QoS parameters, with performance expectations bound by an SLA. Of course, just as with consumer networks, operators deliver the infrastructure — but not the application.

 

When performance fails, and the SLA comes under scrutiny, is it the operator that is at fault, and is an infrastructure upgrade due? Or is the application the problem? The enterprise use case mirrors the consumer use case here — and so does the advantages of using the Netradar Suite. Again, Netradar delivers device-centric measurements that can evaluate network performance from a wider perspective.

 

With Netradar’s insights operators draw on more data and can thereby judge whether a poor SLA-bound network experience is due to the network, or as a result of other factors — such as the underlying application. And if indeed it is the network that is to blame, the operator can roll out a fix based on broader information.

Continuous planning and assessment — with Netradar

So, Netradar significantly improves your 5G roll-out decision making by colouring in the user experience picture — augmenting what you already know about your users.

 

Of course, network planning is an ongoing effort. Network demand and usage habits continuously shift, making an already painstaking task that much more difficult. Over and above a broader picture, Netradar Suite also delivers a more actionable view of the user experience.

 

Operators benefit from a user-friendly Netradar dashboard that makes swift work out of understanding where user experience gaps lie. Netradar also uses an AI-driven algorithm that automatically flags network anomalies that are otherwise difficult to observe.

 

It’s an efficient tool that makes 5G roll-out far easier and more optimal than it would otherwise be. Just get in touch with Netradar for a demonstration — and to see how your network can use Netradar’s unique user experience perspective to make far more accurate 5G roll-out decisions.

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Detecting GPS interference and jamming with Netradar Space

GNSS (global navigation satellite systems) is an essential tool: society is highly dependent on GNSS. In the 1990s the US Military’s GPS system became the first GNSS widely available to the public and widespread adoption quickly followed, leading to a variety of essential roles for GPS — from in-car navigation to ports and logistics operations.

 

In fact, society has become so reliant on GNSS such as GPS that even moderate problems with GNSS coverage can have serious repercussions, with the concerns around jamming and interference growing in the last ten years.

 

There’s an urgent need to get a better understanding of the extent of interference, and the sources of intentional jamming. This is exactly what Netradar set out to do with the ESA BIC (European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre)

The risks posed by GNSS signal loss

GPS led the steady growth in GNSS use cases and the general public still tend to refer to services provided by any one of the four GNSS as a “GPS” service, even though they may in fact be benefiting from Europe’s Galileo, Russia’s GLONASS or China’s BeiDou.

 

All of these systems are vulnerable to interference and intentional jamming. There are countless examples: one country provoking another, a key stock exchange can’t time its trades, flights cancelled, the list goes on and on.

 

The public, business and government are all at risk of GPS signal failure. Whether it is accidental interference causing reception issues or intentional jamming, breaking the signal link with GNSS such as GPS or Galileo is simply too easy and too commonplace to ignore. These risks come from a range of sources:

 

Unintentional interference where radio signals from another device or service unknowingly cause problems with GNSS services. These sources of interference can often be incredibly difficult to track down, with days or weeks lapsing before a source is identified.

 

Collateral damage from purposeful GPS jamming including the classic example of the truck driver using a cheap GPS jamming device to hide behaviour from an employer — only to cause unrelated positioning services in the surrounding area to also fail.

 

Intentional disruption of services where a malevolent individual, group or even nation-state uses GPS jamming equipment with the aim to cause widespread disruption and damage.

 

Irrespective of the source or the motivation of jamming and interference, the results are the same: essential location and navigation services fail or become unreliable.

Crowd-sourcing GNSS reliability: Netradar and the ESA Business Incubation Centre

Netradar has years of experience in understanding the use of mobile networks — and mobile devices, offering deep insight into mobile network and device use via our Netradar Suite. This knowledge hinted at another important use case for Netradar’s device-driven insights: understanding the prevalence, location and impact of GNSS interference.

 

In November 2019, Netradar joined the ESA’s Espoo Business Incubation Centre with the aim to develop a solution that can detect where GNSS breaks down, how often devices experience problems with navigation and location and where these problems occur — alongside insights into the sources of the interference.

