| July 16, 2024

How Crowdsourced Insights Help Improve Public Safety Connectivity

Reliable wireless connectivity is crucial for ensuring public safety, especially during emergencies. First responders and civilians alike depend on uninterrupted communication to coordinate efforts, gather critical information, and ultimately save lives. 

Wireless infrastructure providers play a vital role in ensuring this connectivity, and many are turning to crowdsourced insights to help identify and address coverage gaps. One such organization is Public Safety Towers Company (PSTC), which has been using Ookla’s Cell Analytics® solution for years to make data-driven decisions to improve public safety connectivity. 

This article will explore the critical role of consistently strong connectivity in public safety, the challenges facing public safety communication, and how Public Safety Towers Company uses Ookla Cell Analytics data to identify and address coverage gaps to help emergency responders. 

To learn more, watch our webinar: How Wireless Infrastructure Providers Can Improve Public Safety Connectivity with Crowdsourced Insights.

Connectivity in Public Safety: Critical Role and Challenges Faced

With over 80% of 911 calls originating from mobile devices, the need for robust cellular coverage has never been greater. Reliable, uninterrupted communications are essential for fire, police, and EMS personnel to effectively coordinate and respond to emergencies. When first responders experience poor coverage, they may face severe consequences, such as:

  • Inability to communicate with dispatch or other team members
  • Limited access to critical data and pre-arrival intelligence
  • Hindered situational awareness and decision-making capabilities

Dispatchers play a crucial role in gathering information from callers to provide first responders with a comprehensive understanding of the situation they are about to face. However, when connectivity is poor, this process can be disrupted, leaving first responders with incomplete or inaccurate information, potentially compromising public safety.

Chief Barry Hutchings, Senior Operations Advisor at The Western Fire Chiefs Association, shared an example during our recent webinar of arriving on scene and having no portable radio or cell coverage, forcing him to rely on a 100-watt radio in his engine for communication. Such situations highlight the critical need for reliable wireless connectivity in emergency responses.

Despite the critical importance of reliable wireless connectivity, several challenges hinder the development of comprehensive coverage:

  • Historical gaps in coverage due to narrowed communication bands have left many areas with inadequate service, making it difficult for first responders to communicate effectively
  • Difficulties in building new towers to address coverage gaps, including identifying optimal locations, navigating regulatory hurdles, and securing funding
  • Growing importance of pre-arrival intelligence for first responders, which requires expansive coverage and reliable data connections

Addressing these challenges requires collaborative efforts between public safety organizations and wireless infrastructure providers. By leveraging crowdsourced insights and innovative solutions such as Ookla Cell Analytics, stakeholders can work together to identify coverage gaps, prioritize improvements, and ultimately build more resilient and responsive networks that better serve our communities.

Using Ookla Cell Analytics to Identify Coverage Gaps

Ookla Cell Analytics has proven to be an invaluable tool for public safety organizations and wireless infrastructure providers looking to improve connectivity. By leveraging crowdsourced data, Cell Analytics provides accurate and unbiased insights on wireless network performance and coverage, enabling data-driven decision-making. The platform is powered by billions of daily network samples from Speedtest® users, offering information on:

  • Service quality and performance
  • RF conditions
  • Data usage
  • User density
  • Cell site locations
  • And more!

This easy-to-navigate platform enables wireless infrastructure providers to:

  • Identify locations for new cell sites and tower colocation
  • Find viable sites to lease to operators
  • Monitor RF and performance of networks
  • Identify buildings with poor indoor coverage
  • Assess the impact of disasters on infrastructure

Ookla’s data has been a game-changer for PSTC.  Before using Cell Analytics, PSTC had trouble getting a clear picture of connectivity, and their decision-making process was slow and relied on limited, anecdotal evidence. The tools they were using previously had no numerical data, no multi-carrier views, and was less accurate overall.

However, Ookla’s “data with no agenda” (as Chief Hutchings noted) approach revolutionized PSTC’s methodology, significantly accelerating their ability to identify coverage gaps and make informed decisions. 

Image: Visualizing Coverage Before and After Ookla® Data

How PSTC Leverages Cell Analytics Insights

PSTC has developed a comprehensive approach to leverage the insights provided by Ookla Cell Analytics. Their step-by-step process involves:

  • Visualizing signal strength, user density, and existing infrastructure to identify areas of concern and potential sites for improvement
  • Collaborating with public safety partners — like the Western Fire Chiefs Association — to pinpoint optimal tower placement and develop targeted solutions that address the specific needs of each community
  • Using the visuals from Cell Analytics to show internal and external stakeholders exactly where coverage gaps exist

PSTC uses insights from Cell Analytics both Internally and externally. For internal stakeholders, the data drives decision-making processes, helping PSTC prioritize projects and allocate resources effectively. Externally, the information is used to communicate with stakeholders, including public safety organizations and local government officials, to build consensus and secure support for infrastructure improvements.

PSTC’s data-driven approach has already led to significant improvements in wireless connectivity for public safety. In Washington state, for example, PSTC’s efforts resulted in the construction of a new tower that addressed a critical coverage gap, enabling first responders to communicate effectively and access vital information during emergencies.

Image: Cell Analytics™ Sample Use Cases

Lessons for Improving Wireless Networks

The success of PSTC in using Ookla Cell Analytics data to improve connectivity for public safety offers valuable lessons for other organizations looking to enhance their wireless networks:

  • Identify coverage gaps using crowdsourced data to make data-driven decisions
  • Benchmark network performance, quality, and availability to prioritize improvements
  • Strategically place new cell sites or pursue tower colocation opportunities
  • Foster collaboration between public safety organizations and wireless infrastructure providers

By applying these lessons and working together, organizations can stay ahead of evolving challenges and leverage emerging technologies to build safer, more connected communities.

Conclusion & Looking Ahead

Consistently reliable wireless connectivity is critical for ensuring public safety. As the reliance on mobile devices and data keeps growing, comprehensive coverage and strong connectivity will continue to become even more essential. 

