Lack of time and budget are hindering network testing efforts of communications service providers (CSP) globally, according to a recent research conducted by Coleman Parkes for Amdocs.
The average annual budget allocated to network testing is around $14 million. NFV/SDN is already accounting for 14% of the annual testing budget compared with 20% for RAN and 15% for 4G. And the volume of network testing is increasing year on year, as 35% of CSPs globally report more testing now compared to 12 months ago. The level of increase seems to be driven by the need to provide more services on more devices to end consumers at a rapid rate.
However, testing plans are falling short because of lack of time (69%); budget constraints (66%); lack of software (64%); and shortage of right skills (63%).
The study also reveals that 65% of service providers are doing more network testing compared to 12 months. The key areas for network testing are 4G (69%), RAN (69%), Wi-Fi (61%), VoLTE (60%), and NFV/SDN (59%). The drivers of network testing, according to the study, are the changing nature of the network (59%); need to meet customer demands (58%); and increasing complexity of applications across the network (56%).
Meanwhile, the average duration of a network testing activity takes 9.1 weeks from testing through to production.
A little less than half (48%) believe NFV/SDN is a game changer for network testing.
The study also shows that service providers are currently using more than four different vendors on average to conduct network testing to support service introductions. This highlights the need for a holistic approach that will simplify the overall testing process across the LTE packet core and IMS (IP multimedia subsystem) applications such as VoLTE.
To support this urgent need to accommodate these new technologies quickly and efficiently, Amdocs has launched the Amdocs Core Network Testing Service. The service addresses growing network complexity by eliminating multiple vendor testing cycles, limiting operational costs and delay service introductions, ultimately allowing CSPs to focus on delivering superior customer experience.
By eliminating multiple vendor testing cycles that increase operational costs and delay service introductions, the new service will address the growing complexity of physical and virtualized networks as well as new network technologies and services such as 4G LTE and VoLTE.
Network testing service
Amdocs Core Network Testing Service provides test scoping and planning, network equipment testing, interoperability testing, pilot testing, network test lab management and device certification for both physical and virtualized network functions (NFV) testing. By utilizing a common Amdocs BEAT™ framework and methodologies powered by data analytics, Amdocs can unify and automate IT and network testing activities, including operational and business support systems, and now the network packet core.
“Service providers are introducing advanced LTE services and transforming to open virtualized networks to improve service agility. We are seeing strong demand to deploy new network features at an accelerated rate, requiring faster and rigorous testing cycles across complex multivendor physical and virtual networks,” said Ann Hatchell, head of network marketing at Amdocs. “Amdocs brings a vendor-neutral approach to core network testing with strong network credentials in orchestration, policy and service control, and analytics, along with extensive experience in RAN and SON testing tools and practices. With our unified approach to IT and now core network testing, service providers can support an agile business strategy that allows them to rapidly develop and scale new services, while delivering the service quality that customers expect.”