 

Netradar’s solution crowdsources GPS performance data from live mobile phones via the Netradar app. In fact, GPS performance analysis is now integrated into the Netradar SDK.

 

Because mobile phones have another source of location data — the operator network — it allows Netradar to gather unique insights into the accuracy of GNSS signals. Our data can build a comprehensive, accurate picture of GPS interference, with granular insight:

 

Genuine signal loss. Netradar can determine when GNSS signals are weak because of the user’s physical location — let’s say the user is indoors, or in a long tunnel. These episodes of poor location performance are not flagged.

 

Explicit interference. Similarly, the Netradar approach can discern where a user is losing location accuracy due to unintentional or intentional interference and where location services are completely blocked due to a jamming exercise.

 

GNSS network affected. Netradar also distinguishes amongst the four GNSS networks when analysing interference and its effects — our solution can tell whether GPS or Galileo is most affected by interference or jamming efforts.

 

Though Netradar Space is still in active development, the real-world impact of better understanding just how frequently applications are affected by GPS interference and jamming is starting to emerge.

Potential benefits of Netradar’s world-first approach

Given the fact that GPS jamming has become such a widely known issue, it is not surprising that there are existing solutions for finding the source and location of interference. Hardware devices that can detect the source of interference do exist: but these are scarce, expensive and not that mobile — typically deployed at key infrastructure hubs such as airports.

 

The crowd-sourced nature of the Netradar solution delivers a breadth of coverage that hardware units cannot match: Netradar gathers data on GPS interference on a nation-wide basis. While Netradar cannot pinpoint exactly what the source of GPS jamming is (this will require specialised hardware) Netradar can point at a problem — which can be further investigated by a hardware approach.

 

So, where Netradar detects a problem via a sufficient number of users it can flag the issue — which may otherwise go unnoticed for an extensive period of time. We are still fully developing the use case of our novel GNSS interference detection capabilities, but in the broad we can see that:

 

Individual users can be warned. Consider, for example, a user travelling in a remote area who is highly dependent on location services. Or leisure boating — where accurate positioning is the difference between a good day out or hitting the rocks. Netradar could warn a user that their GNSS service is experiencing a disruption — and that location services may be inaccurate.

 

Areas of interference can be flagged. The crowdsourced knowledge driven by Netradar data can help businesses, networks and governmental organisations to understand where location signals are unreliable, or subject to frequent jamming attempts. Consider road routes used by truckers, for example.

 

Alerts for powerful jamming incidents. Netradar Space could also act as an early alert system, detecting where GNSS signals are under mass attack — due to a terror or state attack, for example. Netradar would provide nation-wide alert coverage, compared to the existing coverage that only reaches as far as the relatively minimal hardware deployment.

 

Netradar clearly fills in the gap: delivering more insights over and above the existing level of knowledge about GNSS interference and jamming — knowledge that is currently restricted by limited deployment of detection hardware.

Watch this Space!

Netradar has two distinct advantages in the battle against GPS interference and jamming.

 

Our coverage is nationwide, not location specific — thanks to the crowdsourced nature of our data. And, Netradar can utilise location data from sources such as network operators and Wi-Fi and compare this against GNSS data.

 

Exactly how and where the Netradar approach will deliver use cases and benefits will emerge in the coming months. But there is a little arguing that Netradar’s participation in the ESA BIC will deliver a big step forward in the battle against GNSS accuracy.

 

Stay tuned!

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5G investements’ decisions with Netradar

How and why 5G changes the way operators prioritise network investments

It is easy to see why network operators may feel that they’ve been here before: another new generation of cellular technology, another expensive round of network investment. To a large degree, it’s true — 5G is initially just another evolution.

 

There are, however, large payoffs in store for network operators that can correctly judge the best near-term use cases and associated investments for 5G.

 

Yet gearing up for 5G will undoubtedly involve considerable investment. How should network operators prioritise the complex investment decisions surrounding 5G? Has promoting 5G required the invention of use cases? Operators must separate the fact from the fiction.