Looking ahead, the potential for leveraging crowdsourced data to improve public safety connectivity is immense. In the future, for example, public safety teams responding to emergencies may be able to access critical information from crashed vehicles, such as Teslas, including speed, the number of occupants, and the status of airbag deployments – but only if good connectivity is available. 

Wireless infrastructure providers and public safety organizations must work together to identify and address coverage gaps, leveraging crowdsourced insights to make data-driven decisions. By exploring how solutions like Ookla Cell Analytics can help improve public safety connectivity, we can build more resilient and responsive networks that better serve our communities.

image: How Wireless Infrastructure Providers Can Improve Public Safety Connectivity with Crowdsourced Insights | Webinar link

To learn more, watch our webinar on-demand and discover how Ookla’s solutions can help you improve wireless connectivity in your community.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

| February 14, 2025

Cell Analytics in Action: Enterprise Success Stories in the Real World

Reliable connectivity powers critical services everywhere, forming the backbone of essential daily operations for businesses and consumers worldwide. From emergency response systems to retail payment processing, connectivity has become indispensable infrastructure for organizations and individuals.

But maintaining consistent connectivity across a range of consumer and enterprise use cases is no easy feat. Emergency responders need reliable communications during disasters. Schools must connect remote students in areas with limited coverage. Retailers require dependable payment processing across thousands of locations. And mobile operators need accurate data to guide infrastructure expansion.

Understanding and solving these connectivity challenges requires detailed insights into network performance, coverage, and user patterns. That’s where Ookla’s Cell Analytics comes in, providing the insights organizations need to make smart decisions about coverage, optimize their networks, and ensure reliable connectivity where it matters most. 

Let’s take a look at some real-world examples of how innovative organizations are using these capabilities to solve critical business challenges and deliver better experiences to their users. 

Bridging the Digital Divide in Education

When remote learning became essential, a major metropolitan school district faced a critical challenge: ensuring all students had reliable internet access. Using Cell Analytics, the district’s IT team mapped connectivity performance against remote learning requirements across their community. 

This data-driven approach allowed the district to strategically deploy school buses equipped with Wi-Fi in low-connectivity neighborhoods, guide students to optimal study locations with better coverage, and target neighborhoods for additional funding and resources. The district also used these insights to identify areas requiring private LTE networks and coordinate with state officials on broadband prioritization initiatives.

A Major Convenience Store Chain: Ensuring Connectivity for POS Systems

A major convenience store and gas station chain with over 6,000 locations across the United States faced an increasingly common challenge among retailers: ensuring reliable connectivity for point of sale (POS) systems in all of their stores. While their primary operations run on wired internet, maintaining consistent connectivity requires dependable cellular backup. 

Using Cell Analytics, the company analyzed coverage from all major carriers at each store location, helping determine the optimal mobile operator for their mobile POS systems at every location. This allowed them to ensure business continuity even during primary network outages, protecting both revenue and customer experience.

Crowdsourced Data for Emergency Response Planning and Recovery

When disasters strike, cellular connectivity becomes a lifeline. Emergency management teams are using Cell Analytics to map coverage strengths and weaknesses across potential disaster zones, with a particular focus on evacuation routes. By precisely identifying areas where carriers provide inadequate service — or where no major mobile operators offer coverage at all — stakeholders can direct funding toward critical improvements before emergencies occur.

The Cell Analytics platform helps emergency planners identify optimal locations for new wireless infrastructure, track changes in network availability over time, and validate coverage along critical routes. Combined with controlled drive testing data that measures call quality and other key metrics, these insights ensure reliable connectivity for first responders and enable more efficient coordination of multi-agency response efforts. As communities work to leverage billions in available funding for improving emergency communications infrastructure, this data can be invaluable for making smarter decisions for improving network performance.

Mobile Network Operators: Data-Driven Network Improvements

Network operators use Cell Analytics to bring sophisticated insights to their network planning and optimization. With mobile data consumption growing exponentially and 5G networks expanding rapidly, operators face increasing pressure to optimize coverage and capacity efficiently. 

The Cell Analytics platform empowers operators to evaluate network performance, quality, and availability while quickly identifying areas for improvement. For instance, it highlights locations where high user density coincides with coverage gaps and pinpoints opportunities to expand capacity at existing macro cell sites.

Operators can use this information to strategically prioritize network optimization and align marketing efforts with coverage and demand. With a clearer understanding of performance metrics, they can enhance service quality, improve efficiency, and reduce operational costs.

Tower and Infrastructure: Smarter Real Estate and Engineering Investments

Infrastructure providers are revolutionizing their approach to real estate decisions using Cell Analytics. Modern tower companies need precise data about actual usage and coverage gaps to make informed investment decisions – data that directly impacts the success of multi-million dollar infrastructure investments. 

The Cell Analytics platform enables tower companies to evaluate potential land acquisitions based on detailed coverage needs and user density data. These insights help identify prime locations for new towers or rooftop installations in high-usage areas. Companies can also make more informed decisions about lease agreements by analyzing actual usage patterns and coverage requirements, ultimately reducing operational expenses. Learn more about Ookla’s solutions for Infrastructure and Tower Providers on our website. 

Conclusion

Mobile connectivity powers more of our world every day — from emergency services to education to basic retail operations and much more. Cell Analytics helps organizations understand and optimize the networks that support these critical connections, enabling enterprises to turn network data into actionable solutions that improve how we live, work, and communicate.

As our reliance on mobile networks continues to grow, the ability for enterprises to make smart decisions about coverage and connectivity becomes increasingly vital. The real-world examples we’ve explored show how Cell Analytics can help solve today’s connectivity challenges while preparing for tomorrow’s demands.

