THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

THE 2021 NE T WORK TEST SURVE Y

Service Providers on Subscriber

Experience, COVID, and
Disruptive Network Trends

A Technology Innovation Council Report

On Behalf of VIAVI Solutions

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THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

Table of contents 03 Executive Summary

04 Key Findings

05 Survey Methodology

06 How Do Test, Measurement & Assurance

Impact Subscriber Experience?

08 Do Network Test, Measurement & Assurance Really Matter?

10 What Impact Do Technology Trends Have?

12 Delivering on the Promise

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THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

Executive Summary There’s no question that 2020 will always Despite huge increases in network traffic,
carry the negative connotations service providers say their networks largely
of COVID-19 with its accompanying met the challenges created by the pandemic.
lockdowns and social distancing. Yet the massive uptick in unplanned
network usage has brought into stark
But, at a macro level, there was a broad relief the importance of test, measurement
positive for communications service and assurance. In creating this report, we
providers (CSPs) in that 2020 was a proving directly surveyed communications service
ground for their networks. Their networks providers to assess how they fared in 2020,
were tested by millions of people working their perspectives on the importance of test,
and educating their children from home, and measurement and assurance, and where their
could easily have been overwhelmed as users priorities will lead them in 2021 and beyond.
battled the isolation of lockdowns through
streaming, gaming and conferencing.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, an overwhelming majority of service

providers agree that in-person tech visits remain an essential part of
activating, maintaining and troubleshooting network service

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THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

Key Findings  More than two-thirds (70%) of CSPs  An overwhelming majority (93%) believe that
identify access network performance as testing improves customer satisfaction and
the primary factor that most impacts reduces churn. Nearly 80% of service providers
subscriber experience, with transport agree that testing on the front end reduces
network performance (41%) and core network the amount of operational expenditures
performance (37%) also of concern. needed to correct issues later.

 85% of respondents stated that in-person  When asked about sources of test,
network technician visits had been reduced measurement and assurance solutions, a
or eliminated as a result of the pandemic, substantial majority (89%) of respondents
although 78% said that the change was agreed that vendors specializing in this area
temporary. More than 55% of service providers were essential to performance of the network.
report a transition from instrument-based
testing to remote, virtualized testing due Seventy-eight percent strongly agree that
to COVID-19. 
network monitoring and assurance using
artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are
 Virtualization (78%), automation (70%) necessary to optimize networks.
and network slicing (70%) are the strongest
trends currently driving the need for service
providers to utilize third-party testing,
monitoring and assurance solutions.

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THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

Survey Methodology The 2021 Network Test Survey was answered Strategy Roadmap, Chief Evangelist, Head
by 54 members of The Technology Innovation of Mobile, etc. — working for Tier 1 and Tier 2
Council (TIC), a unique research initiative global, regional and national service providers
that enables telecommunications service operating both wireless and wireline networks.
provider executives to provide insight into Because TIC members are guaranteed
global business and technology trends. anonymity, they are able to provide objective
and knowledgeable feedback on relevant
The TIC comprises more than 120 members technology trends. The Technology Innovation
from 70+ service provider organizations in Council was developed by a Research Analyst
40 countries. TIC members represent a wide with more than 23 years of experience in
range of job titles — CEO, CIO, CTIO, Chief telecoms and technology.
Digital Officer, VP Architecture, Director of

3G / 4G / 5G 85% EMEA 30%

FTTX 67%

North America 26%

xDSL / Gfast 44%

DOCSIS 22%
LATAM 17%
Other 17%

MPLS 6%
Asia Pacific / Japan 17%

Dark Fiber 4%

Metro 4% Greater China 11%

Figure 1. Types of networks operated by participants. Of the 54 service providers Figure 2. Regional distribution of respondents. Participants
surveyed, nearly all of them operate more than one type of network. represent telecommunications service providers worldwide. 5
THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

How Do Test, Measurement Massive increases in network traffic wrought is access network coverage/performance.
by COVID-19 underscored the importance of Service providers were then fairly evenly split
& Assurance Impact
subscriber experience. as to the second biggest factor, including
Subscriber Experience? transport network performance (41%), core
Seventy percent of service providers said the network performance (37%) and third-party
top factor that impacts subscriber experience network performance (28%).

When asked about the top factors impacting subscriber experience, a North
American service provider noted, “In reality, most of these apply. But if I need
to check two – they are access network coverage and performance in the core,
which have the biggest impact to service accessibility and quality.”

Access network Service/application

coverage/performance 70% performance 19%

Transport network Service fulfillment and

performance
41%
service assurance
2%

Core network Content delivery networks

performance 37% (Akamai, Netflix, Amazon) 2%

Third-party network COVID-driven demand

performance (fiber 28% for internet at the 2%
backhaul, IP transport, etc.) customer premise

Figure 3. Factors impacting subscriber experience 6

THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

How Do Test, Measurement The importance of test, measurement and The overwhelming majority of service
assurance on networks also becomes clear providers say that COVID-19 has had no
& Assurance Impact
when examining how COVID-19 impacted impact on:
Subscriber Experience? network operations.
78% Reducing test cases.
Almost 80% of operators said they have
temporarily reduced or eliminated in-person 78% Relying on NEMs for quality assurance.
tech visits as a result of the pandemic, with
7% expecting this to be a permanent change. 70% Reducing test cases to speed
network deployment.

