MOBILE QUALITY

OF SERVICE

A joint effort for continuous improvement

Contents
Facing the digital tsunami 4

Mobile services have experienced unprecedented 6

diversification compared to other industries

Factors affecting mobile 8

network performance

Competition and transparency as a 9

source of quality improvement

Public policies on quality should not 10

disregard inclusion or affect access

The importance of measuring 11

quality objectively

A joint effort on a case by case basis 12

is the key to solving quality problems

Sanctions do not necessarily 14

contribute to continuous improvement

Having sufficient spectrum is essential 16

for providing quality services

Encouraging infrastructure deployment 17

directly impacts quality

Facilitating installation 18
permits is essential

Myths about the effects of antennas 19

on health must be dispelled

Conclusions 20

MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE 3

Facing the
digital tsunami
The meteoric growth of including evaluations and
mobile services in the improvements in areas MOBILE OPERATORS
world and in Latin America such as: ARE COMMITTED
- a region with more than TO CONTINUOUS
100% mobile penetration - • Customer service IMPROVEMENT OF
has put immense pressure channels. QUALITY
on mobile operators, • Billing systems. OF SERVICE
who are working rapidly • Technological services
to respond to the digital provided over the net,
tsunami arising as a result such as voice, data Mobile companies are
of exponential growth in and sms. naturally interested in
data services. improving the quality of
All this makes it possible the services they provide,
The quality of all mobile to meet the expectations because their survival in the
services is a factor of increasingly demanding markets where they operate
that operators in the users to achieve a depends on this.
region are working on ubiquitous and satisfying
in an integrated manner, communication experience.

1800

1200 DATA TRAFFIC IN LATIN AMERICA

MOBILE WILL GROW AT 66% COMPOUNDED
TRAFFIC LATIN 1000 ANNUALLY TO 2018
AMERICA 800
(MONTHLY PETA
BYTES) 600

400

200

voice data 0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
SOURCE: ERICSSON MOBILITY REPORT 2014

4 MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE

 UNIQUE MOBILE SUBSCRIBERS

390M
2013 2020

320M
52%
59%
PENETRATION
RATE
PENETRATION RATE
CONNECTIONS* *Excluyendo M2M

890M
2013 2020

694M
112%
134%
PENETRATION
RATE
PENETRATION RATE
SOURCE: GSMA. THE MOBILE ECONOMY LATIN AMERICA 2014

TRAFFIC EQUIVALENCES SMARTPHONE CONNECTIONS

NEW DEVICES DEMAND MORE

NETWORK RESOURCES

PORTABLE
CONSOLE*

2013

154M
SMARTPHONE TABLET

LAPTOP

2020

605M
X35 X60
BASIC MOBILE BASIC MOBILE

X120 X500
PHONES PHONES

BASIC MOBILE BASIC MOBILE *Comprises

PHONES PHONES portable
consoles with
Wi-Fi and/or 3G
SOURCE: CISCO, OVUM, TRIMESTER REPORTS NINTENDO AND SONY connection SOURCE: GSMA. THE MOBILE ECONOMY LATIN AMERICA 2014

MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE 5

Mobile services have experienced
unprecedented diversification
compared to other industries
MOBILE
Continuous network and services follow on from DEVICES HAVE
improvement has entailed changes in technology and UNIVERSALISED
very high levels of increased network capacity. ACCESS TO VOICE
investment for the region SERVICES AND ARE
over the years (US$144B) The exponential growth of NOW DOING THE
and the estimated smartphone penetration
SAME WITH THE
projection for the 2014- makes the mobile
2020 period is even higher phone the main factor
INTERNET.
(US$193B). in democratising and
universalising access to
Launches of new products internet services.

