Mobile customers expect the same service quality regardless of the network they are roaming in. When a problem takes place while roaming, subscribers tend to hold their own service provider (HPMN) responsible, even if the problem was caused by a roaming partner's error (VPMN).
To keep roaming subscribers satisfied, service providers must ensure that their roaming partners uphold their service level agreements (SLAs). Operators must accurately and efficiently verify that their roaming agreements can indeed properly service all of their roaming customers. In order to guarantee international roaming, service providers not only need to implement the test cases as stipulated by the IREG, but also seek to perform the necessary preventative measures, through periodic testing and monitoring of roaming agreement, for an early detection of potential problems.
Although roaming testing was originally carried out using remote probes with international SIM cards or manually with someone literally roaming in the VPMN tested network and making calls in all possible test configurations, the current test requirements - i.e. increasing number of roaming agreements and services - call for more automated and less expensive testing solution.
AerVox TestVox solution provides a complete testing environment to help MNOs and Roaming Hubs to check roaming interoperability with partner operators without the need to either use remote probes with SIM cards, or perform manual process with real roamers.
Key Benefits
Valuable aid for roaming agreements negotiations.
Increases roaming usage.
Increases home operators’ revenue by avoiding outbound subscribers to stop using roaming services or buying local SIMs.
Increases visited operators’ revenue by guaranteeing service quality to the inbound roamers.
Reduces cost by simplifying inter-operator roaming test - not remote elements or real roamers on the associate networks are required.
Testing and Monitoring helps MNOs to confirm the capability for roaming, and the quality of service that GSM users will receive, when roaming into any VPMN. The need for Testing and Monitoring, as an aid to roaming agreements verification, is usually needed not only because of the introduction of new services and the inclusion of new roaming partners bur also because of:
- modifications in addressing and numbering data for routing;
- addition of new network elements such as MSCs, SGSNs, VLRs, etc.; and
- major software upgrade of SS7 signalling protocols.
The TestVox solution includes a set of three different Tools meant to provide different roaming Testing and Monitoring functionality:
 Network Quality Monitoring (NQM): checks the status and accessibility of the associates’ roaming GSM nodes to prevent problems.
Roaming Agreement Testing (RAT): tests the integrity of roaming services (voice, messaging and data) amongst its associated roaming partners.
Roaming Incidence Manager (RIM): includes a complete set of automated tests to analyze the behaviour of any GSM node involved in a roaming scenario.
Main Features
GSM, CAMEL and GPRS roaming support.
Modular and flexible Test Framework optimized for roaming testing.
Set of different roaming Testing Tools meant to perform different kinds of tests and to follow a "drilldown" principle.
Easy to use tool:
Expected to be operated by personnel without any specific skills on SS7 networks
Operated through a powerful Graphical User Interface (GUI)
QoS, usage and performance reports.
Roaming fraud detection features and reports.
SIM Box detection and reports.
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