Ready to explore how Cell Analytics can transform your operations? Visit our product page or reach out to learn more about implementing these solutions in your organization.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

| December 6, 2024

Maximizing BEAD Dollars: How Connectivity Data Can Guide Emergency Planning

During emergencies, mobile coverage is critical for everyone – to contact family, check evacuation warnings, and find safe routes – but network congestion and coverage gaps often create critical communication failures. As natural disasters become more frequent and severe, the need for reliable mobile connectivity has never been more urgent, particularly along emergency evacuation routes.

Fortunately, multiple funding sources will soon be available to help bolster connectivity infrastructure across the country. Several states, including South Carolina and Massachusetts, expect to have BEAD non-deployment dollars available after meeting their initial broadband deployment obligations. The FCC’s $9 billion Rural 5G Fund aims to improve mobile connectivity in underserved and unserved areas, presenting a significant opportunity in the next few years to close wireless coverage gaps. 

To maximize the impact of these funds, stakeholders can leverage non-deployment dollars for a variety of projects, including those that improve mobile communications. When public safety is considered, priority may be given to critical transportation corridors such as emergency evacuation routes. These targeted investments would help improve network performance where it’s most needed during emergency situations. However, to ensure these funds are deployed efficiently, stakeholders need precise data about existing coverage gaps and network performance.

Ookla’s coverage and network performance data can provide these key insights. In October, the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) organized an event titled, “BEAD 2.0 – Maximizing Connectivity with Non-Deployment Dollars,” hosted by the South Carolina broadband office in Myrtle Beach. One of the key topics discussed was how to identify and address coverage issues using Ookla’s datasets of cellular network signal measurements.

In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of fixed and mobile connectivity in the context of a recent event that caused a massive disruption across an area’s fixed networks. We’ll also explore how Ookla’s Cell Analytics™ data can help identify critical coverage gaps, while digging into solutions for improving mobile connectivity along evacuation routes. Finally, we’ll look at the “double bottom line” effect of improving coverage – a balance of both financial and social benefits for communities and network operators. 

Read on to learn how stakeholders can leverage available funding to enhance emergency communications while also driving economic growth.

Understanding the Challenge

During an emergency, reliable coverage can often mean the difference between safety and danger. Strong mobile connectivity is particularly important given that over half of Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) users chose to purchase mobile service with the benefit before the program expired in April. For many, mobile is often the only form of connectivity, especially in underserved or rural areas where broadband options may be limited or unavailable.

The importance of connectivity and the impact of coverage gaps becomes clear when looking at the volume of people running a Speedtest during emergencies. When disasters strike, people initially run tests to check if they can still connect. As service returns, test volumes then spike as people assess the performance of their restored connection. Downdetector can then provide more detailed information on outages of specific services, helping users confirm if their key services are up and running.

On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida and then tore a devastating path through Georgia, western South Carolina, and western North Carolina before stalling over east Tennessee. For two days, record rainfall inundated the mountains, turning smaller waterways into raging rivers, killing over 230 people and causing an estimated $120 billion in damage across those five states as well as Virginia. Recovery efforts remain ongoing as the region works to rebuild following this disaster.

Scores of counties were impacted, but Buncombe County, NC, which includes Asheville, was hit particularly hard. Ookla’s Speedtest platform recorded the impact of connectivity as our daily volume of Speedtest measurements there plummeted from an average of 668 per day to 57 on September 28th as networks failed, demonstrating how emergencies can sever vital communications. But as the networks came back online in the days that followed, test volumes spiked well above normal, peaking at over 3,800. 

It’s also worth noting that Speedtest measurements on the Starlink network averaged less than 18 per day in Buncombe County prior to the storm. As recovery began, however, tests on Starlink averaged over 260, continuing to climb to 457 on the last day shown in the graph above. This underscores the importance of understanding connectivity during emergencies while highlighting the urgency many citizens feel to confirm whether their services are returning to normal performance levels.

Stakeholders and Implementation

Improving mobile coverage requires teamwork between government and private sector entities. Several key players can leverage Ookla’s data to help areas become better prepared and measure recovery progress:

  • Federal level
    • FirstNet Authority oversees the operation of the national first responder wireless network. 
    • FEMA coordinates responses to disaster areas and deploys people, equipment, food, and water. 
    • The U.S. Department of Transportation provides funding to repair damaged roads and bridges.
  • State and local level: Emergency responders, transportation planners, and broadband offices identify critical routes and coverage needs within their jurisdictions.
  • Wireless Infrastructure Providers: Tower companies, fiber providers, and their engineering partners design and construct the vertical assets that support wireless network expansion and densification.
  • Mobile operators: Mobile operators drive projects to optimize network planning and infrastructure investments. They also provide the vital communication networks that support the public and every function listed above.

Working together, these stakeholders will be able to use BEAD non-deployment dollars, Rural 5G Funds, and Ookla’s data to efficiently target improvements where they’re needed most.

Data-Driven Solutions Before Emergencies Occur

Cell Analytics data can help tackle connectivity challenges that arise during emergencies by precisely mapping areas where operators provide inadequate service and identifying common locations where all carriers struggle to deliver reliable 911 and emergency service. Awareness of problem areas can help direct funding toward improvements and save lives.

For instance, the map below shows common evacuation routes and uses Cell Analytics to highlight specific locations with poor or no coverage from individual carriers, as well as areas where no major mobile operators offer service. These insights are invaluable for enhancing emergency communication networks and ensuring more reliable connectivity when it matters most. 

Once coverage gaps are identified, the next step is to make informed decisions about where to invest in improvements. Cell Analytics data offers a clear path forward, helping stakeholders make investments with precision. Results from Ookla’s controlled drive testing, meanwhile, can complement Cell Analytics data and validate critical routes while also measuring call quality and other QoS and QoE metrics. 

With billions of dollars available to target wireless coverage improvements, here’s how stakeholders can leverage Ookla’s data to make more informed decisions:

  • Mapping signal strength to reveal precise problem areas
  • Identifying optimal locations for new wireless infrastructure
  • Supporting investment decisions for underserved areas
  • Tracking changes to network availability and quality over time

Double Bottom Line Benefits

While public safety may be the justification for investing in improved wireless networks, the benefits can ripple throughout a community and result in a “double bottom line.” Most areas with poor cellular service lack investment because they aren’t economically viable, but that doesn’t mean these services aren’t desperately needed. 

