Telecommunications Quality of Service Management: From Legacy to Emerging Services (Telecommunications)

An understanding of the basic concepts of quality and its management is essential for the professional management of Quality of Service (QoS) in telecommunications. As people increasingly rely on the new services for their lifestyle and work, their expectations for high reliability and quality are bound to rise. QoS is therefore likely to become a major differentiator in a highly competitive telecommunications market. This book is an important contribution to the published material in this field and is essential reading for all those interested in QoS issues. Also available: World Telecommunications Economics - ISBN 9780852969366 An Introduction to Satellite Communications - ISBN 9780863411328 The Institution of Engineering and Technology is one of the world's leading professional societies for the engineering and technology community. The IET publishes more than 100 new titles every year; a rich mix of books, journals and magazines with a back catalogue of more than 350 books in 18 different subject areas including: -Power & Energy -Renewable Energy -Radar, Sonar & Navigation -Electromagnetics -Electrical Measurement -History of Technology -Technology Management Contents......Page 6 Foreword......Page 16 Preface......Page 18 Acknowledgements......Page 20 Glossary......Page 22 Acronyms......Page 24 Authors......Page 32 Section I Introduction to Quality of Service......Page 36 1.2 Definition of quality......Page 38 1.3 Framework/methodology to determine quality parameters for products and services......Page 41 1.4 Importance of quality......Page 42 1.5 The EFQM Model......Page 44 1.6 Studies on quality......Page 45 Exercises......Page 46 2.2 QoS in the management of a telecommunication service......Page 48 2.3 Features of QoS in telecommunications......Page 49 2.4 Parties in the management of QoS......Page 51 2.6 Issues on QoS facing the industry......Page 59 2.7 A framework for the study and management of QoS......Page 60 Exercises......Page 61 Section II Framework......Page 64 3.2 The four viewpoints of QoS......Page 66 3.3 A methodology for the management of quality......Page 80 Exercise......Page 82 4.1 Introduction......Page 84 4.3 Relevant parties in the management of customers’ QoS requirements......Page 85 4.4 Management of customers’ QoS requirements......Page 87 4.5 Customers’ QoS requirements and the quality cycle......Page 100 Exercises......Page 101 5.1 Introduction......Page 102 5.2 Applications of offered quality......Page 103 5.4 Management of offered quality......Page 105 Exercises......Page 117 6.1 Introduction......Page 118 6.2 Applications of delivered quality data......Page 119 6.3 Management of delivered quality......Page 121 6.4 Summary......Page 127 Exercises......Page 128 7.1 Introduction......Page 130 7.2 Applications......Page 131 7.3 Management of customers’ perception of quality......Page 132 7.4 Summary......Page 137 Exercises......Page 138 Section III Existing and emerging network and services......Page 140 8.1 Introduction......Page 142 8.2 Drivers of change......Page 144 8.3 Network architecture......Page 147 8.4 Architecture evolution......Page 153 8.5 E-commerce......Page 157 8.6 IT viewpoint......Page 162 8.8 References......Page 164 9.1 Introduction......Page 166 9.2 Performance parameters for transmission networks......Page 170 9.3 Call processing performance......Page 178 9.5 Network interconnect apportionment......Page 179 9.6 Availability......Page 180 9.7 Network integrity......Page 182 9.9 References......Page 195 10.1 Introduction......Page 198 10.3 The Internet......Page 199 10.4 Internet services and applications......Page 203 10.5 Quality of Service assessment framework......Page 205 10.6 Practical steps for measuring QoS......Page 207 10.7 Summary......Page 208 10.8 References......Page 209 11.1 Introduction......Page 210 11.2 Voice over IP networks......Page 211 11.3 Fax over IP networks......Page 227 11.4 Streaming media......Page 234 11.5 References......Page 243 Further reading......Page 244 12.2 E-mail application......Page 246 12.3 Web applications......Page 254 12.5 References......Page 261 Exercises......Page 262 13.1 Introduction......Page 264 13.2 Difficulties of providing QoS in mobile systems......Page 265 13.3 QoS and 2G mobile – GSM......Page 271 13.4 3G networks – UMTS......Page 275 13.5 4G systems......Page 281 13.6 Summary......Page 284 Further reading......Page 285 Exercises......Page 287 14.2 GEOs, MEOs and LEOs......Page 288 14.3 Visibility coverage......Page 289 14.4 Latency......Page 291 14.5 Jitter......Page 293 14.6 Interference......Page 294 14.8 TCP/ IP issues......Page 295 14.9 Tropospheric propagation......Page 298 14.10 Satellite-to-satellite communication......Page 300 Further reading......Page 301 Section IV Customer impact......Page 304 15.1 Introduction......Page 306 15.2 Customer expectations and requirements......Page 307 15.3 Customer perception......Page 308 15.4 Customer care......Page 311 15.5 Value add from service surround......Page 312 15.6 Service surround