Increase reliance on
Reduce test cases 78% 22% contractors for network 70% 30%
quality assurance

Rely more on network equipment Transition from instrument-

manufacturers for network quality 78% 15% 7% based testing to remote, 45% 48% 7%
assurance virtualized testing

Reduce test cases or plans

Reduce or eliminate in-person
in order to increase speed of 70% 30% 15% 78% 7%
technician visits
network deployment

No change Temporary change Permanent change

Figure 4. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on test, measurement and assurance procedures 7

THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

Do Network Test, In a word: Yes. In three words: a resounding Moreover, almost all service providers agree
Yes. Almost all service providers (93%) that test, measurement and assurance
Measurement & Assurance
see a correlation between testing networks, solutions from a specialized vendor are
Really Matter? improving customer service and essential for strong network performance
reducing churn. and customer satisfaction. Interestingly, an
equal number of service providers say they
Likewise, almost 80% of service providers don’t achieve sufficient performance metrics
believe that testing on the front end of from built-in test, monitoring and assurance
networks reduces the OpEx that’s required features in network equipment.
to correct issues down the line. And more
than 70% of respondents say testing reduces
revenue loss to poor network quality.

Test, measurement & assurance

Testing improves customer from a specialized vendor are 56% 11%
93% 7% 33%
satisfaction & reduces churn essential to the performance of
network & subscriber satisfaction

Testing on the front end reduces 78% 22%

Opex spent to correct issues later We get sufficient performance
metrics from built-in test, 11% 67% 22%
monitoring & assurance features
Testing reduces revenue that’s in network equipment
70% 19% 11%
lost due to poor network quality

We outsource network testing,

monitoring & assurance to 7% 48% 45%
Testing increases the speed of
41% 48% 11% contractors or system integrators
deploying next-generation networks

We prefer to build proprietary test,

15% 33% 52%
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Do not agree at all monitoring & assurance solutions

Figure 5. Attitudes towards test, measurement and assurance Figure 6. Sources of test, measurement and assurance solutions 8
THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

Do Network Test, The importance of test, measurement and Most service providers believe that
assurance also are evident when examining
Measurement & Assurance testing on the front end reduces the
how service providers address ongoing
Really Matter? support. About two-thirds of operators
costs required to correct network
say they: issues down the line

67% Purchase service agreements to ensure

priority support for field techs.

63% Provide internal training and support

on test gear.

We purchase training from

We purchase service agreements test vendors to ensure that
to ensure priority support for 67% our technicians are fully 52%
technicians in the field prepared to use test gear
effectively & efficiently

We provide internal training We purchase service agreements

& support on test gear for 63% to ensure priority support for 44%
our technicians technicians in the lab

We expect that training &

support will be provided as a 63%
free service from the vendor

Figure 7. Support for test, measurement and assurance 9

THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

What Impact Do Today’s networks are undergoing massive providers to utilize third-party testing,
transformation driven in large part by monitoring and assurance solutions are:
Technology Trends Have?
technologies like artificial intelligence (AI),
machine learning, virtualization 78% Virtualization.
and automation.
70% Automation.
Service providers say these trends are
strongly impacting their need to utilize 70% Network slicing.
third-party testing, monitoring and
assurance solutions. More than half of operators also said that
machine learning (56%) and open source
The three network trends that are having (52%) are impacting their need for third-party
the strongest impact on the need for service test and measurement solutions.

Virtualization 78% 7% 15% Machine learning 56% 22% 22%

Automation 70% 19% 11% Open source 52% 15% 33%

Network slicing 70% 8% 22% Disaggregation 44% 15% 41%

Increase Decrease No impact

Figure 8. Technology trends driving need for test, measurement and assurance 10
THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

What Impact Do Likewise, technology is impacting the problems are minimized if lab simulations are
phases of test, measurement and assurance. done before networks are deployed in the field.
Technology Trends Have?
All service providers strongly agree (78%)
or somewhat agree (22%) that artificial And the overwhelming majority of service
intelligence and automation in network providers (85%) agree that in-person tech
monitoring and assurance solutions visits remain an essential part of
prevent problems and optimize networks. activating, maintaining and troubleshooting
All service providers also strongly agree (44%) network service.
or somewhat agree (56%) that deployment

Service providers are turning to advanced technologies including

automation, AI and virtualization to improve the customer
experience while controlling costs

Network monitoring & assurance using automation & artificial

78% 22%
intelligence are necessary to prevent problems & optimize networks

Simulating real-world conditions in a lab before deploying

44% 56%
networks in the field helps minimize deployment problems

In-person technicians visits are an essential part of customer

support to activate, maintain & troubleshoot network service 26% 59% 15%

Strongly agree Somewhat agree Do not agree at all

Figure 9. Phases of test, measurement and assurance 11

 
THE 2021 NET WORK TEST SURVEY

Delivering on the Promise In spite of – and partially because of – a assurance to ensure performance of these
challenging year, service providers across next-generation networks. Alongside this,
the globe are resolutely looking ahead. it is clear too that they are increasingly
leaning into their relationships with third-
They are turning to advanced technologies party test and assurance vendors, relying on
including automation, AI and virtualization them to ensure that advanced technologies
as ways to improve the customer experience perform as required and deliver the hoped-
while controlling costs. Far from just being for benefits.
the latest buzzwords and bandwagons,
service providers are actively engaging with While business as usual may take its time
these technology trends. to return to the service provider world and
beyond, there are absolutely reasons to
Yet as wired and wireless networks alike be positive, as service providers advance
continue to evolve and transform, they are new technologies to enable the speed,
becoming more complex as well. Positively, performance and scalability needed to meet
service providers are predominantly ever-increasing demands for connectivity
demonstrating a mature attitude to the and improved user experience.
necessities of test, measurement and

Visit viavisolutions.com to learn more.

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