The double bottom line approach shows how connectivity improvements create both social and economic value – from helping people stay safe during emergencies to supporting local business growth. Understanding these interconnected benefits helps stakeholders and policymakers make more informed decisions about mobile coverage investments.

Public Safety Enhancement

  • More effective evacuation coordination
  • Faster emergency responses
  • Better crisis communications

Narrowing the Digital Divide

  • Expanding internet access to school children and adult learning
  • Greater access to jobs and other resources
  • Helping state broadband offices invest effectively
  • Targeting coverage improvements where mobile-only users need it most 

Over 50% of ACP users chose mobile service before the program expired, highlighting the key role of mobile connectivity.

Economic Benefits

  • Revenue growth for network operators and infrastructure providers
  • New opportunities to attract and retain businesses
  • Stronger tourism industry with improved experiences
  • Better connectivity for remote workers
  • Higher home and land values
  • Enhanced precision agriculture

Looking Ahead

With multiple funding sources coming available, federal agencies as well as state and local governments can begin the process of improving connectivity now by using Ookla’s data to identify and address coverage gaps. Combining resources from the Rural 5G Fund, BEAD program non-deployment dollars, along with other programs such as USDA ReConnect could maximize the impact of investments. In this context, middle mile fiber planning could play a critical role in ensuring routes travel through wireless coverage gaps, ultimately reducing the cost of infrastructure deployment.

Beyond emergency preparedness, Ookla’s complementary datasets offer comprehensive insights for network planning and optimization, from the powerful coverage analysis tool Cell Analytics to controlled drive testing with Ookla to monitoring service outages with Downdetector

The convergence of available funding and precise coverage data creates an opportunity to enhance public safety, narrow the digital divide, and strengthen communities. By acting now, stakeholders can ensure critical communication networks are ready when emergencies arise. 

It’s also important to keep in mind that while this article focuses on the U.S., Ookla’s capabilities are equally valuable for addressing connectivity challenges in other countries. Regulators and operators worldwide can leverage Ookla’s data to enhance emergency communication networks and optimize mobile coverage. 

For even more on how Ookla’s data can help improve connectivity in emergencies, check out our article exploring the critical role of consistently strong connectivity in public safety. To learn more about using our data, just reach out to our team!

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

| February 24, 2023

Here’s What to Expect for Mobile Coverage in Barcelona during MWC

2023 Mobile World Congress (MWC) starts next week in Barcelona and Ookla® has new mobile data to prepare for your connected experience in and around MWC as you take in the Gaudí sights, the delicious food, and everything Barcelona has to offer. Last year, we looked at various landmarks around the city, and this year we’re back using Ookla Cell Analytics™ to highlight 4G LTE and 5G signal strength and signal quality, download throughput, and user density data at Camp Nou, Fira Gran Via, and La Sagrada Familia. In addition to network performance, coverage, and signal data, we’ve also included User Experience data on web browsing, teleconferencing, and video performance in the Barcelona province of Catalonia.

Camp Nou shows good signals don’t necessarily translate into a good connected experience

Ookla® Cell Analytics™ 4G LTE at Camp Nou

First up, we have Camp Nou, the sacred ground for famed soccer team, FC Barcelona. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to catch a game in Barcelona during MWC 2023. But if you visit Camp Nou to see all of their trophies and take in the storied atmosphere, you might have some trouble video chatting your experience to make your friends jealous. Looking at 4G LTE RSRP signal strength (ranging from -87 dBm to -100 dBm) and RSRQ signal quality (ranging from -11 dB to -14 dB) during Q4 2022, which shows that even though operators cover the stadium reasonably well, issues such as interference, poor RSRQ, and capacity do not allow for better speeds. Looking at the 4G LTE download throughput map, we see that median download speeds generally range from 5 to 100 Mbps, though there are more spots that have 5 Mbps or less in the stadium than anything higher than 100 Mbps.

Camp Nou also shows how far we’ve come since COVID-19 lockdowns

Ookla® Cell Analytics™ User Density at Camp Nou

Furthermore, as you can see from the maps above — life’s back to normal at Camp Nou after COVID lockdowns in Q1 2021 when fans weren’t allowed to attend games. The user density is very dense in dark orange throughout the stadium when looking at data from the start of the soccer season in Q3 2022, while during Q1 2021 there were hardly any users in the stadium at all. 

Fira Gran Via (home to MWC) has great coverage and throughput

While you’re visiting Ookla at MWC at Hall 2, Stand 2i28, you’ll get to experience some seriously fast 5G speeds as you take a Speedtest® on your iOS or Android devices at our booth, where we’ll also have other demos on hand, including Speedtest Intelligence®, Downdetector®, Cell Analytics, and more.

Ookla® Cell Analytics™ 4G LTE at Fira Gran Via

Comparing 4G LTE RSRP signal strength during Q1 2022 to 4G LTE RSRP signal strength during Q4 2022, we see the strong consistency of operator coverage over time. Furthermore, during Q1 2022 (and MWC 2022), the 5G download throughputs experienced at Fira Gran Via are very fast with many, if not most, speeds being greater than 500 Mbps with pockets of throughputs over 750 Mbps in most of the convention center. These show that operators have made 5G investments at the venue to ensure visitors have an excellent connected experience, whereas 5G speeds around the Fira Gran Via are a little slower, with many locations showing 5G download throughputs of only 100 to 500 Mbps.

La Rambla shows 5G’s potential compared to 4G LTE

La Rambla is Barcelona’s most popular pedestrian street, which showcases Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and astute commitment to urbanism. A major tourist destination, as well as an important street for locals, La Rambla is full of shops, restaurants, and excellent connectivity as you can see below.