MOBILE CONNECTIONS

SOURCE: ERICSSON MOBILITY REPORT 2014

LATIN AMERICA, BY DEVICE
(IN MILLIONS)
MILLIONS OF
SUBSCRIBERS
MOBILE PC / ROUTER/ TABLET SMARTPHONE BASIC PHONE
900

800
THE SUBSCRIBER
GROWTH RATE 700
CONTINUES
TO RISE AND 600
SMARTPHONES
TEND TO BE THE 500
MAIN DEVICE
400
FOR ACCESSING
MOBILE 300
INTERNET.
200

100

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

6 MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE

 INVESTMENT GROWTH,
SERVICES AND CONNECTIONS
IN LATIN AMERICA
INVESTMENTS
(CAPEX)
(BILLIONS OF US$)
30
US$ 193 B (E)

25

20

(ESTIMATED CAPEX)

US$ 144 B
15

10

2G 3G 4G 5G
VOICE, SMS DATA, CHAT, VIDEO CONFERENCING, INTERNET OF THINGS, AUGMENTED DRIVERLESS CARS
INTERNET, TELEMEDICINE, E-LEARNING, REALITY, SMART-LIFE, MOBILE INTELLIGENT
0 MOBILE MONEY, IDENTITY, SMART CITIES SECURITY, HEALTH, ENERGY, TRANSPORTATION
PERSONAL DATA REMOTE SURGERY

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2019 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
CONNECTIONS 130 M 300 M 600 M 700 M 890 M
PENETRATION 34% 61% 96% 108% 134%

SOURCE: GSMA INTELLIGENCE

MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE 7

Factors affecting mobile
network performance
One of the largest But quality of service
investments made by does not depend solely
QUALITY FROM
mobile network operators is on the number of THE ANTENNA TO
in infrastructure, such as the antennas installed. THE TERMINAL
installation of base stations Unlike fixed networks, ALSO DEPENDS ON
to provide coverage and several factors impact FACTORS BEYOND
delivery capacity. network performance. PLANNING AND
BUILDING THE
NETWORK.

FACTORS
AFFECTING QUALITY

DOMINGO
10:00 AM
PEOPLE MOVE ABOUT, TRAFFIC THE CONSUMPTION PATTERN
VARIES, ACCIDENTS HAPPEN, IN A SINGLE CELL THE NUMBER OF
THE NUMBER OF USERS VARIES IN EACH CELL VARIES
CONGESTION OCCURS, PROTESTS USERS VARIES DEPENDING ON THE
FROM CELL TO CELL SIGNIFICANTLY THROUGHOUT
TAKE PLACE, GROUPS GATHER, TIME AND THE DAY
THE DAY
EVENTS ARE HELD, ETC.

OBSTACLES BETWEEN TERMINALS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN INDISCRIMINATE USE OF

WEATHER,
AND ANTENNA, WHETHER THE TERMINAL AND THE JAMMERS AND AMPLIFIERS
ESPECIALLY RAIN
FIXED (BUILDINGS) OR MOVING ANTENNA VARIES WHEN USERS
(VEHICLES) ARE IN MOTION

8 MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE

Competition and
transparency as a source
of quality improvement
ENHANCING
The HHI index (Herfindahl- quality of their services to COMPETITION
Hirschman Index), which keep customers satisfied AMONG OPERATORS
measures market and sustain growth. PROMOTES
concentration, has declined SUSTAINED
in the region in recent years, Competition can be IMPROVEMENT
indicating an increase made more efficient by
IN QUALITY.
in competition. providing information so
users can make the best
The implementation of decisions in each case, and users and service providers.
number portability in many public policy can help by • Generating a peer pressure
markets has facilitated promoting transparency. mechanism among
user migration from one This is achieved by: operators so that the quality
operator to another. This differentiation promotes
makes it essential for mobile • Reducing information sustained investments in
companies to invest in the asymmetries between continuous improvements.

