Airtel and Viavi Release Joint Study on Impact of Smartphone Quality on Users' Network Experience

Over 8,000 smartphone models on Airtel's network analyzed using Viavi's Location Intelligence Platform

Study confirms that user experience varies from device to device under the same network conditions; Airtel will provide manufacturers with data to improve future products

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Viavi Solutions

Feb 27, 2017, 01:00 ET

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS – Bharti Airtel, India's largest telecommunications services provider, and Viavi Solutions (NASDAQ: VIAV) announced they have jointly conducted measurement and analysis of 4G and 3G smartphone performance—representing over 8,000 smartphone models—crowdsourced using a big data approach from the live Airtel network, with the help of Viavi's location intelligence platform.

The analysis was intended to evaluate variation in key performance indicators (KPIs) impacting user experience in various smartphone models, to develop a process for smartphone qualification using real-world quality of experience samples, and to provide manufacturers with data to improve future products. This initiative would shed light on smartphone quality and its impact on user experience, especially in an open market for devices.

Methodology

A set of KPIs were selected to represent user experience based on smartphone performance. Viavi's location intelligence platform recorded measurements of these KPIs from smartphones representing 2.2 million unique subscribers in Delhi, the capital city of India. For each KPI, a benchmark was set to indicate the minimum performance expected. For a 4G smartphone to qualify, it should meet set threshold in 8 out of 12 parameters or KPIs (at least four each for 4G & 3G). 3G only smartphone would qualify upon meeting set threshold in 4 out of 6 KPIs.

Key findings

Of the 8,000 unique smartphone models that were part of the study, 300 models accounted for 80 percent of the total smartphone population.
Amongst the top 128 smartphone models, around 23 percent of 4G smartphones and 13 percent of 3G only smartphones did not meet the qualification benchmarks.

The analysis confirmed that there is variation in smartphone types, and corresponding variation in user experience under the same network conditions.

"Airtel is committed to delivering an exceptional experience to our customers. Given the massive scale of customers served by our network, this study provides a 360-degree view on customer experience and generates insights for collaborating with device OEMs to serve the customer even better." said Abhay Savargaonkar, Director – Network Services (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel.

"We are honored to partner with Airtel on such groundbreaking innovation in performance analysis," said Oleg Khaykin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Viavi Solutions. "To stay relevant in an evolving world, test and measurement must increasingly be able to move out of the lab and pre-activation test, and effectively monitor and assure the live network. As we found in India, this activity cannot stop at the network, but needs to account for individual devices as well."

About Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 17 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed home broadband, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 368 million customers across its operations at the end of January 2017. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com.

About Viavi Solutions
Viavi (NASDAQ: VIAV) is a global provider of network test, monitoring and assurance solutions to communications service providers, enterprises and their ecosystems, supported by a worldwide channel community including Viavi Velocity Solution Partners. We deliver end-to-end visibility across physical, virtual and hybrid networks, enabling customers to optimize connectivity, quality of experience and profitability. Viavi is also a leader in high performance thin film optical coatings, providing light management solutions to anti-counterfeiting, consumer electronics, automotive, defense and instrumentation markets. Learn more about Viavi at www.viavisolutions.com. Follow us on Viavi Perspectives, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

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SOURCE Viavi Solutions