Ookla® Cell Analytics™ 4G LTE on La Rambla

Looking at the 4G LTE RSRP signal strength maps during Q3 2022 (which is the peak of the tourist season) and the period covering the last three months, we see that most operators’ signal strength improves slightly, with only Yoigo seeing a slight decline over time. With fewer tourists in the off seasons, that may be a sign of shifting user patterns or optimization changes. It’s clear every operator has prioritized the area and is delivering strong signals.

Ookla® Cell Analytics™ 4G LTE Download Throughput on La Rambla

Looking at 4G LTE vs. 5G download throughput during Q3 2022, we see a stark contrast and evidence that 5G is typically much faster than 4G LTE on La Rambla. As you can see, 5G reaches speeds over 100 Mbps throughout much of La Rambla, with concentrated areas of speeds over 500 Mbps around Catalonia Square near the top of the map, which has a few throughputs of over 750 Mbps. While there are still some slower areas of 5G download throughput, almost all of the 4G LTE download throughputs range between 5 to 100 Mbps with a few areas of fast 4G LTE over 100 Mbps near the center of the map, all of which will allow you to access social media, stream audio and video, and download apps quickly.

User Experience data in Cell Analytics sheds light on mobile user experience in Catalonia’s Barcelona province

Ookla® Cell Analytics™ Average Web Page Loat Time in the Barcelona Province of Catalonia

Finally, looking at Catalonia’s Barcelona province, we examine latency, video conferencing latency, and page load time over the past year.

Ookla® Cell Analytics™ User Experience Charts in the Barcelona Province of Catalonia

Data collected over the last year shows Movistar had a median latency at 116 ms, followed by Yoigo (119 ms), Vodafone (123 ms), and Orange (124 ms) in the Barcelona province of Catalonia. Median video conferencing latency showed Yoigo at 44 ms, while Movistar was next (45 ms), followed by Vodafone (48 ms), and Orange (54 ms), which are all more than plenty to be able to have a video call. Median page load time was tight with Yoigo at 1,123 ms and Movistar at 1,126 ms. Vodafone followed at 1,193 ms, and Orange followed at 1,221 ms. Importantly, all operators still came in under a 2016 benchmark Google found where 53% of users will abandon a website if it doesn’t load in under 3 seconds.

Cell Analytics can help you optimize your network where it will most improve consumer experience

We hope this tour of mobile coverage and performance at a few of Barcelona’s landmarks shows you how useful Cell Analytics is for benchmarking and improving your network. For more details, watch our recent webinar, Discover Hidden Network Problems Using Real-World QoS and QoE Measurements. To learn more about Cell Analytics, including the newly available User Experience and Radio Network Coverage modules, please inquire today or come by Hall 2, Stand 2i28 at MWC for a demo.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

| June 23, 2021

Creating a Better Customer Experience: How Ookla Helps Leading Mobile Network Operators Successfully Engage Customers


Winning and sustaining a customer’s business is a top priority for every mobile network operator. You could have the fastest network available in your market or the widest coverage, but still lose customers to competitors that provide better digital engagement or a more seamless customer experience. We know your team works day and night to make sure your network is operating, optimized and providing an experience that meets your customers’ expectations. Your team looks for coverage gaps where it makes sense to expand LTE or add 5G services. Your team constantly benchmarks your network against competitors to make sure you provide the best performance in key locations.

But despite all of your hard work, customer satisfaction with many telecommunications companies remains notoriously low and customer satisfaction doesn’t always align with network performance, as shown in the chart below. Customers often don’t feel like their problems are being addressed, they aren’t receiving transparent communications from their providers or they can’t even log problems due to service outages. Over time, these factors can add up to a lot of lost revenue, sunk costs and time and resources spent on issues and improvements that may not even increase customer satisfaction.

ookla_mobile-ranking_chart_0621

For the past 15 years, Ookla® has provided you with the tools to improve your network, including Speedtest Intelligence®, Cell Analytics™ and Downdetector®. Now, with the addition of our innovative SpatialBuzz solution, we can help you engage directly with your customers to identify, prioritize and diagnose customer dissatisfaction areas in real time for speedy resolution. Most importantly, SpatialBuzz allows you to close the customer feedback loop with meaningful, timely communications so that customers can see how hard you are working to improve their network experience.

Ookla is excited to offer you tools to improve your network performance and create a better experience for your customers. Click here to learn how top-rated mobile network operators are utilizing SpatialBuzz or inquire directly about any of our products.

Ookla products help you improve your network

Speedtest Intelligence is the leading source of information for networks worldwide

intelligence-screenshot

With over 200 data points on billions of consumer-initiated tests and coverage scans, ISPs, mobile operators, governments and regulatory bodies trust Speedtest Intelligence as an official source of record for the state of worldwide markets. Speedtest Intelligence offers up-to-date insights into global fixed broadband and mobile networks based on over 10 million consumer-initiated tests taken every day with Speedtest® and hundreds of millions of daily network coverage scans.

You may have used Speedtest Intelligence to benchmark your network against competitors, investigate your overall performance or pinpoint geographic trouble spots. With the addition of Consumer Sentiment data, you can now better understand the relationship between network performance and customer satisfaction.

Consumer Sentiment data in Speedtest Intelligence helps you better understand your customers’ experience on your network

You know that customer satisfaction plays a major role in retention, but custom research can be expensive. Consumer Sentiment data allows you to gauge customers’ overall satisfaction using the Speedtest Intelligence Portal. We aggregate one-question surveys presented at the end of a Speedtest experience, these responses are aggregated, analyzed and transformed into valuable insights.

Cell Analytics provides unparalleled intelligence about your network

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While benchmarking your overall network and customer experience is essential, knowing when and where exactly to invest more resources into your network is mission critical as you expand and improve your network. Cell Analytics provides unrivaled intelligence about wireless service quality, RF measurements, data usage, user density (both indoors and outdoors), cell site locations and much more, packaged in an easy-to-use interface. Cell Analytics uses the granularity of Speedtest network testing and gives you the performance, coverage and signal measurements you need to improve your network.

