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Measuring and Assessing Performance of Mobile Broadband Networks and Future 5G Trends

Author

Listed:
  • Ayman A. El-Saleh

    (College of Engineering, A’Sharqiyah University (ASU), Ibra 400, Oman)

  • Abdulraqeb Alhammadi

    (Communication Systems and Networks Research Lab, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Kuala Lumpur 54100, Malaysia)

  • Ibraheem Shayea

    (Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Istanbul 34467, Turkey)

  • Nizar Alsharif

    (Department of Computer Engineering and Science, Albaha University, Albaha 42331, Saudi Arabia)

  • Nouf M. Alzahrani

    (College of Computer Science and Information Technology, Albaha University, Albaha 42331, Saudi Arabia)

  • Osamah Ibrahim Khalaf

    (Al-Nahrain Nanorenewable Energy Research Center, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad 10071, Iraq)

  • Theyazn H. H. Aldhyani

    (Applied College in Abqaiq, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 400, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

Mobile broadband (MBB) is one of the critical goals in fifth-generation (5G) networks due to rising data demand. MBB provides very high-speed internet access with seamless connections. Existing MBB, including third-generation (3G) and fourth-generation (4G) networks, also requires monitoring to ensure good network performance. Thus, performing analysis of existing MBB assists mobile network operators (MNOs) in further improving their MBB networks’ capabilities to meet user satisfaction. In this paper, we analyzed and evaluated the multidimensional performance of existing MBB in Oman. Drive test measurements were carried out in four urban and suburban cities: Muscat, Ibra, Sur and Bahla. This study aimed to analyze and understand the MBB performance, but it did not benchmark the performance of MNOs. The data measurements were collected through drive tests from two MNOs supporting 3G and 4G technologies: Omantel and Ooredoo. Several performance metrics were measured during the drive tests, such as signal quality, throughput (downlink and unlink), ping and handover. The measurement results demonstrate that 4G technologies were the dominant networks in most of the tested cities during the drive test. The average downlink and uplink data rates were 18 Mbps and 13 Mbps, respectively, whereas the average ping and pong loss were 53 ms and 0.9, respectively, for all MNOs.

Suggested Citation

  • Ayman A. El-Saleh & Abdulraqeb Alhammadi & Ibraheem Shayea & Nizar Alsharif & Nouf M. Alzahrani & Osamah Ibrahim Khalaf & Theyazn H. H. Aldhyani, 2022. "Measuring and Assessing Performance of Mobile Broadband Networks and Future 5G Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:2:p:829-:d:722981
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lobo, Bento J. & Alam, Md Rafayet & Whitacre, Brian E., 2020. "Broadband speed and unemployment rates: Data and measurement issues," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1).
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    Cited by:

    1. Salil Bharany & Sandeep Sharma & Osamah Ibrahim Khalaf & Ghaida Muttashar Abdulsahib & Abeer S. Al Humaimeedy & Theyazn H. H. Aldhyani & Mashael Maashi & Hasan Alkahtani, 2022. "A Systematic Survey on Energy-Efficient Techniques in Sustainable Cloud Computing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-89, May.

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