Effects of 5G Rollout on End-User Experience
Quantifying the real-life effect of 5G deployment based on Simula's own measurements.
5G coverage in Norway is increasing. All three Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are rolling out 5G base stations in a growing number of population centers and, increasingly, the countryside. 5G brings in the promise of several technological advancements compared to 4G and earlier cellular technologies. During this still early stage of rollout, the increased network access bandwidth is the most notable one.
However, 5G is not only the radio interface; the technology includes a complex control core and interaction with other communication technologies. It is not given that the total end-to-end bandwidth improvements are proportional to the increase in the access bandwidth.
Simula has been measuring the quality of the Norwegian mobile networks since 2014, evaluating the coverage, availability and download speed, among other key metrics. We have collected a large pool of data, witnessing earlier transition 3G → 4G and now 4G → 5G.
Goal
While the 5G radio network interface clearly offers higher bandwidths than earlier radio technologies, how big is this improvement for end-user applications? We suspect it is measurable but not in proportion to the increase in the access bandwidth. The goal of this project is to quantify the bandwidth increase in practice, based on the data collected by the measurement project. Furthermore, we would like to understand what is limiting effective bandwidth in practice, and verify the new insights using alternative measurement strategies on the existing testbed.
Learning outcome
In this project, you will deepen your understanding of interactions between IP networks and cellular network technologies. You will learn about active network measurements theory and practice, working on an advanced testbed featuring Linux-based network probes measuring the network performance and interacting with DB backend. You will also gain a deep understanding of the end-to-end TCP protocol behavior.
Qualifications
Experience with Linux administration and Python programming. Working with large amounts of data. Curiosity and enthusiasm are a great advantage.
Supervisors
- Foivos Ioannis Michelinakis
- Tarik Cicic
Collaboration partners
- Celerway Communication AS