The answer lies in staying aware any unique characteristics 5G and how these characteristics really help existing network challenges.

5G promises progress — and cost headaches for operators

The biggest use case for 5G is without doubt enhanced mobile broadband, or eMBB. Mobile broadband users will benefit from higher capacity as well as higher throughput and lower latency. Device manufacturers have started to ramp up 5G production, with more and more 5G-capable devices shown at leading events such as CES and the upcoming GSMA event in Barcelona.

 

For users of mobile networks the benefits are clear. However, a recent McKinsey analysis suggests that network operator capital expenditure will need to increase by 60% in the five years to 2025, essentially doubling TCO across that period — in large part to accommodate 5G.

 

In a market that is increasingly saturated and competitive, network operators won’t welcome the cost headache. That said, the network investment will deliver substantial, immediate benefits:

 

  • 5G boosts capacity. Particularly in cities where cellular congestion is an issue 5G can deliver huge benefits for operators — irrespective of higher speeds and lower latencies, 5G simply provides much more “space” on a network, making it easier to meet user’s data requirements.

 

  • Home broadband. Where customers are in location that cannot realistically be connected with high-speed fixed-line solutions such as fibre, 5G can offer an effective alternative. Compared to 4G, 5G can deliver higher speeds, even though this means that these 5G implementations are over shorter distances.

 

There are other promised use cases unique to 5G — from industrial applications through to emergency services. However, while 5G is promising, the reality is more complex and network operators should think very carefully when deciding how to apply the technological advances of 5G in the interests of their customers — and the network’s bottom line.

Technical aspects complicate 5G planning

As with 3G and 4G, network operators will need to prioritise 5G investment to balance massive expenses with the associated revenue benefits. However, the much-touted use cases for 5G alongside 5G’s technical complexity make these decisions tougher than it was for the transition to 3G and to 4G.

 

Furthermore, 5G has unique technical aspects. For example, 5G’s extensive utilisation of millimetre wave spectrum implies a different approach to network investment. 5G spectrum is more sensitive to everything from weather to new construction so operators need significantly more data when planning networks.

Getting to grips with behaviour of mobile broadband users

While 5G’s unique use cases throw up a new set of challenges for network operators it’s likely that enhanced mobile broadband remains the biggest factor in network planning. eMBB is arguably the most important use case for 5G.

 

5G’s higher data rates can narrow the gap between fixed-line broadband and mobile broadband, while enabling mobile access to high-bandwidth apps such as AR and VR. eMBB can also deliver improved experiences across current apps including video and gaming.

 

As much as network operators would want to offer a blanket of 5G-enabled data access to all their users, a steady flow of investment is more likely, prioritised around the observed needs of users.

 

Network operators need to understand the existing user experience, and future user expectations, around the following key areas:

 

  • App usage. 5G promises to improve the in-app experience thanks to higher capacity, improved bandwidth and lower latency. Understanding which apps users use the most, and where networks most often cause a poor app experience, is crucial. Furthermore, operators need to identify trending apps too so that networks are not caught unprepared. One should remember that social media apps and cloud storage drive the need for better upload speed.

 

  • Network capacity and anomalies. Networks that are 5G-ready can deliver more capacity to more customers so 5G is an important factor in solving network bottlenecks that ruin the customer experience. Operators need to prioritise these bottlenecks for 5G upgrades, utilising 5G features such as small cells where appropriate.

 

  • Customer churn. Mobile broadband users have differing reasons for switching providers, and network performance is just one. 5G provides a unique opportunity to dramatically improve network performance where it matters most, while 5G also offers a differentiating factor that can keep customers on board.

 

Of course, 5G ties into network operating models in more complex ways, further complicating the investment decisions operators must make.

 

With eMBB delivering such high throughput rates it could be argued that 5G throughput is beyond what most users need, and that instead, the real benefit of 5G for mobile broadband lies in its ability to deliver more capacity and, as a result, unlimited usage plans.

 

So, operators may want to invest to achieve capacity rather than headline speeds which is different from the throughput-driven approach that motivated the switch from 2G to 3G, and 3G to 4G.