DECLINE IN MARKET CONCENTRATION 2010 2014

IN LATIN AMERICA N NUMBER OF OPERATORS
HHI HHI - HERFINDAHL-
HIRSCHMAN INDEX:
MEASURES LACK OF 3
12000
COMPETITION IN A
MARKET. THE LOWER 3 4
THE VALUE, THE GREATER 3 2
6000 3
THE COMPETITION. 4
3 4 3 3
7 5 4
4000 3
4
SOURCE: GSMA INTELLIGENCE

2000

ARG BOL BRA CHI COL COS ECU ELS GUA HON MEX NIC PAN PAR PER URU VEN

MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE 9

Public policies on quality
should not disregard inclusion
or affect access
REGULATIONS THAT
Regulations that affect at the expense of delaying AFFECT PRICES
the prices of goods and the entrance of those with REDUCE ACCESS TO
services are regressive no access or simply locking SERVICES FOR THE
public policies, as they them out. LOWEST INCOME
affect the ability to offer a SECTORS OF THE
wider range of services to Poor regulation can trap
POPULATION.
meet various demands and regulators, businesses and
do not allow improvements consumers in a scenario
in the quality of life of the where competition and
less fortunate. market mechanisms are
increasingly reduced. A
Fee-based quality lack of access to a good or
requirements benefit those service is the worst quality
who already have access, a good or service can have.

RELATION BETWEEN QUALITY OF SERVICE

(QOS) REGULATION AND NUMBER OF USERS
PRICE ($)
(ABILITY TO PAY)

MORE REGULATION =
GREATER ACCESS GAP

COST WITH QUALITY

OF SERVICE COST
COST INCREASE

DEMAND
ACCESS WITHOUT QOS
(USERS)

ACCESS WITH QOS

INCREASE IN ACCESS GAP

10 MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE

The importance of
measuring quality objectively
Technical measurements
of network quality
performed by regulators
are very important for
promoting competition.
The key aspects to
effectively and objectively
measure quality are:
• Consider a combination
of statistical measures
generated by the operator
and third party testing.
• Use automated methods
for drive tests, with no
manual intervention.
• Perform tests on an
end-to-end basis on a
single network.
• Apply a significant call
sample size to ensure test
results are representative
of the network situation
within the area of service.
• Use sufficient testing
times of at least 24 hours.
Tests conducted from user
terminals, through various
OBJECTIVE
applications, provide MEASURES OF
one-sided information QUALITY OF
that depends on factors SERVICE FACILITATE
outside the network: PROGRESS
TOWARDS IMPROVED
• Number of users SERVICES AND
• Average speed AVOID DISPUTES IN
measurement
methodology SITUATIONS OPEN
• Sample update TO MORE THAN ONE
• User location INTERPRETATION.
• Quality of the
measurement reporting
device and its use profile
Applications used as
measurement tools could
be a reference, but under
no circumstances should
they be the only way to
measure quality. By no
means can they be used
as a basis for subsequent
sanctions for failing to
reach certain levels.
MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE 11
A joint effort on a case
by case basis is the key to
solving quality problems
SOLUTIONS TO
The results of objective are holistic and IMPROVE QUALITY
measurements should situation-specific. OF SERVICE ARE
be used effectively to SPECIFIC TO EACH
discuss with operators Allowing a reasonable CASE AND REQUIRE
the problems encountered timeframe before publicly PARTICULAR
and the best solutions announcing the results of
MEASURES BY
available to design any new measurement lets
improvement plans. mobile service providers:
OPERATORS AND
REGULATORS
Problems are often zone- • Check the accuracy of
specific (installation the measurements. the consequent steps
permits not granted, • Work on any network to deal with them.
interference, insufficient problems they may be
spectrum, plans in unaware of to improve
progress, etc.) and the indicators.
therefore the solutions • Explain the findings and

VERIFY
ACCURACY OF
FINDINGS

IMPROVE
ESTABLISHED PUBLISH
OBJECTIVE WORK ON
PROBLEMS
INDICATORS
RESULTS
MEASUREMENTS DETECTED

12 MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE

 MOBILE NETWORKS DO NOT HAVE
DEDICATED ACCESS SEGMENTS
A DEDICATED RESOURCE IS, BY
DEFINITION, ONE THAT IS AVAILABLE TO
USERS 100% OF THE TIME