Unlike data collected by traditional methods such as drive testing and walk testing, Cell Analytics data is collected in real-world measurements where consumers are actually connected to networks — on streets, inside vehicles, at home, at work and other locations — with high location accuracy and 3D modeling. Combined with data on cell site locations, tools to prioritize optimization and deployment efforts, and competitor comparisons, Cell Analytics provides a comprehensive platform for mobile network operators to understand their networks and identify the areas that need improvement.

Downdetector Enterprise™ is the leading network outage monitoring tool

DD-dashboard
Network outages can be costly and time consuming to fix. Hundreds of millions of users worldwide use Downdetector to report issues with their mobile network operators, ISPs, communication apps and other online services. Downdetector Enterprise uses this consumer-reported information to provide early alerting on service issues — often before internal monitoring tools detect a problem is even happening. With customizable alerts for your NOC and SOC teams, Downdetector makes sure you get information about critical incidents as soon as customers start to report an issue. Geolocation information provides insights into exactly where customers are experiencing network problems, and problem indicators let you know which aspects of your service (e.g., voice calls, text messaging, mobile billing app) are causing issues.

SpatialBuzz is the next frontier of customer engagement

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Ookla has provided you with the tools to benchmark your network and customer satisfaction with Speedtest Intelligence, map and optimize your network with Cell Analytics and quickly identify network issues with Downdector. Now, we also offer a tool that marries the best of our offerings and directly connects you to your customers to deepen their network experience through more transparent, frictionless customer communication via existing web and mobile apps, AND provides the real-world data you need to prioritize network improvements by utilizing real-time customer experience data.

SpatialBuzz gives you the tools to engage directly with your customers, prioritize issues with your network using consumer-initiated data and increase your customer satisfaction by closing the loop on issues they encounter. SpatialBuzz is a one-stop solution that helps you deliver the best customer experience possible, even during outages or service issues.

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Think of your network like this: You wouldn’t invest millions opening a world-class restaurant with the best chefs making the best foods and not staff it with waiters to make sure diners have an incredible experience or correct issues with the food, right? Unfortunately, many network providers have overlooked meaningful customer engagement on their digital transformation journeys. SpatialBuzz gives customers a better channel to communicate back to your network team, which allows you to provide world-class service. Customers want to check their network, find out about improvements, report problems with minimum fuss and see you working for them. To love you, they have to love the network. That’s where SpatialBuzz comes in.

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SpatialBuzz aligns Digital, Customer Care, Service Operations and Network Teams to deliver an excellent customer experience. SpatialBuzz also empowers customers to report issues and check network coverage and status — seamlessly integrated into existing iOS, Android or web apps. It connects agents with coverage maps and data about network statuses, and SpatialBuzz can even automate network messages about known problems in geospatial locations. SpatiaBuzz also helps network and operations teams prioritize issues by customer impact; data shows that 2-3% of network faults create 80% of significant customer dissatisfaction. SpatialBuzz lets you proactively respond to these customers, seamlessly engages them and their issues and prioritizes your network response which saves time and money you might otherwise be spending elsewhere.

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Companies that have deployed SpatialBuzz have experienced, on average:

  • 40% reductions in customer calls
  • 15% faster call resolution
  • 80% lift in digital engagement
  • 1-9 hours earlier problem detection
  • Millions of dollars in cost savings
  • Improved customer loyalty with timely, proactive and transparent communications
  • Better problem prioritization
  • Bridged organizational gaps between customer care and network engineering teams

SpatialBuzz is the next frontier in creating a better network experience for your customers. When customers feel like they are being heard, seeing problems being fixed and are part of the closing the loop on issues, they will be more satisfied with your network offerings and they will help drive your company’s sustained revenue. SpatialBuzz is here to help you bolster your bottom line, so please don’t hesitate to reach out today and learn more.

Leading network operators are the ones that successfully engage their customers about their network

Ookla can provide you with all the tools you need to improve your network, pinpoint issues and increase customer satisfaction. We’re thrilled to offer you a suite of tools that holistically improves your network — and we’re thrilled to help you close the network–customer experience gap with SpatialBuzz.

If you’re interested in learning more about SpatialBuzz or any of Ookla’s enterprise offerings, reach out to us and inquire more about what we can do to help you improve your network.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

| August 26, 2021

How to Identify and Resolve Network Issues in Real-Time [Webinar]


Drive testing has historically been a time-consuming, expensive and labor-intensive effort — but it doesn’t have to be. With recent advances in crowdsourced network insights, revolutionary new live testing capabilities and real-time analytics, some of the leading operators in the U.S. have drastically cut the time and budget they spend finding and fixing network issues.

The upcoming Ookla® webinar on September 9 will show how Network Optimization and RAN teams can combine crowdsourced network data with surgical drive and walk testing to make immediate network improvements in the areas that matter most to consumers. Read on to learn how mobile network operators can save countless hours and dollars with this new approach to live testing.


Use Crowdsourced network data to pinpoint areas with high user counts and poor signal or throughput

It’s impossible to drive test every street and walk test every building — but crowdsourced network data allows you to see real-world connectivity where it matters most to customers. Powered by hundreds of millions of daily performance, coverage and signal measurements from Speedtest®, Ookla Cell Analytics™ provides unparalleled intelligence about wireless service quality, RF measurements, data use, indoor vs. outdoor performance, cell site locations and much more.

By looking at user density, mobile operators can understand where the highest volume of customers are impacted by poor signal or throughput. After you’ve prioritized the areas where network improvements will have the most impact on subscribers, you can send your field testing team to conduct more targeted analysis on-site.

With Cell Analytics, we can scan wide regions to identify and prioritize problem areas. In this case, we looked at a wireless network in Las Vegas and quickly saw that the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino has lots of users, but the network has very poor quality there (LTE RSRQ and SNR) and also low data speeds, despite having good coverage throughout the property.