Clever decision-making counts

5G brings new possibilities for mobile network operators — more uses cases imply more subscribers, and better performance drives higher usage. Nonetheless, the costs involved in upgrading existing infrastructure is high.

 

An evolutionary approach to investment can help. In many ways, 5G technology builds on technology used by 4G so catering for 5G does not imply a rip-and-replace strategy, instead operators can gradually upgrade networks.

 

Where big investments or new equipment such as small cells are needed operators should use the data and analytics at their disposal to prioritise upgrades. However, the data available to network operators can be hard to interpret — or may be lacking in scope.

Augment 5G planning with Netradar

The Netradar Suite provides operators with insights derived from measurements taken where it matters most — the user’s device. As a result, operators get deeper insight into how users make use of mobile data services — including the most common apps used, the reasons behind poor network experiences and why customers churn.

 

In other words, the Netradar Suite offers crucial additional guidance along the unusually complex 5G investment planning process.

Prioritising network investment is far easier with the actionable insights of Netradar Suite. With eMBB such an important aspect of 5G networks every operator should consider adding the Netradar Suite to their existing analytics arsenal.

 

We encourage readers to visit the Netradar Suite page for more information on how Netradar can help a network get the most out of its 5G investment.

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What makes customer decide to change mobile operator?

Mobile phone services today is a really competitive industry — long gone are the 1990s days of premium-priced cellular services, or the 2000’s where data allowances were like gold. Today, we can choose from multiple providers all offering very competitive rates.

 

Still, to minimize own loss of customers, fixed terms contracts are often employed to keep customers from looking elsewhere for a better deal — for lower costs or better quality.

 

With lots of options, it’s easy to see why it make sense for a customer to quickly jump to another network when they’re not happy with what their current operator is offering. But when is the best time to jump? What triggers a customer to churn — dropping their current provider for another?

Network quality: key to a smooth app experience

Mobile service providers may have all sorts of internal data that measures their view of customer satisfaction — often centred around metrics covering various aspects of network performance. But the customers using the network will never be interested in network performance statistics. All customers want is this: apps that work — around the clock, and every time the app is used.

 

It doesn’t matter whether it is Netflix, a popular 3D game or simple chat app — customers want to be able to communicate, complete tasks and enjoy entertainment when it suits them. But this does mean that an operator must have a smooth network around the clock. Unfortunately, this consistency is hard to establish. Instead, customers often switch to the nearest Wi-Fi more often than they like simply because the operator’s network can’t deal with their needs at the time.

In fact, it’s not clear exactly how important network performance is when it comes to retaining a customer. Do users really switch that quickly if they get a couple of videos buffering? Or does it take buffering all day, every day, to make a user switch? It’s not all that easy to tell but we do know that smooth app experiences matter.

 

Of course, operators need to do all they can do to ensure a smooth network — or at least, where budgets are limited, invest funds in the most optimal way possible. Internal and external data is key to succeeding in this respect.

 

Here, network data from Netradar Suite helps operators gain insight into two areas that internal network data does not provide as much clarity on. Because Netradar suite collects data on the user’s device it provides unique insights with performance data that more closely reflects the user experience.

 

Also, Netradar Suite knows which apps users are using — and which apps are giving users consistent problems. This way operators can understand which apps it is that are causing users to get frustrated — and change networks.

Customer care: too often a pain point

Of course, it’s not just the app experience that is make or break for customer retention. Customer service is key too. In a world where operator competition is fierce it can be difficult for operators to find the funds for excellent customer care — and that’s why customer care can be such a pain point for customers, leading to a customer quitting a network.

In fact, it could take just one bad experience — and that’s it, a customer switches. In contrast, the frustrations caused by consistent network issues and problems could be overcome when you’re dealing with a customer service team that’s top notch and always willing to help.

But how about delivering customer service differently? We have all been there: stuck with a really simple problem but waiting for what feels like hours to get through to someone that can help. That needn’t be the case: leading operators can supply device-based tools that can help us fix small issues ourselves.