processes......Page 316 15.7 Service support systems design principles......Page 317 15.8 Impact of people......Page 322 15.9 The pivotal position of the call centre......Page 325 15.10 Dimensioning of a call centre......Page 329 15.11 Evolution towards multimedia contact centres......Page 330 15.12 Customer relationship management......Page 331 15.13 Measurement of service quality......Page 332 15.14 Summary......Page 334 15.15 References......Page 335 16.2 Numbering......Page 336 16.3 Billing......Page 351 16.5 References......Page 355 17.1 Introduction......Page 358 17.2 Frameworks for understanding the response of the end user......Page 359 17.3 Case studies of multimedia applications......Page 361 17.4 Lessons for the design of multimedia products......Page 367 17.5 Towards a user-centred approach for the creation of end user applications......Page 368 17.7 References ......Page 371 18.2 Who are the disabled?......Page 374 18.4 Legislative and regulatory provisions......Page 377 18.5 Telco services as seen by some of the key disability types......Page 379 18.6 The implications of disability issues for Telco’s internal processes......Page 386 18.7 International collaboration and standards......Page 387 18.9 References......Page 388 Section V External drivers......Page 390 19.1 Introduction......Page 392 19.2 Principal issues of users......Page 393 19.3 Possible contribution by user groups for the future......Page 396 19.4 Guidelines for the formation of user groups......Page 398 19.6 References......Page 399 20.2 Regulatory considerations......Page 404 20.4 QoS issues and regulation in the USA......Page 410 20.5 QoS issues and regulation in European Union member countries......Page 417 20.6 Future of regulation......Page 419 20.7 Profile of an ideal regulator’s role on matters of quality......Page 420 20.9 References......Page 422 Further reading......Page 424 21.1 Introduction......Page 426 21.2 Beneficiaries of standards......Page 427 21.3 Review of standards bodies......Page 428 21.4 A methodology for the development of standards......Page 432 21.5 Mapping and review of ITU-T Recommendations on QoS fora legacy service – basic telephony over PSTN......Page 434 21.7 Future role for standards bodies......Page 437 21.8 Summary......Page 440 Exercise......Page 441 Section VI Management of QoS......Page 444 22.2 Categories of comparisons......Page 446 22.3 National comparisons......Page 449 22.4 International comparisons......Page 450 22.5 Management of comparisons of QoS......Page 455 22.6 Proposed parameters for basic telephony......Page 457 22.7 Parameters for other services......Page 458 Exercises......Page 459 23.2 Cost of quality......Page 460 23.3 Prevention costs......Page 461 23.4 Failure costs......Page 470 23.6 Benefits......Page 476 23.8 Summary......Page 481 23.9 References......Page 482 24.2 Protect, detect, react and deter......Page 484 24.4 Trust......Page 486 24.5 Threats and vulnerabilities......Page 487 24.6 Some drivers for change......Page 496 24.7 InformationWarfare......Page 499 24.8 The role of policy......Page 503 24.9 Prosecution......Page 504 24.11 References......Page 506 25.1 Introduction......Page 508 25.2 Cost of fraud......Page 510 25.5 Subscription fraud and call selling......Page 511 25.8 Staff fraud......Page 514 25.9 PBX fraud......Page 516 25.10 Split revenue services – premium rate, revenue share, audiotex(t)......Page 523 25.12 Signalling fraud......Page 526 25.13 International collect call fraud......Page 527 25.15 Fraud detection systems......Page 528 25.17 Summary......Page 529 25.18 References......Page 530 26.2 Focusing on the issues......Page 532 26.3 Developing an action plan......Page 533 26.5 Changing the philosophy of management......Page 538 26.6 Summary......Page 540 Section VII Future?......Page 542 27.2 Benefits of an internationally agreed architectural framework for the study and management of QoS......Page 544 27.4 Proposal for an architectural framework......Page 545 27.5 ITU-T Recommendation G 1000 and future work......Page 553 27.7 Reference......Page 554 28.2 Evolution of the environment......Page 556 28.3 The Internet......Page 558 28.4 Information value chain......Page 560 28.5 E-commerce......Page 565 28.6 Intelligent home......Page 569 28.7 Summary......Page 570 28.8 References......Page 571 Appendix 1 Quality parameters of diamond......Page 574 Appendix 2 Quality and TQM......Page 576 Appendix 3 Template for a typical service level agreement......Page 580 Appendix 4 Cell descriptions on the matrix to facilitate capture of Quality of Service criteria......Page 584 Appendix 5 Sample questionnaire to capture customers’ Quality of Service requirements......Page 596 Appendix 6 Typical Quality of Service parameters/criteriafor telecommunication services......Page 602 Appendix 7 Regulatory requirements on service performance to be reported on a regular basis in the UK......Page 610 Appendix 8 Regulatory requirements on service performance to be reported on a regular basis in Australia......Page 614 Appendix 9 Regulatory requirements on service performance to be reported on a regular basis in the USA......Page 618 Appendix 10 Fault incidence and repair time: OECD member countries – 1999......Page 624 Appendix 11 Sustaining supplier services......Page 626 Index......Page 632

