WHY NETWORK SERVICE TESTING IS VITAL FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES TO STAY AHEAD
If you are reading this, chances are you are already familiar with the concept of network service testing. But let’s not skip ahead just yet. In the telecommunications industry, network service testing refers to the process of assessing the reliability, performance and security of a telecom network.
Why is this vital? Because it’s exactly what telecom users expect from their providers: reliability, performance, and security. Studies have shown that people are highly attached to their phones, both physically and cognitively. In fact, this study shows that the average user touches their phone 2,617 times a day, while heavy users can reach up to 5,427 daily phone touches. That’s a lot, isn’t it? And the more we rely on a service, the more eager we are to change providers if they fail us.
That’s where network testing becomes essential. Testing network components at optimal levels helps telecoms deliver the highest quality to customers. Benefits of network testing include supporting new tech, and identifying and fixing issues before customers are affected.
EXAMPLES OF TELCO COMPANIES THAT HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF NETWORK service TESTING
To have a more clear perspective upon the importance of network service testing, let’s delve into two clear examples of well-known telecommunication companies that have faced issues and the consequences that resulted from insufficient network service testing.
- In 2018, Verizon experienced a major outage across several states in the US, affecting multiple wireless customers, and leading to a massive number of user complaints. This resulted in a decrease in customer level of satisfaction. (source) This incident highlighted the importance of network testing and the need for proactive monitoring and maintenance to prevent unexpected issues.
- In 2020, T-Mobile had a 12-hour network outage, affecting millions of customers due to a routing issue. It caused complete 911 call failure and congestion in 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. The FCC investigated and found that T-Mobile didn’t follow network reliability best practices. The commission issued a Consent Decree and imposed a $19.5 million fine. (source)
BENEFITS OF TEST AUTOMATION IN NETWORK service TESTING
These two examples clearly demonstrate how network service testing is vital for telecommunication companies in order to prevent outages and ensure reliable services for their customers. Furthermore, a test automation solution can be instrumental in preventing and resolving network outages similar to those mentioned earlier, offering various advantages that we will talk about below:
- Early detection of issues, meaning that a test automation solution can help detect potential issues with network equipment and configurations early on, before they lead to widespread outages, costing telecommunication companies both money and customers’ loyalty.
- Replicating end-user scenarios is possible with end-to-end test automation. It allows service providers to simulate user behavior and verify product performance. This ensures that services meet user requirements and maintain high performance levels.
- Improved efficiency, meaning that with an end-to-end test automation solution, network service testing can be performed more effectively and quickly, as automated tests can be executed faster and with greater accuracy than manual tests.
TO WRAP-IT UP
As explained in this article, network testing is crucial for telecommunication companies. Investing in testing and automation can prevent outages, meet user requirements, maintain high performance, and improve customer satisfaction.
Also, while network service testing is crucial for the telecommunications industry, an end-to-end test automation solution that specifically tests end-to-end services for telecom can bring even more benefits. And Quadified is that solution. Quadified enables service providers to replicate real-world scenarios and user behaviours on real devices, while contributing to the early identification of potential issues, and providing high-quality and reliable services. If you’d like to hear more about our solution, drop us a message and let’s have a chat.
