SERVICE providers can ensure optimal performance and resolve call connection and degradation problems with the advanced NgN Analysis System. Agilent Technologies Inc . has launched the extension of its NgN Analysis System to address the quality assurance needs of cable voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service providers.
Through the added support for common open policy service (COPS) protocol and for Cedar Point Softswitches, the system displays end-to-end call flow records for advanced performance metrics and real-time and historical troubleshooting.
To effectively compete with telecommunication service providers, cable companies are adding VoIP services to their portfolio of video and data offerings. This ‘triple-play’ helps service providers capture and keep subscribers through lower overall costs, simplified billing and high quality of service.
Agilent's NgN Analysis System correlates COPS protocol with other protocols such as PacketCable NCS (network call signaling), TGCP (trunking gateway control protocol), SIP (session initiation protocol) and SS7 (signaling system 7) into a single, detailed call record. This enables service providers to drill down to quickly troubleshoot quality of experience (QoE) problems. For advanced troubleshooting, complete decodes are available for all signaling messages.
The new features in the system enable cable VoIP service providers to monitor quality of service (QoS) and quickly troubleshoot call problems based on users' actual experience. The NgN Analysis System tracks end-to-end call records and performance metrics for packet cable networks.
Network-wide call correlation is now supported for networks using the Cedar Point Softswitch, associating subscribers' endpoint addresses with their phone numbers.
"To meet subscribers' high expectations for service quality, service providers must deploy network monitoring systems that address the nuances of VoIP within the cable infrastructure," said vice president and general manager for Agilent's Operations Support System division, Giorgio Dina.
"NgN Analysis System now enables service providers to see call statistics grouped geographically, indicating whether a problem is associated with an individual subscriber or groups of subscribers using the same fiber group or node."