ISLAMABAD: Telenor, Zong and Jazz have missed most of the key performance indicators (KPIs) set in their license and applicable regulations, revealed in a joint 'Quality of Service' survey carried out by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) with the Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs).

The PTA has released the findings of the joint quarterly Quality of Service (QoS) survey carried out from January to March 2020 in three cities i.e. Sheikhupura and Gujar Khan of Punjab, and Mansehra of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The survey noted that only Ufone met all the KPIs. The performance of data services of the CMOs has been checked by measuring User Data Throughput and Signal Strength (i.e. Received Signal Code Power (RSCP) for 3G and Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP) for 4G.

User Data Throughput KPI defines user data rate (Internet speed) to be provided by the CMOs to mobile users across the coverage areas. User data 'throughput' of 3G services needs to be higher than the threshold value of 256Kbps, while User data 'throughput' of 4G services should be higher than the threshold value of 2Mpbs.

All networks achieved the threshold for 3G services. Telenor has not achieved the threshold of 2Mbps User Data Throughput for 4G services in urban areas of Mansehra. The signal strength KPI defines RSCP for 3G and RSRP for 4G and denotes the power measured by a receiver on a particular physical communication channel.

It is used as an indication of signal strength, as a handover criterion, in downlink power control, and to calculate path loss. The RSCP of 3G Network of all CMOs was observed to be greater than -100 dBm with 90 percent confidence.

The RSRP of 4G Network falls short of the minimum threshold (-100 dBm with 90 percent confidence) both in urban and rural areas. Telenor has not met the confidence level of 90 percent of signal strength (i.e. - 100dBm of RSRP of 4G) in urban Areas of Gujar Khan, rural and overall areas of Mansehra.

ZonG has not met the confidence level of 90 percent of signal strength (i.e. -100dBm of RSRP of 4G) in rural areas of Gujar Khan. Jazz has not met the confidence level of 90 percent of signal strength (i.e. - 100dBm of RSRP of 4G) in rural areas of Sheikhupura.

Call Connection Time is the time between sending of complete call initiation information by the caller, and in return receipt of call setup notification. In simple words, it is the time between dialing a number and hearing a ring-back tone. Telenor has not met the threshold value of 6.5 seconds of call connection time in urban, rural and overall areas of Sheikhupura.

Zong has not met the threshold value of 6.5 seconds of call connection time in rural areas of Mansehra Call Completion Ratio is the probability that a service, once obtained, will continue to be provided under given conditions for a given time duration or until deliberately terminated by either caller (A-party) or receiver (B-party).

In simple words, this KPI provides information about call drops. Telenor failed to meet the threshold value of 98 percent in urban and overall areas of Sheikhupura. Inter System Handover is the measurement of successful handover in 3G/2G for circuit switched voice.

Inter System Handover Success Rate of Circuit Switched (CS) Voice of 98 percent has not been met by JAZZ in rural areas of Sheikhupura, urban and overall areas of Gujar Khan and urban areas of Mansehra. The performance of SMS services of the CMOs has been checked by measuring SMS success rate and end-to-end SMS delivery time KPIs.

The SMS success rate is the probability that the short message is delivered successfully, end-to-end, when requested, and display of the relevant information on the mobile phone. It provides information about the successful delivery of SMS.

ZonG has not met the SMS success rate of 99 percent in urban and overall areas of Sheikhupura, and in rural areas of Mansehra. End-to-End SMS Delivery Time is the time between sending a short message to a short message center and receiving the very same short message at the intended mobile phone (receiver).

It provides average time taken for delivery of short message from sender to recipient. Jazz has failed to meet the 12 Seconds Threshold value of end-to-end delivery time of SMS in rural areas of Gujar Khan.

The performance of voice services of the CMOs has been checked by measuring network down time/network accessibility, grade of service, service accessibility, call connection time, call completion ratio, end-to-end speech quality and session abnormal release rate KPIs.

The probability that mobile services are available to an end customer display of the network indicator on the mobile equipment. The CMOs have met the threshold value of Network Accessibility.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020