Vodafone Malta makes Key Investment in Network Quality
13 March 2003 10:53
Maltese Market Leader Opts for Ascom QVoice to Ensure Network QoS is ‘Right First Time’
The leading mobile telecoms company on the Maltese archipelago, Vodafone Malta, has joined the growing ranks of service providers world-wide opting for the QVoice network quality solution from Ascom of Switzerland.
The Maltese company, which has managed to retain its leading market position despite the introduction of competition several years ago, says the decision to purchase the world-renowned Swiss network monitoring and evaluation system represents a key step towards its goal of maintaining market leadership by providing superior Quality of Service.
Vodafone Malta, which started operations in 1990 as the Vodafone Group’s first non-UK subsidiary, says it sees consistently superior QoS as the key to long-term success and subscribes firmly to the group’s stated world-wide policy goal – to 'get it right first time'.
Dragan Vlahovic, radio manager for Vodafone Malta, says: 'In Ascom QVoice, we have found an optimum voice and data testing solution, both from the network and the user perspective. What attracted us most was the fact that, compared to other products, the QVoice system was primarily designed as an engineering tool, offering a wealth of information with broader testing possibilities (mobile to mobile calls, SMS, e-mail, WAP).
'Other products considered come with pre-defined test scenarios and leave little room for adjustments, which is not suitable for a small-size network like ours. The fact that we do all testing in-house highlights the need for flexibility. QVoice speech analysis breakdown is also a feature we find very useful, as well as the unique possibility to record and review voice samples.'
For voice assessment purposes, Vodafone Malta has opted for the ITU-recommended PESQ algorithm, in preference to the industry standard PACE. Both algorithms are available from and fully supported by Ascom.
Said Mr Vlahovic: 'We are committed to state-of-the art test solutions in order to offer the best possible Quality of Service to our customers. We are continuously reviewing new network features that theoretically offer improved speech quality, but in reality these are difficult to quantify. Also, we need objective assessment of different platforms, like VoIP.'
QVoice hit the market in 1993 as the first system able to use real speech for voice quality measurements, and is now generally recognised as the market leader for mobile network quality optimisation. In addition to total dominance in the core European GSM markets, it is used by more than 100 mobile network operators in over 50 countries.
More recently, QVoice was the first system of its kind to successfully complete a ‘third-generation’ (3G) network test drive in a live W-CDMA network.
Like all their predecessors, the latest QVoice models are the only systems on the market able to measure both voice and data from a single piece of equipment, while performing simultaneous measurements involving different channels, networks and technologies.
Vodafone Malta gave up its original monopoly licence in December 2000 – 10 years earlier than originally foreseen. In 1997, the company offered Malta’s nearly 400 000 inhabitants the option of GSM and roaming services, followed two years later by the introduction of a GSM pre-paid service that brought the benefits of mobile telephony to many more customers. In 2000, Vodafone Malta received a licence to operate a third-generation UMTS network, as well as an international gateway, as of January 2003.
About Carrier Products
The QVoice mobile network quality measurement system is the brainchild of its Carrier Products business unit, part of the company’s Network Integration Division.
Raymond WU, Product Manager QVoice
For more information on this company:
Ascom Mobile Test Solutions - Mobile Test Solutions - Leading in Mobile Network Testing
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