Abstract: A technique of triggering one or more congestion mitigation actions in a communication network is presented. The communication network comprises a core network domain and a cellular RAN domain having an O-RAN architecture. A method implementation comprises evaluating a temporal behavior of at least one congestion indicator for individual cells in the RAN domain to identify one or more candidate cells that are prone to suffering from congestion. The method also comprises correlating, for at least one of the one or more candidate cells, session-related information from the core network domain with RAN information from the RAN domain to derive at least one quality indicator for the at least one candidate cell. Further, the method comprises triggering, dependent on the at least one quality indicator derived for the at least candidate cell, one or more congestion mitigation actions.

Abstract: An apparatus for user plane traffic quality analysis in a wireless communication network. The apparatus includes an interface configured to be coupled to a user plane probe arranged on a bidirectional user plane traffic flow path of user plane traffic flowing through the wireless communication network between a first terminal and a second terminal of the wireless communication network, and an estimation unit coupled to the interface.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a communication network comprises monitoring user plane information and control plane information for a first session provided by the communication network for a first wireless device; and correlating the user plane information and the control plane information to determine if the first session was ended due to a soft drop, wherein a soft drop corresponds to a user of the wireless device intentionally terminating the first session due to service quality issues.

Abstract: We generally describe an apparatus (200, 300) for user plane traffic quality analysis in a wireless communication network, the apparatus (200, 300) comprising: an interface configured to be coupled to a user plane probe (214) arranged on a bidirectional user plane traffic flow path of user plane traffic flowing through the wireless communication network between a first terminal (202) and a second terminal (204) of the wireless communication network, and an estimation unit (706) coupled to the interface, wherein the estimation unit (706) is configured to estimate, based on a probing, by the user plane probe (214), of the user plane traffic flowing in a first direction (304) in a first segment (301) of the user plane traffic flow path from the first terminal (202) to the user plane probe (214), a user plane traffic quality of the user plane traffic flowing in a second direction (310) in the first segment (301) from the user plane probe (214) to the first terminal (202), wherein the first direction (304) is oppo

Abstract: In voice communication quality monitoring, both user plane and control plane signaling are gathered during network operation, and correlated. Offline (that is, not in real time), a predictive machine learning model is trained using the signaling data. The model is subsequently used to monitor network operation in real time. The model label is instances of voice quality degradation gleaned from probing the user plane media. The are control plane traffic patterns correlated to the voice quality degradation incidents. After training, when monitoring voice quality in real time on the network, only the control plane signaling is monitored. The machine learning model recognizes learned control plane signaling patterns and infers corresponding user plane voice quality degradation incidents. Settings of the model are controlled to achieve a desired precision/recall tradeoff.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for a network analytics tool capable of analyzing a time-varying set of parameter values for each of a plurality of measurable parameters and visually outputting a plurality of visualization objects. Each of the visualization objects comprise one or more visualization items, each visualization item representative of one of the plurality of measurable parameters. The method comprises: obtaining, for each of the plurality of visualization objects, a value of a first object-related metric and causing generation of a sensory-perceptible output indicative of a visualization object ranking established on the basis of the obtained value of the first object-related metric of each of the plurality of visualization objects.

Abstract: A technique for performing segment-wise analysis of a Real-Time Transport Protocol, RTP, flow carried from a first User Equipment, UE, to a second UE via a mobile network is disclosed. The RTP flow is monitored by a plurality of probes in the mobile network, wherein each of the plurality of probes is configured to calculate at least one performance indicator indicative of a performance associated with the RTP flow observed between the first UE and the respective probe. A method implementation of the technique includes deriving at least one segment performance indicator for a segment of the RTP flow between a first probe of the plurality of probes and an endpoint of the segment by deducting the at least one performance indicator calculated by the first probe from at least one corresponding performance indicator associated with the endpoint.

Abstract: A method for determining the quality of a media stream transmitted via a communication network, including at least the quality of the media stream as it is transmitted via a radio access network to a receiving device, based on data which is obtained prior to that transmission via the radio access network. The method utilizes a predictive model which is developed using a machine-learning algorithm.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided a method for monitoring a communication network, the method comprising: monitoring (701) user plane information and control plane information for a first session provided by the communication network for a first wireless device; and correlating (703) the user plane information and the control plane information to determine if the first session was ended due to a soft drop, wherein a soft drop corresponds to a user of the wireless device intentionally terminating the first session due to service quality issues.

Abstract: A technique for acquiring and correlating session-related information from an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, is described. The technique comprises the acquisition of control plane information from control plane signalling tapped at an IMS control entity, the acquisition of user plane information from user plane traffic tapped at an IMS user plane entity, and the acquisition of context information from tapped signalling between the IMS control entity and the IMS user plane entity. The acquired context information permits to correlate the control plane information and the user plane information acquired for a particular session.

Abstract: A method for determining the quality of a media stream transmitted via a communication network, including at least the quality of the media stream as it is transmitted via a radio access network to a receiving device, based on data which is obtained prior to that transmission via the radio access network. The method utilizes a predictive model which is developed using a machine-learning algorithm.

Abstract: We generally describe an apparatus (200, 300) for user plane traffic quality analysis in a wireless communication network, the apparatus (200, 300) comprising: an interface configured to be coupled to a user plane probe (214) arranged on a bidirectional user plane traffic flow path of user plane traffic flowing through the wireless communication network between a first terminal (202) and a second terminal (204) of the wireless communication network, and an estimation unit (706) coupled to the interface, wherein the estimation unit (706) is configured to estimate, based on a probing, by the user plane probe (214), of the user plane traffic flowing in a first direction (304) in a first segment (301) of the user plane traffic flow path from the first terminal (202) to the user plane probe (214), a user plane traffic quality of the user plane traffic flowing in a second direction (310) in the first segment (301) from the user plane probe (214) to the first terminal (202), wherein the first direction (304) is oppo

Abstract: A technique for acquiring and correlating session-related information from an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, is described. The technique comprises the acquisition of control plane information from control plane signalling tapped at an IMS control entity, the acquisition of user plane information from user plane traffic tapped at an IMS user plane entity, and the acquisition of context information from tapped signalling between the IMS control entity and the IMS user plane entity. The acquired context information permits to correlate the control plane information and the user plane information acquired for a particular session.

Abstract: A technique for performing segment-wise analysis of a Real-Time Transport Protocol, RTP, flow carried from a first User Equipment, UE, to a second UE via a mobile network is disclosed. The RTP flow is monitored by a plurality of probes in the mobile network, wherein each of the plurality of probes is configured to calculate at least one performance indicator indicative of a performance associated with the RTP flow observed between the first UE and the respective probe. A method implementation of the technique includes deriving at least one segment performance indicator for a segment of the RTP flow between a first probe of the plurality of probes and an endpoint of the segment by deducting the at least one performance indicator calculated by the first probe from at least one corresponding performance indicator associated with the endpoint.