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The poor quality extends from the ground floor through the upper floors of the building. We can also see that the operator has a cell site on the property.

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From the crowdsourced data in Cell Analytics, we can also see that the 1900 and 2100 MHz bands are most heavily used throughout the property.

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eNodeB 80024 and 80155 are serving most frequently on the property, although some others are also seen.

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Armed with this knowledge, the mobile network operator can send someone to conduct a quick walk test of the building.

Perform targeted drive and walk tests for problem areas with real-time analytics

In the past, drive and walk testing could be prohibitively expensive for smaller network operators. For example, let’s say you’re an operator with 40,000 sites, and a tester spends an average of five hours per site at $50/hr. Testing every site in your network would cost upwards of $10 million per year. Ookla Wind™ (Wireless Intelligence On Demand) offers a revolutionary approach to drive and walk testing with affordable devices, real-time analytics and no time spent on post-processing.

As we saw above, Ookla’s Cell Analytics allows us to identify the “symptoms” of poor network performance. Specific indoor areas in the main lobby and casino floor inside the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino showed poor signal-to-interference-and-noise-ratio (SINR) and low throughput performance. Upon completing a surgical walk-test of the same areas using the Ookla Wind handset based network measurement platform, the operator was able to diagnose the issue.

Below we can see it was clear that the indoor area lacked any 5G connectivity. This, coupled with no carrier aggregation, low MIMO utilization and lower modulation scheme due to poor SINR, all contribute to poor throughput.

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Given the large number of handover attempts in our walk-test, the recommended next step for the operator is to address the pilot and reference signal pollution in the area and to establish clear dominance to improve the network performance. By utilizing Ookla Wind, a remote engineer could analyze the data in real-time and make these adjustments to the network while the tester is still on site. This should save you hours or days that would otherwise be spent waiting for post-processing to happen.

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The webinar on Thursday, September 9 at 9 a.m. PDT (12 p.m. EDT / 4 p.m. GMT) will show you how to combine crowdsourced network data with surgical drive and walk testing to make immediate network improvements. Don’t miss it. A recording will be provided for registrants who can’t tune in to the live presentation.


Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

| August 16, 2020

Problems on the 37th Floor: Analyzing In-Building Network Performance and Coverage (Webinar)

Drive testing and walk testing are useful for capturing isolated snapshots of network performance and quality, but not efficient ways to discover where users are having problems connecting. Mobile network operators must understand where users are experiencing poor indoor network performance or a weak 5G signal to provide consumers with good quality of service. It is especially important to understand performance issues in densely populated urban areas with many tall high-rise buildings, because indoor service issues can sometimes be limited to specific floor groups.

In the upcoming Ookla® webinar, we’ll share three real-world use cases where operators in Asia can improve performance and coverage with Cell Analytics™ data on user density and traffic, indoor vs. outdoor performance and 5G network metrics.

Read on to discover how operators can monitor 5G networks and identify problem buildings and cells with crowdsourced data — and don’t miss the webinar on Wednesday, August 26 at 12:00 GMT+8 (9:30 Mumbai, 11:00 Bangkok, 12:00 Singapore/Kuala Lumpur/China, 13:00 Tokyo, 14:00 Sydney).




1. Monitor your 5G network performance and coverage as well as competitors’

As mobile network operators invest heavily in 5G, it’s critical to monitor progress and compare network coverage and performance to that of your competitors. Powered by hundreds of millions of signal measurements collected daily by Speedtest®, Cell Analytics provides intelligence about wireless service quality, RF measurements, data usage, user density, cell site locations and much more, including 5G network metrics. By tracking your own and competitors’ performance, you can understand where new 5G deployments are impacting user experience and quality of service.

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In the above example, we can see China Mobile Hong Kong provides 5G coverage over a much larger area than the 3 Hong Kong network.

2. Identify problem buildings and cells with crowdsourced data — and prioritize efforts to improve them

Cell Analytics makes it easy to identify buildings where users are experiencing issues and to prioritize which network improvements will have the most impact. By looking at user density (both indoor and outdoor), you can understand where the highest volume of users are impacted and determine which cell sites need low-cost or no-cost adjustments to improve service.

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In the above example, we see Nirlon Knowledge Park, a busy office park in Mumbai with very high user density, but very low LTE signal level on the Jio network. By comparing these views, Jio can discover opportunities to improve in-building performance and coverage in popular locations.

3. Analyze network performance in tall buildings, down to individual floor groups

With new z-axis views in Cell Analytics, it is possible to determine the altitudes at which users experience poor network quality or performance. By analyzing which floor groups within a building are showing network issues, you can identify good buildings for DAS or other capacity expansion.

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In the above example, we can see that the upper floors of several buildings are experiencing poor quality on the NTT DoCoMo network in Tokyo.

To see in-depth recommendations for the operators in the above scenarios, don’t miss the webinar on August 26 at 12:00 GMT+8. If you cannot make the presentation, you can register to receive a video recording after the live event. We look forward to showing you how to leverage real-world data to make better network decisions and answering any questions you may have. Register now

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

| September 16, 2021

How to Challenge the FCC’s Mobile Service Funding Eligibility Decisions [Webinar]


As part of the initiative to bring advanced wireless services to unserved areas in rural America, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is in charge of allocating billions of dollars in funding to mobile network operators. Funding eligibility is based on broadband availability data submitted by mobile operators and aggregated into coverage maps by the FCC. FCC coverage maps often overstate the availability of networks in some areas because operators show their footprint expanding to locations where they have minimal coverage. The FCC has introduced a new Mobile Service Challenge Process to help address this issue.

Register for our September 30 webinar to learn more about the Mobile Service Challenge Process and how to challenge FCC coverage maps with crowdsourced coverage information.


What is the Mobile Service Challenge Process?

The FCC’s Mobility Fund Phase II would have allocated up to $4.53 billion for mobile operators to bring 4G LTE to rural America. Unfortunately, the program was suspended in 2019 due to a finding that coverage data submitted by three providers likely overstated actual coverage in many instances.