MOBILE NETWORKS CANNOT BE MEASURED IN THE

SAME WAY AS FIXED NETWORKS

MOBILE ACCESS NETWORKS

ARE BUILT ENTIRELY OF
SEGMENTS THAT SHARE
RESOURCES AMONG
MOBILE FIXED
SEVERAL USERS

ACCESS NETWORK
INTERNET INTERNET

THE FIRST SEGMENT OF

DEDICATED
THE CONNECTION, FROM RESOURCE
THE TERMINAL TO THE
ANTENNA, IS AVAILABLE TO SWITCHING SWITCHING
EVERYONE WHO DEMANDS
TRANSIT
TRANSIT

IT, PROVIDED SPECTRUM

CAPACITY EXISTS.
GATEWAY GATEWAY INTERNET ACCESS
THE ANTENNA HAS FINITE
PROVIDER

CAPACITY THAT DEPENDS

ON NETWORK PLANNING
AND DESIGN, TECHNICAL GATEWAY GATEWAY
CAPABILITIES OF THE
EQUIPMENT, THE AMOUNT
INTERNET NETWORK

PAST THIS
OF SPECTRUM AND THE POINT IS
PUBLIC

BEYOND THE
FREQUENCY BAND IT USES. OPERATOR’S
CONTROL
CONTENT CONTENT
PROVIDER PROVIDER

MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE 13

Sanctions do not
necessarily contribute to
continuous improvement
IT IS ESSENTIAL
Regulatory actions designed lowering efficiency and TO MOVE FORWARD
to improve quality of service competition. It could also WITH COOPERATIVE
in mobile communications lead to the delivery of MONITORING
must focus on being a homogenous product SCHEMES THAT
efficient and promoting the incapable of meeting the ALLOW RESOURCES
right incentives for mobile needs of the most diverse
TO BE ALLOCATED
operators to adequately groups of users.
sustain and direct their
TO SOLVE THE
investments. Automatic compensation PROBLEMS
approaches deserve special IDENTIFIED.
An exclusively sanctions- mention, as they are a
oriented approach burden for companies and
could have unwanted the financial pressure they
consequences such as entail prevents allocation
disincentivising innovation, of resources to improve
distorting the market, the various elements in the
reducing products and service supply chain.

% ANNUAL
180.0 EXAMPLE OF PERU: NUMBER OF LINES IN SERVICE
160.0 GROWS WHEN SANCTIONS ARE REMOVED
ANNUAL % VAR. IN MOBILE LINES IN SERVICE
140.0
120.0
100.0 REMOVAL OF
REINSTATEMENT
80.0 SANCTIONS
OF SANCTIONS
REGIME
60.0 REGIME
40.0
20.0
SOURCE: OSIPTEL

0.0
-20
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

14 MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE

 DIFFERENT APPROACHES
TO QUALITY OF SERVICE
REGULATION

REGULATION SELF REGULATED

AUSTRALIA
ORIENTED MODEL
REGULATED
(AMONG INDICATORS COMMON TO MOST COUNTRIES)
COMPLIANCE THRESHOLD REQUIREMENT

INFORMATIVE

SPECIFICITY
(ZONE, TECHNOLOGY, USER, NETWORK ELEMENT OR MANUFACTURER)
*New telecommunications regulations or laws at discussion stage

CLIENT
ORIENTED UNITED CANADA UNITED
STATES KINGDOM
MODEL
MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE 15
Having sufficient
spectrum is essential for
providing quality services
IT IS ESSENTIAL
The amount of spectrum has already been identified FOR OPERATORS TO
allocated to each operator for IMT/mobile broadband, HAVE SUFFICIENT
largely determines its GSMA recommends, as SPECTRUM AND
capacity to provide a an average, that WRC-15 PROSPECTS
faster data transfer speed, should attempt to obtain FOR FUTURE
better levels of coverage, an additional 600-800
ALLOCATION THAT
improved call quality and MHz worldwide.
a lower dropped-call rate,
WILL ALLOW THEM
among other variables. The amount needed in TO FORECAST THE
each national market will INVESTMENTS
ITU estimates concur with vary depending on the REQUIRED.
GSMA studies indicating level of demand for data
that 1600-1800 MHz will be and the priorities of
required by 2020. As 1GHz each country.

