What are the advantages and disadvantages of different WCDMA bearer service quality indicators and metrics?

1 QoS and QoE

QoS and QoE are two related but distinct concepts that describe the quality of a bearer service from different perspectives. QoS refers to the technical parameters that characterize the performance of the network and the service, such as throughput, delay, jitter, packet loss, and error rate. QoS can be measured objectively by network operators and service providers using various tools and methods. QoE, on the other hand, refers to the subjective perception and satisfaction of the end user with the service, which depends on factors such as expectations, preferences, context, and content. QoE can be assessed by user surveys, feedback, ratings, or behavioral analysis.

2 QoS indicators and metrics

QoS indicators and metrics are numerical values that quantify the QoS of a bearer service. They can be classified into two categories: network-level and service-level. Network-level indicators and metrics measure the performance of the network elements and the transmission links, such as signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, bit error rate, and block error rate. Service-level indicators and metrics measure the performance of the service itself, such as voice quality, video quality, web page load time, and streaming buffer time. Some of the advantages of QoS indicators and metrics are that they can be easily monitored, collected, and analyzed by network operators and service providers, and that they can be used to optimize network resources, configure service parameters, and troubleshoot problems. Some of the disadvantages are that they may not reflect the actual user experience, that they may vary depending on the network conditions and the service type, and that they may not capture the impact of factors such as content, context, and expectations on user satisfaction.

3 QoE indicators and metrics

QoE indicators and metrics are subjective values that represent the QoE of a bearer service. They can be classified into two categories: user-reported and user-inferred. User-reported indicators and metrics are obtained by asking users to rate or comment on their experience with the service, using methods such as surveys, questionnaires, interviews, or ratings. User-inferred indicators and metrics are derived from observing or analyzing user behavior, such as usage patterns, session duration, abandonment rate, or loyalty. Some of the advantages of QoE indicators and metrics are that they can capture the user perspective, that they can reflect the influence of factors such as content, context, and expectations on user satisfaction, and that they can provide feedback for service improvement and innovation. Some of the disadvantages are that they may be biased, inconsistent, or unreliable due to user subjectivity, variability, or lack of motivation, that they may be costly, time-consuming, or intrusive to collect and process, and that they may not correlate well with QoS indicators and metrics.