Service assurance
Encyclopedia
Service assurance, in telecommunications, is the application of policies and processes by a Communications Service Provider
(CSP) to ensure that services offered over networks meet a pre-defined service quality
level for an optimal subscriber experience.
The practice of service assurance enables CSPs to identify faults in the network and resolve these issues in a timely manner so as to minimize service downtime. The practice also includes policies and processes to proactively pinpoint, diagnose and resolve service quality degradations or device malfunctions before subscribers are impacted.
Service assurance encompasses the following:
There are many drivers for service assurance adoption, with some considering the most important to be the ability to measure the performance of a service. A subscriber’s service experience quality can be directly linked to churn. Therefore, maintaining satisfactory service quality levels is key to creating “customer stickiness.”
Other factors driving growing interest in service assurance include increasing competition, new challenges due to the convergence of networks, services, applications and devices, enabling services over IP
and the merging of IT and telecommunications services. But ultimately, it is the CSP’s ability to ensure a satisfactory level of QoS that will have the greatest impact on revenue.
The importance of service performance is also reinforced by research stating that two thirds of subscribers will stop trying a new service after two failed attempts with that service. Therefore, it is increasingly apparent that service assurance tools must be put in place prior to the introduction of a new service if it is to be successful in the market. This is particularly true of deployments of such services as VoIP, IPTV and mobile video.
Service assurance spending by CSPs is forecast to grow to $USD 3.0 billion by 2011. The top five service assurance providers include Telcordia, Tektronix
, Agilent, HP and IBM
.
Communications Service Provider
A communications service provider or CSP is a service provider that transports information electronically. The term encompasses public and private companies in the telecom , Internet, cable, satellite, and managed services businesses.The market in which a communication service provider specializes...
(CSP) to ensure that services offered over networks meet a pre-defined service quality
Service quality
Service quality involves a comparison of expectations with performance.According to Lewis and Booms service quality is a measure of how well a delivered service matches the customers expectations....
level for an optimal subscriber experience.
The practice of service assurance enables CSPs to identify faults in the network and resolve these issues in a timely manner so as to minimize service downtime. The practice also includes policies and processes to proactively pinpoint, diagnose and resolve service quality degradations or device malfunctions before subscribers are impacted.
Service assurance encompasses the following:
- Fault and event management
- Performance management
- Probe monitoring
- Quality of serviceQuality of serviceThe quality of service refers to several related aspects of telephony and computer networks that allow the transport of traffic with special requirements...
(QoS) management - Network and service testing
- Network traffic management
- Customer experienceCustomer experienceCustomer experience is the sum of all experiences a customer has with a supplier of goods or services, over the duration of their relationship with that supplier. From awareness, discovery, attraction, interaction, purchase, use, cultivation and advocacy...
management - Service level agreementService Level AgreementA service-level agreement is a part of a service contract where the level of service is formally defined. In practice, the term SLA is sometimes used to refer to the contracted delivery time or performance...
(SLA) monitoring - Trouble ticket management
There are many drivers for service assurance adoption, with some considering the most important to be the ability to measure the performance of a service. A subscriber’s service experience quality can be directly linked to churn. Therefore, maintaining satisfactory service quality levels is key to creating “customer stickiness.”
Other factors driving growing interest in service assurance include increasing competition, new challenges due to the convergence of networks, services, applications and devices, enabling services over IP
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
and the merging of IT and telecommunications services. But ultimately, it is the CSP’s ability to ensure a satisfactory level of QoS that will have the greatest impact on revenue.
The importance of service performance is also reinforced by research stating that two thirds of subscribers will stop trying a new service after two failed attempts with that service. Therefore, it is increasingly apparent that service assurance tools must be put in place prior to the introduction of a new service if it is to be successful in the market. This is particularly true of deployments of such services as VoIP, IPTV and mobile video.
Service assurance spending by CSPs is forecast to grow to $USD 3.0 billion by 2011. The top five service assurance providers include Telcordia, Tektronix
Tektronix
Tektronix, Inc. is an American company best known for its test and measurement equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and video and mobile test protocol equipment. In November 2007, Tektronix became a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation....
, Agilent, HP and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
.