CURRENT MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM

SPECTRUM ESTIMATED FOR 2020

ARGENTINA 350 MHz 1,093 MHz 1,628 MHz THERE IS A GAP

BETWEEN THE CURRENT
BRAZIL 634 MHz 1,129 MHz 1,676 MHz LICENSED SPECTRUM
FOR MOBILE SERVICES
CHILE 450 MHz 893 MHz 1,327 MHz AND ESTIMATED NEEDS
FOR 2020
COLOMBIA 415 MHz 1,057 MHz 1,578 MHz SOURCE: ITU-R REPORT M2290

MEXICO 210 MHz 977 MHz 1,454 MHz SOURCE: GSMA

16 MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE

Encouraging
infrastructure deployment
directly impacts quality
The most densely populated
areas require more network
resources. However, it is
precisely in these areas
where it is more difficult
to install new antennas,
masts, base stations or any
other network infrastructure
component. At the same
time, sharing resources in
remote areas is critical.
Three key public policy
elements to encourage
network improvement are:
REMOVAL OF MUNICIPAL
BARRIERS: Obtaining
installation permits can
be complicated and
discretionary. It is important
to have a single, nation-
INSTALLATION
wide process based on OF ANTENNAS
technical considerations REQUIRES REMOVAL
and international standards OF MUNICIPAL
to avoid delays. BARRIERS,
PROMOTION OF
USE OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS SHARING AND
AND SPACES: Regulators
MANAGEMENT
can help by facilitating
OF THE USE OF
permits to install base
PUBLIC SPACES.
stations in public buildings,
banks, police stations, parks even antennas, avoiding
and other public areas to unnecessary duplication
provide alternatives for of resources, especially in
network deployment. less profitable areas.
INFRASTRUCTURE
SHARING: Voluntary
infrastructure sharing
agreements give mobile
operators joint use of
masts, buildings and
BARRIERS TO
DEPLOYMENT AFFECT
COVERAGE
MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE 17
ENCOURAGING NETWORK
DEPLOYMENT DIRECTLY IMPACTS QUALITY
Facilitating installation
permits is essential
A key aspect of providing
certainty to operators lies
in the processes in place for
granting permits to install
base stations and antennas.
When the criteria are
consistent across the
country and are based on
technical considerations,
operators can more
accurately assess the
implications and the
terms of investments and
allocation of resources.
MORE ANTENNAS MEANS A HIGHER SIGNAL LEVEL AND
18 MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE
UNIFYING CRITERIA
As a result, this would NATIONWIDE
encourage continued CREATES VERY
investment in infrastructure POSITIVE
deployment, such as the CERTAINTIES
infrastructure needed THAT PROMOTE
to install 4G networks
CONTINUED
to improve customer
experience when users
INVESTMENTS.
migrate from current 3G infrastructure deployment
and 2G networks to the accelerate the provision
new network. of mobile services to
the public.
Governments that enable
investments in mobile
networks and remove
obstacles to network
LONGER DURATION FOR MOBILE DEVICE BATTERIES
ENCOURAGING NETWORK
DEPLOYMENT DIRECTLY IMPACTS QUALITY

Myths about the effects of antennas

on health must be dispelled
Misinformation has led to
myths and unfounded fears
among the public about
living near mobile antennas.
Authorities and operators
can work together by
providing valid and reliable
information to educate the
public and raise awareness
about the safety of
electromagnetic emissions
from base stations.
According to the World
Health Organization, it has
EDUCATION
not been confirmed IS THE MOST
that the use of mobile EFFICIENT TOOL
phones has adverse IN ACHIEVING THE
effects on health. ACCEPTANCE AND
UNDERSTANDING
A lack of knowledge
OF SOCIETY
makes people target
antennas as one of the
WHEN DEPLOYING
elements that radiate INFRASTRUCTURE.
most electromagnetic
energy, when in fact
we are exposed every
day to much more
powerful devices, such as
microwave ovens and TV
and radio antennas.