In today's increasingly competitive communications environment, Quality of Service (QoS) is of paramount importance in the battle to win market share. However, the enhanced expectations of customers and the introduction of many new services and technologies makes comprehending and meeting customer requirements a real challenge. Building on the issues covered in Quality of Service in Telecommunications (1997), this book examines the technical, service and human issues that need to be addressed in order to provide a level of QoS that will meet those requirements. One key objective is to increase the reader's understanding of the importance of QoS and to show how the concepts presented can be applied to the reader's own circumstances. The book provides a comprehensive overview of definitions and standards, frameworks and models, network performance, internet, mobile and satellite services, the impact on customers, external drivers, economics, fraud and security and future trends. The authors, established experts in their fields, have wide-ranging experience in both UK and US telecommunications companies, reflecting the global nature of this industry and the universal concept of QoS.

The following topics are dealt with: quality of service in telecommunications; viewpoints of quality of service; customers' quality of service requirements; quality of service offered/planned by the service provider; quality of service delivered by the service provider; customer's perception of quality of service; network evolution and its performance; network performance engineering of legacy networks; Internet, Internet services and quality of service framework; quality of service for real-time internet applications; quality of service for non-real-time Internet applications; quality of service in mobile communication systems; quality of service of satellite communications; service surround and customer relationship management; number and billing; ergonomic considerations in the design of products and services; telecommunication services for people with disabilities; role of consumer and user groups; role of regulation; role of standards; comparisons of performance; economics of quality of service; telecommunications security; telecommunications fraud and architectural framework for study of quality of service The aim of this book is to give a clear and concise exposition of the principles and practice of satellite communications by describing the development of communications-satellite services. It will be useful both to engineers who have worked in other fields of telecommunication and to students. The book describes the development of communications satellite services and explains how satellites and earth stations have evolved to meet changing requirements. It deals in a simple but practical way with the physics and geometry of the geostationary orbit, and the construction and operation of satellites and launch vehicles. It gives a thorough analysis of the essential factors governing the quality of speech, data and television signals received via satellite. Particular attention is paid to growth areas in satellite communications, including analogue television transmission, digital methods of transmission of speech and data, the use of satellites for maritime, aeronautical and land-mobile communications and VSATs (very-small aperture terminals). The aim of this book is to give a clear and concise exposition of the principles and practice of satellite communications for newcomers to the subject. It should prove useful both to engineers who have worked in other fields of telecommunications and to students. The book describes the development of communications-satellite services and explains how satellites and earth stations have evolved to meet changing requirements. It deals in a simple but practical way with the physics and geometry of the geostationary orbit, and the construction and operation of satellites and launch vehicles. It gives a thorough analysis of the essential factors governing the quality of speech, data and television signals received via satellite. Particular attention is paid to growth areas in satellite communications, including analogue television transmission, digital methods of transmission of speech and data, the use of satellites for maritime, aeronautical and land-mobile communications and VSATs This book bridges the worlds of the economist, the engineer, the regulator and the manager. It outlines the technology of the subject in sufficient detail to provide an understanding of the industry's economics, and presents a comprehensive picture of the markets into which its products and services are sold. The aim of this book is to give a clear and concise exposition of the principles of satellite communications. It is intended for newcomers to the design, provision, operation, management or use of communication satellites and should prove as useful to engineers as to students