Operational Cellular Wireless Network Fault Detection: a Statistical Framework and Methodologies

As reliance on wireless cellular networks¿ becomes increasingly prevalent as the primary form of communications, the reliability and availability expected of the wireless services increases. Effective fault detection, the first step in fault management, is critical for a service provider to know that an installed wireless system is capable of providing the service planned for the end user. The presentation includes: the role and importance of fault management for ultra-high-availability cellular wireless networks; a discussion of the unique challenges posed by distributed cellular networks; practical applications of a statistical framework and methods, many of which have been widely deployed in the field; and finally a brief discussion of a rich area of continuing research as the fourth generation (4G) wireless networks become ever more complex leading to the need for self-organizing networks.