ANTENNAS ARE THE OBJECTS THAT

PRODUCE ELECTROMAGNETIC SOCIAL
RADIATION EDUCATION INITIATIVES

DISTRIBUTION
OF INFORMATION
LEAFLETS

AWARENESS TALKS BY EXPERTS

CAMPAIGNS IN THE AT SCHOOLS AND
THE STRUCTURES (TOWERS) HOUSING MASS MEDIA COMMUNITY CENTRES
THE ANTENNAS DO NOT PRODUCE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION

MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE 19

Conclusions
QUALITY OF SERVICE
IS ALWAYS A PRIORITY
FOR OPERATORS.  results to solve quality
Quality of service is a
factor of competition in the
mobile market. Because of
this, operators continuously
strive to improve quality
and adapt it to their
business strategy.
Competitive markets
with low regulation have
more capacity to provide
the quality of service
customers expect.
Various aspects that
affect user experience
are beyond the control
of operators (internet
servers, content providers,
type of device and
propagation environment).
It is important to
promote transparency in
quality of service to facilitate
user decision making.
20 MOBILE QUALITY OF SERVICE
It is essential to work The regulator in each
together before publishing country must assess the
compliance of jammers
problems effectively. and signal inhibitors,
manage and monitor the
In many cases, installation of these devices
implementation of tools and establish penalties
for measuring quality for people who use and/
appears to ignore essential or sell them without
aspects of the service the permission of the
(such as resource sharing, competent authorities.
or when the cause of the
failure is in a portion of the Solutions to improve
network not controlled by quality of service are
the operator). specific to each case
and require particular
With limited spectrum measures by operators
and municipal restrictions and regulators.
on antenna deployment,
sanctions will not be
effective in increasing
quality of service.
The regulatory
framework of a country
must facilitate all types
of agreements for active
and passive infrastructure
sharing and allow the use of
public spaces and buildings.
Other studies published

eWaste in Colombia The Mobile Economy

2015 Latin America 2014
February 2015, November 2014,
GSMA Latin America GSMA Intelligence

AWS Situation in the eWaste in Latin

Americas America 2014
May 2014, May 2014,
Convergencia GSMA Latin America
Research

License renewal in Mobile Broadband

Latin America at the Bottom of
February 2014, the Pyramid in Latin
BlueNote America
Management July 2014,
Consulting Telecom Advisory
Services

International Roaming
Development in Latin
America
July 2013,
BlueNote Management
Consulting

The ‘We Care’ programme is a regional campaign in

which operators in each country carry out various
initiatives to provide users with a more reliable and
safer mobile environment. Through a variety of
actions, operators cooperate with government and
regulatory authorities, civil associations and non-
profit organisations to address social problems by
leveraging the ubiquity of mobile technology.

For more information visit www.gsmala.com/wecare

ABOUT THE GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of
mobile operators worldwide, uniting
nearly 800 operators with more than
250 companies in the broader mobile
ecosystem, including handset and device
makers, software companies, equipment
providers and Internet companies, as
well as organisations in adjacent industry
sectors. The GSMA also produces
industry-leading events such as Mobile
World Congress, Mobile World Congress
Shanghai and the Mobile 360 Series
conferences.

For more information, please visit the

GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.
com.
Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

GSMA Latin America is the branch

of the GSMA in the region. For more
information in English, Spanish, and
Portuguese, visit www.gsmala.com. Follow
GSMA LA on Twitter: @GSMALatam.
For more information,
visit www.gsmala.com