Analyzing radio network coverage

A telecommunications system for communicating data to and from mobile terminals via a mobile radio network, the mobile radio network comprising a radio network part and a core network part, the radio network part comprising one or more base stations which are operable to provide a wireless communications interface for communicating data to and from mobile terminals within a radio coverage area provided by each of the base stations, and at least one radio network controller coupled to the base stations via a first interface, the radio network controller being operable to control the communication of data to and from the mobile terminals via the base transceiver stations, and the core network part is coupled to the radio network part via a second interface for communicating the data to and from the radio network part to support the communications of the data to and from the mobile terminals, and the telecommunications system comprises

• a data processor operative to receive control messages from the first interface communicated between one of the base stations and the radio network controller operative to control the communication of the data to or from the mobile terminals via the base station,
• to identify a mobile identity number associated with one of the mobile terminals from the control messages communicated via the first interface,
• to identify, using the mobile identity number, mobility control messages communicated via the first interface, the mobility control messages providing an indication of a relative distance of the mobile terminal from the base station,
• to receive the data communicated via the second interface between the radio network controller and the core network,
• to identify the data communicated from the mobile terminal, using the mobile identity number identified from the first interface,
• to determine a relative measure of quality of the data received from the mobile terminal, wherein said relative measure of said quality of the data is other than whether a call was dropped or retried, and
• to generate a performance map providing a relative distance of the mobile terminal from the base station and a quality of data communicated at the relative distance from the mobile terminal is other than whether a call was dropped or retried,
• wherein said data processor operative to generate said performance map comprises:
• to extract a statistical estimate of wireless communication performance, comprising:
• to extract user plane data;
• to assess quality based on the user plane data;
• and
• to generate said performance map without a need for an operator to physically sample quality of data communications at a specific location within a coverage area of the base station;
• and
• wherein the determining a relative measure of quality of the data received from the mobile terminal is performed for the, or each of the selected mobile terminals, so that the performance map is generated from the distance and quality measurements for the, or each mobile terminal.

An apparatus for analyzing a radio network coverage area provided by a mobile radio network the mobile radio network comprising at least one radio network part and a core network part, the radio network part comprising one or more base stations which are operable to provide a wireless communications interface comprising means for communicating data to and from mobile terminals within a radio coverage area provided by each of the base stations and one or more radio network controllers coupled to the base stations via a first interface, the radio network controllers being operable to control the communication of data to and from the mobile terminals via the base stations, and the core network part is coupled to the radio network part via a second interface comprising means for communicating the data to and from the radio network part to support the communication of the data to and from the mobile terminals,

• the apparatus comprising:
• at least one memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to said at least one memory, wherein said at least one processor is configured to:
• receive control messages from a first interface, the control messages configured to control the communication of the data to or from the mobile terminals via the base station;
• identify a mobile identity number associated with a selected mobile terminal from the control messages communicated via the first interface;
• identify, using the mobile identity number, mobility control messages communicated via the first interface, the mobility control messages configured to provide an indication of a relative distance of the mobile terminal from the base station;
• receive data communicated via a second interface between the radio network controller and a core network part of the mobile radio network;
• identify the data communicated from the mobile terminal, configured to use the mobile identity number identified from the first interface;
• determine a relative measure of quality of the data received from the mobile terminal, wherein said relative measure of said quality of the data is other than whether a call was dropped or retried;
• and
• generate a performance map configured to provide a relative distance of the mobile terminal from the base station and a quality of data communicated at the relative distance from the mobile terminal is other than whether a call was dropped or retried,
• wherein said configuration to generate said performance map comprises:
• to extract a statistical estimate of wireless communication performance, comprising:
• to extract user plane data;
• to assess quality based on the user plane data;
• and
• to generate said performance map without a need for an operator to physically sample quality of data communications at a specific location within a coverage area of the base station;
• and
• wherein the configuration to determine a relative measure of quality of the data received from the mobile terminal is configured to be performed for the, or each of the selected mobile terminals, so that the performance map is generated from the distance and quality measurements for the, or each mobile terminal.

An apparatus for analyzing a radio network coverage area provided by a mobile radio network the mobile radio network comprising:

• at least one radio network part and a core network part, the radio network part comprising:
• one or more base stations comprising at least one processor, which are operable to provide a wireless communications interface configured to enable the at least one processor to communicate data to and from mobile terminals within a radio coverage area provided by each of the base stations and one or more radio network controllers coupled to the base stations via a first interface, the radio network controllers comprising at least one processor being configured to control the communication of data to and from the mobile terminals via the base stations, and the core network part is coupled to the radio network part via a second interface operative to enable the at least one processor to communicate the data to and from the radio network part to support the communication of the data to and from the mobile terminals,
• the apparatus comprising:
• at least one memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to said at least one memory, comprising the at least one processor configured to:
• receive control messages from a first interface, the control messages being provided operative to control the communication of the data to or from the mobile terminals via the base station;
• identify a mobile identity number associated with a selected mobile terminal from the control messages communicated via the first interface;
• identify, using the mobile identity number, mobility control messages communicated via the first interface, the mobility control messages operative to provide an indication of a relative distance of the mobile terminal from the base station;
• receive data communicated via a second interface between the radio network controller and a core network part of the mobile radio network;
• identify the data communicated from the mobile terminal, operative to use the mobile identity number identified from the first interface;
• determine a relative measure of quality of the data received from the mobile terminal, wherein said relative measure of said quality of the data is other than whether a call was dropped or retried;
• and
• generate a performance map configured to provide a relative distance of the mobile terminal from the base station and a quality of data communicated at the relative distance from the mobile terminal is other than whether a call was dropped or retried,
• wherein said processor configured to generate said performance map comprises:
• to extract a statistical estimate of wireless communication performance, comprising:
• to extract user plane data;
• to assess quality based on the user plane data;
• and
• to generate said performance map without a need for an operator to physically sample quality of data communications at a specific location within a coverage area of the base station;
• and
• wherein the processor configured to determine a relative measure of quality of the data received from the mobile terminal is performed for the, or each of the selected mobile terminals, so that the performance map is generated from the distance and quality measurements for the, or each mobile terminal.