Evaluation of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) For Wireless Networks Application Using Drive Test Measurements

Abstract

The demand for dependable wireless networks that can provide adequate Quality of Service (QoS) in a variety of environmental conditions has risen due to the ongoing expansion of mobile broadband services. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) offer numerical measurements for evaluating network performance and directing improvement strategies. However, atmospheric phenomena like rainfall have a significant impact on wireless network performance, particularly in areas with complicated terrain and seasonal climate variations. This study uses driving test measurements taken in both clear-sky and rainy conditions to assess a few key performance indicators (KPIs) of operational 4G wireless networks in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. Twenty-two base stations distributed across five representative clusters were investigated using Transmission Evaluation Monitoring System (TEMS) tools and mobile test terminals. The assessed KPIs included Radio Signal Level (RSL), Received Signal Code Power (RSCP), packet loss, Energy per Chip to Noise ratio (Ec/No), receive level (RxLev), receive quality (RxQual), speech quality index (SQI), and uplink/downlink throughput. The findings show that rainfall considerably impairs network performance. Rainy conditions led to significant decreases in RSL, RSCP, Ec/No, and throughput as compared to clear-sky conditions, along with noticeable increases in packet loss. It was shown that data services were more vulnerable to attenuation caused by rainfall than voice services, with downlink throughput dropping by more than 80% and packet loss rising to as high as 88% in some clusters. These results highlight the necessity for weather-aware network design and adaptive optimization techniques to enhance QoS in semi-temperate parts of Nigeria and comparable settings, as well as the susceptibility of microwave backhaul links to unfavourable weather.