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Volte

An independent study analyzed the performance of AT&T's VoLTE network compared to Skype voice calls over LTE in Minneapolis. The study found that VoLTE provided significantly higher voice quality, faster call setup times, greater call reliability, and much more efficient use of network resources and battery life on smartphones compared to Skype voice calls over LTE. However, the full benefits of VoLTE may be further improved as additional VoLTE features are implemented, such as short DRX. Initial tests of T-Mobile's VoLTE network also showed high voice quality.

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330 views13 pages

Volte

An independent study analyzed the performance of AT&T's VoLTE network compared to Skype voice calls over LTE in Minneapolis. The study found that VoLTE provided significantly higher voice quality, faster call setup times, greater call reliability, and much more efficient use of network resources and battery life on smartphones compared to Skype voice calls over LTE. However, the full benefits of VoLTE may be further improved as additional VoLTE features are implemented, such as short DRX. Initial tests of T-Mobile's VoLTE network also showed high voice quality.

Uploaded by

dcute_bgt
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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VoLTE Performance Analysis

An independent benchmark study of AT&Ts VoLTE


network (plus some other interesting info)

November, 2014

Test environment

Use of the ATGW

AT&T Network Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN


(Alcatel-Lucent Infrastructure)
TEST EQUIPMENT

ITEM

Spirents Nomad User Experience Analytics


System

MOS, Call setup time, Call reliability

Spirents Quantum Battery Life Measurement


System

Power consumption, Current drain, Implied battery life

Qualcomms QXDM

Resource utilization, and capture RF parameters (Layer 1


measurements & PPP messages)

Accuver XCAP software and Xceed


Technologies WindCatcher software

Post-processing & analysis of the QXDM logs

VoLTEs enabling technology


VOICE QUALITY
Smartphone: natively integrated VoLTE
client and AMR-WB codec
QCI=1 voice bearer invoked by P-CSCF via
PCRF
QCI=1 policy enforcement across
Smartphone, LTE RAN, mobile backhaul and
S/P-GW

BATTERY LIFETIME
Smartphone: natively
integrated VoLTE client
E2E VoLTE: RoHC, DTX /
DRX, fewer resource blocks
& TTI, less time spent
transmitting & receiving,
reduced transmit power, etc.

VoLTE versus SKYPE: RESOURCE UTILIZATION


Smartphones VoLTE interface to LTE RAN
Robust Header Compression (RoHC)

Discontinuous Transmission/Reception (DTX/DRX)

CALL RELIABILITY
VoLTE network performance
E2E VoLTE design, for
regular calls and eSRVCC
handovers
TTI-Bundling, for cell edge
performance

CALL SETUP TIME


Result of using VoIP instead
of 3G UMTS (CSFB), avoids
changing radios and alerting
in 3G

VoLTE and Skype over LTE MOS Stationary with Heavy


to moderate Loading
PROCEDURES:
VoLTE MOS Test Results IKEA, June 17th 1940 Hours

POLQA algorithm with male


& female voices
Stationary testing in IKEA
parking lot (near airport &
mall)
4 sets of tests with ~10
MOS measurements per test
OBSERVATIONS:
Highly repeatable
VoLTE does better than
Skype
Less variability with VoLTE
results

Skype Voice over LTE MOS Test Results IKEA, June 17th 2015 Hours

Based on the POLQA


algorithm there is a clear
indication that a typical
subscriber would notice
the difference in the voice
quality between VoLTE
and Skype.

Skype over LTE Loading and Multi-Apps, II

Skype Voice over LTE MOS Test Results with Multiple


Applications doing Network Transactions, including on the
Test Phone

Skype Voice over LTE MOS Test Results with ONLY Angry
Birds Downloading on a Separate Phone

PROCEDURES:
We ran other data applications in
the background on the same phone
OBSERVATIONS:
Skype Voice could not support a
separate application transferring
data
Downloading Angry Birds from
Google Play consistently caused
Skype Voice [running on different
phones] to crash
All results shown on this slide
were repeatable

And while other network


traffic or background traffic
downloading on a smartphone
could bring Skype Voice to its
knees, there was no indication
that it impacted the VoLTE
call.

