ITU-T Recommendations and other International Standards Relevant to QOS/QOE Daniel K. Waturu

Workshop on Delivering Good Quality Telecommunications Service in a Safe Environment in AfricaNairobi, Kenya26-31 July, 2010 • ITU-T Recommendations and other International Standards Relevant to QOS/QOE • Daniel K. Waturu • Manager /Telecoms Compliance • Communications Commission of Kenya • Chairman-ITU-T SG12 RG-AFR Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

Introduction ITU-T Rec. E. 800 defines QoS as “collective effect of service performance which determines the degree of satisfaction of a user of the service” ITU-T Recommendation P.10/G.100, defines Quality of Experience (QoE) as, “the overall acceptability of an application or service, as perceived subjectively by the end-user” QoE includes complete end-to-end system effects (client, terminal, network and service infrastructure) Overall acceptability may be influenced by user expectations and context. Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

Why the need for good QoS/QoE? For the development of telecommunications products and services acceptable to the industry and users/consumers Making interconnected networks work seamlessly well together (inter-operability) Ensure consumers get value for money Mobile has become de facto means of communications in Africa Signal Availability (QoS/QoE) on mobile networks is essential for economic and social survival in Africa Necessary for effective e-communications such as e-government, e-money transfer (MPESA) e-education ,e-election results etc Ensure fulfillment of universal access Encourage fair competition-good quality (and not necessarily price) will guarantee customer retention Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

ITU-T QoS Perspective ITU-T Recommendation E.800 has four (4) QoS view points namely: • Customer's QoS requirements; • Service Provider's offerings of QoS (or planned/targeted QoS); • QoS achieved or delivered; • Customer Survey ratings of received QoS. The closer the 4 view points are in a given service, the better the QoS delivered. Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

ITU-TFour Views QoS Perspective Customer's QoS requirements Service Provider's offerings of QoS Customer received QoS Achieved or delivered QoS Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

QoS Parameters • Are also called; metrics, indicators, measures, determinants • Are premised on indicators such as: speed, accuracy, availability, reliability, security, simplicity, satisfaction • Characterize the QoS level of the service being offered to the satisfaction of the user • Ensure the users of a services are getting QoS levels matching what they are paying for • Used in development and implementation of SLA • Can be classified as; objective-measurements of physical attributes of a circuit, system, network etc or subjective-conducting of customer opinion surveys Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

QoS Targets • Also called; objectives, benchmarks, thresholds, minimum standards, reference values etc • A potential value (or range of values) to be achieved to ensure satisfaction with service delivery • Used to maintain good QoS levels based on international, local or benchmarked standards • Used to improve QoS levels following consumer complaints Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

Parameters for Different Telecoms Services (contd). Fixed Telephony: • Service Supply Time • Fault Report Rate • Fault Repair Time • Call Success Rate • Call Set-up Time • Response time for operator service (call centers) • Response time for directory enquiry service • Billing accuracy • Billing Complaints Resolution time • Call Connection Delay • Ratio of working payphones Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

Parameters for Different Telecoms Services (Contd) Mobile Telephony Service No significant difference with fixed telephony parameters: Service Supply Time Fault Report Rate Fault Repair Rate Call Center Answer Time Billing and Tariff Accuracy Completed Calls Dropped Calls Blocked Calls Speech Quality (MOS, PESQ) Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

Parameters for Different Telecoms Services (Contd) Mobile Telephony (contd) SMS Message Transmission Success Rate Call Set-up Time Handover Success Rate Geographic Coverage Received Signal Strength (RxLv) Received Signal Quality (Rx Qual) Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

Parameters for Different Telecoms Services (contd) Data Networks and Internet QoS parameters-cannot be isolated from the fixed or mobile telephony parameters due to convergence of technologies. IP packets are used in both fixed and mobile services. • Bandwidth • Latency • BER • Jitter and Jitter Variations • Throughput • Data Transmission Success Rate • Internet Session Login Success Rate Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

QoS Measurement Method • Objective- circuits attributes, networks, signals • Subjective-through customer satisfaction surveys • Subjective good- fits the QoS definition but time consuming • Therefore a mix of the two methods recommended Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

Enforcing Compliance Regulators monitor, measure and enforce operators’ obligations Obligations normally in licenses or regulations Enforcements sometimes entails consultations Regulator needs techniques to ensure compliance even after consultation Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

Enforcing Compliance (Contd) Some of the enforcement methods are: • Publication of QoS measurement results • Reprimands • Directives • Imposition of Penalties • Requiring operators/service providers compensate their customers • Imposition of embargos to persistent violators (no Gvt Contracts) • License Revocation-as a last resort • Encourage Self Regulation- Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

Enforcing Compliance (Contd) Service Level Agreements (SLA) • Signed between service providers or between service providers and their customers • Define service characteristics, responsibilities and priorities between parties • May include statements on specific performance, billing, QoS levels etc • May also include remedies for breach • Regulator needs to enforce SLA where parties fail to do so Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

International Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs) • Besides ITU-T, other international telecommunications standardization development organizations (SDOs)exist • ISO, ETSI,IETF, INTUG, ETNO, QuEST Forum, etc • They deal with the general and special telecommunications quality of service issues. Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

International Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs) (Contd.) • ITU-T organizes its work in study groups subdivided into working parties . • SG12 is the lead SG in the performance, QoS and QoE. • One of its affiliates is SG12 RG-AFR • Most of the ITU-T Recommendations dealing with QoS exist in the E, G, I, M, Q, P, X and Y series. Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

International Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs) (Contd.) ITU-T gathers together • Governments, • National telecommunication administrations. • Recognized operating agencies. • Manufacturers. • Service providers. • Scientific and industrial organizations • Consumer protection groups Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

International Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs) (Contd.) • In addition, Quality of Services Development Group (QSDG) is involved in QoS/QoE. • Its main aim is to improve the quality of international telecommunication services. • Its activities were transferred from SG2 to SG12 during the WTSA08 in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2008. • Held its last meeting in Maputo, Mozambique Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

List of ITU-T QoS-related Recommendations and other international QoS standards Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

List of ITU-T QoS-related Recommendations and other international QoS standards (Contd.) Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

Thank you Merci Ahsante Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 2010

ITU-T Recommendations and other International Standards Relevant to QOS/QOE Daniel K. Waturu