In 2020, the The Broadband DATA Act was signed into law and required the FCC to improve the way broadband data is collected, verified and reported. In response to The Broadband DATA Act, the FCC recently released a Public Notice that proposes procedures for testing the accuracy of carrier coverage maps and outlines a Mobile Service Challenge Process.

The Mobile Service Challenge Process will allow operators to challenge FCC broadband data using crowdsourced network performance tests that show an “on-the-ground” truth that differs from the FCC coverage map. Challenging parties are required to present a sufficient number of tests within a hexagon to illustrate gaps in carrier coverage.

Using Ookla® data to contest FCC funding decisions

This article will explore how Ookla data and targeted field testing can be used to contest coverage data that determines funding eligibility. Register for our September 30 webinar to learn more about navigating the FCC’s Mobile Service Challenge Process.

Determine where on-the-ground truth differs from FCC data

A comparison of Ookla Cell Analytics™ data with FCC coverage data shows where there are discrepancies and underserved areas. Operator-provided coverage data is shown in the FCC’s Mobile LTE Coverage Map below. Looking at State Highway 119 near the popular Golden Gate Canyon recreation area in north central Colorado as an example, we can see that AT&T and Verizon both claim to have 4G LTE coverage on the majority of the highway.

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However, the crowdsourced measurement data in Cell Analytics shows poor signal quality along State Highway 119. In the image below, you can see that both AT&T and Verizon have significant areas with no service along the highway. This indicates that the on-the-ground truth may be different from the FCC coverage maps.

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Perform targeted walk or drive tests within an underserved area

Once you’ve determined that State Highway 119 is likely an unserved area, you can use Ookla Wind™, a handset-based testing solution, to perform a targeted data collection campaign within the hexagon to confirm network availability, signal strength, throughput and other KPIs. The images below show drive tests performed on the AT&T and Verizon networks along Highway 119. The results show that the signal strength is very weak (shown in red) along most of the route. You can use this data to fill out the FCC challenge process. Once the area has officially been determined as eligible for funding, you can bid for funding allocation.

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Validate your improved coverage and throughput

After you’ve received FCC funding to build out new infrastructure in a rural area, you’ll need to prove that you’ve used those funds properly. Cell Analytics can also be used to validate KPIs like improved coverage and faster throughput on your network within that area. The ability to show the outcome of these enhancements could help you secure more funding in the future.

Cell Analytics and Wind will equip you with the real-world network performance data that you need to challenge FCC eligibility decisions and influence funding allocation. To learn more about navigating the Mobile Service Challenge Process, tune into the webinar on Thursday, September 30 at 7 a.m. Pacific (10 a.m. Eastern). A recording will be provided for registrants who can’t make the live presentation. Register now.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

| November 2, 2020

How to Improve In-Building Network Performance and Coverage with Crowdsourced Data (White Paper)

With much of the world still sheltering in place, most mobile network operators have been tasked with supporting additional demand from customers who are increasingly reliant on their networks for access to work, education and entertainment. RAN engineering teams are tasked with increasing capacity and improving service — while working within budgets that may be much tighter than in previous years.

In this white paper, you’ll learn how to use crowdsourced network performance data from Cell Analytics™ to prioritize the network improvements that have the most impact on your customers. By looking at where users are connecting but receiving poor service, you can discover and prioritize the best places to improve performance and coverage, benchmark your network metrics against competitors and monitor their 5G rollouts. Download the full white paper here.

Prioritizing locations with high user density but poor performance

Poor wireless service in a popular location like a shopping center, office park or transit center can impact a wireless customer’s satisfaction and an operator’s reputation. Cell Analytics helps you identify hotspots with a high concentration of users where your customers are experiencing poor performance and coverage.

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The above image shows very high user density in Mumbai’s airport. In the white paper, we show how to prioritize optimization by user density and mobile data usage, then drill down into metrics like RSRQ (signal quality) and LTE most frequent band, to discover which band is showing the most issues for a given operator. From there, we can look at the operator’s LTE most frequent cell to pinpoint the exact cell site causing the issues, and make specific recommendations to improve their customers’ network experience at the airport — without spending excessive additional funds.

Discover where competitors have better in-building performance and coverage to prioritize infrastructure investments

Knowing where your competitors outperform your network can help you prioritize your investments and improvements. Beyond analyzing an existing network to find areas of competitive weakness or strength, operators can also monitor the status of 5G rollouts.

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The above image compares 5G SS-RSRP (signal level) for two network operators in Hong Kong, showing variable coverage between providers. In the white paper we show how network operators can use this crowdsourced data to benchmark 5G network performance and coverage and to discover areas to prioritize for optimization.

Use 3D views to analyze performance in tall buildings, find problem cell sites and identify needed capacity expansion

Performance and quality of a network can vary dramatically in tall buildings. In densely populated cities with many tall buildings, detailed in-building analysis can show where performance is suffering by height, down to individual floor groups. A customer may have a variable experience on your network, depending on where they are located in a given building — which can make a critical difference in a populous office high-rise or on the ground floor of a hospital. Using the 3D “z-axis” view in Cell Analytics, you can see where optimization is needed to accommodate for variable performance in important buildings.

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In the above image of Kwong Wah Hospital in Hong Kong, we can see that, while LTE signal level is sufficient for acceptable service within all levels of the building, RF quality gets progressively worse in the upper floors of the hospital. The white paper explores potential issues with nearby cells to help the operator find a solution that offers their customers good network quality, no matter where they are located within the hospital.

In this report, we walk through seven in-depth use cases where RAN engineering teams can use Cell Analytics data to prioritize engineering efforts and make no-cost or low-cost improvements to the network. The white paper also includes information on benchmarking 5G metrics and monitoring competitors’ new deployments.

Download the full whitepaper to learn how to use crowdsourced data to prioritize the network improvements that have the most impact on your customers.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.