NETWORK RESOURCE UTILIZATION:


resource blocks and transmission time intervals (TTI)
Summary of Resource Block Requirements VoLTE versus
Skype Voice over LTE

9.4x

6.1x

Summary of TTI Requirements VoLTE versus Skype Voice


over LTE

3.3x

3.0x

OBSERVATIONS:
Skype required substantially more
network resources than VoLTE for
the same voice activity patterns
9.4x more DL RBs
6.1x more UL RBs
4.5x more DL TTIs
3.9x more UL TTIs
downlink and uplink RBs
Also impacted battery life
(discussed in a bit)
Increasing the voice activity
pattern will impact the results
shown here

Network resource utilization - DTX/DRX, RoHC and


PDCCH Grants
The Impact of DTX and DRX on VoLTE and Skype
Voice

The Impact of RoHC on VoLTE and Skype Voice


over LTE

3.0x

3.3x

The Impact of VoLTE and Skype Voice over LTE on


PDCCH Signaling Messages without SPS

Observations
All three figures show results which
strongly favor
VoLTE / QCI=1 applications

4.9x

OTT applications generally do not support


QCI=1 features
AT&T had not implemented short DRX and
SPS so the actual benefits of VoLTE are
understated.

VoLTE and CSFB call setup times


Circuit Switched Fallback Times

PROCEDURES:
Results based on ~150 mobile
to landline termination calls
tested while driving around
Twin Cities
OBSERVATIONS:
VoLTE setup time was ~twice as
fast as CSFB with slightly lower
reliability
Mobile to mobile calls will likely
increase CSFB call setup times
and shorten VoLTE setup times

VoLTE Call Setup Times

3G Call
Reliability

VoLTE Call
Reliability

Network Resource Utilization - throughput


VoLTE Drive Test Downlink MAC Layer Throughput versus
Time

Skype Voice over LTE Drive Test Downlink MAC Layer


Throughput versus Time

PROCEDURES:
Used QXDM to capture
chipset diagnostic information
during drive test
Relatively low voice activity
level due to test procedure,
but identical for all
OBSERVATIONS:
~13x higher throughput on
Skype
No evidence of voice activity
pattern during Skype call
VoLTE supports RoHC and
DTX/DRX
Short DRX and SPS are
coming
Skype also supports DTX /
DRX, but takes less
advantage of it

Estimated Battery Life VoLTE, Skype Voice and 3G CS


Relative Differences
Estimated Battery Life Near the Serving Cell

PROCEDURES:
Tested while stationary at various locations
Selected sites based on RF conditions reported
by phone
Used pre-recorded message to simulate a
conversation

OBSERVATIONS:
Battery life was 56-89% longer with VoLTE
than with Skype
3G CS Voice resulted in the longest battery life
The use of short DRX and/or the VoLTE client
on the modem should help VoLTE in the future

General observations
VOICE QUALITY

NETWORK RESOURCE UTILIZATION

VoLTE MOS (~3.8) was

Compared to Skype, VoLTE used

Significantly higher than 3G CS voice (NB)


Measurably higher than Skype (~3.4)

Network loading or concurrent


data transactions on the test
phone
Brought Skype to its knees
Had no impact on VoLTE
BATTERY LIFE

10x less bandwidth


7x fewer Resource Blocks
5x fewer TTI
6x fewer PDCCH Grants
4x fewer transmissions
89% less signaling overhead
2.3dB less uplink power from UE to tower

CALL RELIABILITY

With VoLTE, the battery


life was

Compared with 3G CS
Voice, VoLTE was

56-94% longer than Skype


11-17% less than 3G UMTS

96% reliable versus 99%


reliable
A seemingly less dense LTE
RAN primarily resulted in the
differences

Affecting it were
LTE Coverage
VoLTE client on A/P
Short DRX not yet enabled

eSRVCC worked to 3G

CALL SETUP TIME

VoLTE call setup time


was nearly twice as
fast as CSFB
2.9 versus 5 seconds

CSFB phones didnt


always return to LTE
mode after the call

WRAP-UP AND NEXT STEPS

VoLTE lived up to our expectations, even in its early infancy

The commercial launch of additional features and network optimization /


improved coverage will further strengthen its competitive advantage

Additional VoLTE work is currently underway, including


Network interoperability and roaming
VoLTE client performance and interoperability
Other OTT voice applications
Video benchmarking (IR.94 versus Skype, FaceTime, etc.)
Impact of 3G WB-AMR and higher VoLTE codec rates
Impact of additional VoLTE-related features (short DTX / DRX, SPS,
etc.)
RCS
Initial test results for Tmobile VoLTE using the
23.85 kbps AMR-WB codec show a MOS of 4.1
under similar non-mobile conditions. *NOTE: Small
sample size using Anite Nemo

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