For example, the Netradar Suite delivers on-device customer care which gives users quick answers to common questions, while simultaneously giving operators device-based insights into the core cause behind a customer care call. It means quicker and more accurate resolution of customer queries, boosting customer retention.

The cost of using cellular services

There’s always something appealing about a good deal. Even if a customer is happy with a network provider, they may be tempted to jump to a competitor to save 10% or 20%.

 

It’s not just the appeal of a good deal — sometimes network providers can keep customers on expensive plans without reminding them that they can switch. Another point that makes matters more complex: some customers would be willing to buy a mobile service that’s sometimes a bit patchy as long as it’s the cheapest option around.

 

Either way, customers want good value from their monthly payments — or indeed top-ups. However, poor service and lacking customer experience can leave customers unhappy and very vulnerable to even a small opportunity to save. Indeed, even the smallest network anomaly can lead to a large amount of customer churn as customers are tempted away by a mix of savings and the opportunity for a better service.

Understanding why customers churn

It’s clear that the reasons customers have for leaving a network are complex — price, performance and customer support all play a part. Operators have some relevant data, but rarely the entire picture. Netradar Suite fills in the blanks, providing operators with key benefits including:

 

  • Insight into the app experience. Netradar understands app usage from the user’s perspective, noting when apps are giving users a tough time. In turn, operators can augment internal data to understand which apps are encountering network glitches — and work to iron these out.

 

  • Network anomalies. Every operator network has bright spots — and areas in which performance is not great. Netradar Suite uses advanced AI to highlight where these glitches are causing a degree of customer drop-off so that operators can prioritise improvements.

 

  • Customer care. Operators can offer instant, easily accessible customer care with Netradar’s on-device customer care solution. On-device customer care also has deeper insights into a user’s usage habits to more readily understand the core of a customer care problem.

 

  • Broad customer churn insight. At Netradar we understand the factors behind customer churn, and the Netradar Suite delivers deep, actionable insights into these factors using an easy to interpret dashboard.

 

All-in-all, Netradar Suite is an excellent way for operators to get the complete picture — augmenting internal statistics with Netradar data to really get to grips with customer pain points.

So, at what point does a customer switch?

Just like any other service provider, cellular operators are there to meet a need — a necessity, in today’s age. Constant internet access wherever we are have become essential, for all intents and purposes.

 

Customers are likely to switch when they feel that on either a performance or a cost basis their operator just doesn’t meet their requirements. Each customer has slightly different criteria, but there will be a common thread: customers want reliable services backed by competent customer support, all at a reasonable price.

 

Unfortunately, for operators it means a single wrong step can lead to the loss of a lot of customers. It’s a matter of getting it right 24/7 — and doing so at an excellent price too. Internal analytics tools are essential, but additional data in the shape of the Netradar Suite will allow operators to manage their networks in a way that minimises the risk of customer loss.

How to keep customers from churning

Operator frustrations around customer churn are valid: it’s hard to completely prevent customers from jumping ship given the stiff competition in mobile services. However, here are a couple of strategies that operators can use:

 

  • Retain customers with bundling. By bundling mobile services with mobile broadband, Wi-Fi access and even TV operators can reduce the incentive for a customer to churn, and even out the places where customers perceive reason to churn with high-value, quality services in other aspects.

 

  • Ensure the network meets expectations. It is difficult to please every customer all the time on a network spread across an entire country, but operators should try to meet expectations wherever they can — which of course depends on understanding what those expectations are in the first place.

 

  • Price competitively. Relatively few customers will pay a premium for perfect service, and none will pay a premium for average to poor service. Operators must find ways to price competitively, which includes the need to invest wisely in their networks in order to control costs.

 

  • Brand proposition. Mobile phones are very personal devices and many operators are seeing a competitive advantage based on the way customers perceive their brand. Youthful, lifestyle branding can deliver returns over the staid old branding many operators still cling too.

 

Of course, the more informed operators are the better — and this is where Netradar Suite delivers a competitive advantage for operators: by delivering deeper, broader insights into the reasons behind customer churn on their networks. We encourage any operator serious about keeping their customers on board to take a look.