TETRA Network Performance Monitoring
One of RSI’s best selling and proven products, Aries provides autonomous real time monitoring of TETRA network performance.
It is powerful, easy to use, and affordable making it ideal for large users and network operators who require independent performance verification.
Real time results are viewed as easy to read maps, graphs and tables on any internet connected device using a standard browser.
Aries Probe & Server
- Low-cost, small, robust probes can be fitted in any vehicle
- Probes may also be used for fixed monitoring of individual base sites
- All functionality is controlled from the server – no need for any engineering expertise in the survey vehicle
- Fully customisable
- Will send warning SMS to service engineers when key metrics are exceeded
- Layer 2/3 logging & analysis, recording Motorola Scout file for further analysis
- Compatible with Sepura and Motorola TETRA radio terminals
- Built-in powerful analysis functions for calculating high-level key performance indicators (KPI)
Aries Probe
An Aries Probe with Server monitoring system consists of a series of small probes connected to the back of radio terminals in vehicles using the TETRA network.
As vehicles with probes travel through the network, data is sent from the probes to a central web server and a picture of network performance is created.
Each probe records basic site parameters such as RSSI and Site LAC every 60 seconds, as well as neighbour cell information. Aries also generates test calls every 3-5 minutes.
Results are sent back immediately from the probe to the central server using GPRS packet data. If the GPRS service is not available then up to 6 days of data is stored in the probe until it can be sent back.
All of the probe parameters are configurable by the system administrator and updated over-the-air from the central server. All over-the-air data is encrypted for the highest level of security and a separate Talk Group is assigned for Aries so that test calls do not disturb or interfere with users.
Speech quality is measured using the industry standard PESQ algorithm meeting ITU-T Rec. P.862, which compares the received audio with a copy of the original speech to determine the Mean Opinion Score. This is an excellent indicator of the quality perceived by end-users and is now generally regarded by TETRA network operators and users as the key parameter for network acceptance and testing.
Aries analysis and monitoring is performed through a standard web browser with secure login. The screenshots below show just some of the analysis available.
Aries Windows Software
Aries Probes & Server
Aries Configuration Table
Aries Probe
- Dimensions: 86mm x 56mm x 26mm excluding connectors
- Connectors: GSM – FME (male), GPS – SMA (female), TETRA radio – flying lead terminated in manufacturer specific connector
- Internal connectors: Micro USB (used for tech support), dual-SIM card holder, micro SD memory card holder, 2 x micro push-switch for manual On/Off/Reset
- GSM Modem: GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, 3G option for HSPA+ 800/850/900/1900/2100 MHz
- Probe auto-starts when radio terminal powered up and remains powered on for 10mins by internal battery after radio power-down to send any remaining data
- Parameters logged:
- General: Time, Latitude, Longitude, Altitude, Speed, GSM RSSI
- Call Events: Monitor, Call Success, Call Fail, Uplink/Downlink Speech Sample, Call Completed Successfully, Call Dropped, Handover, Network Registration, Failed Handover, No Service, Airtracer atp file
- Motorola terminal (Airtracer mode): Serving Cell LAC/Frequency/RSSI/C1, Neighbour Cells LAC/Frequency/RSSI/C2, RDLC, MER, Slot No, Service Level, Fast Reselect Threshold, Slow Reselect Threshold, Fast Reselect Hysteresis, Slow Reselect Hysteresis, Min Rx Access level, Max Tx Power, Access Parameter, Colour Code, Subscriber Class, Security Class, MCC, MNC, Tx/Rx Modulation Mode/Rate/Bandwidth
- Motorola terminal (PEI mode): Serving Cell LAC/Frequency/RSSI/C1, Neighbour Cells LAC/Frequency/RSSI/C2
- Sepura Terminal: Serving Cell LAC/Frequency/RSSI/C1, Neighbour Cells LAC/Frequency/RSSI/C2
- PESQ Speech Quality testing available with Motorola Terminal in PEI Mode. Requires a slave radio terminal and Aries probe to be paired with each main probe. Speech sample may be user supplied with configurable call length and format
- Samples reported back to the Aries server every 60secs (configurable)
- In the event of no network data service, samples are held in probe memory until they can be sent back
- Airtracer logging to atp file: probe may be instructed to log Motorola Airtracer data to Motorola Scout file format. File is uploaded to server for analysis using Motorola Scout software.
Aries Server Application
- Runs on dedicated server at customer premises or secure and private access to RSI’s servers is available
- Capable of supporting 1000’s of probes limited by server resources
- Capable of supporting 100’s of users logged in simultaneously limited by server resources
- Application enforces password complexity and expiry rules
- Different level of user account provide different levels of access and functionality
- All Data is logged in a MySQL database. A user-friendly interface is provided to allow the following methods of selecting data for analysis: Filter by Data, Filter by Probe, Filter by Base Site, Filter by Area, Filter by Event Type, Filter by Parameter Value
- Analysis may be done using maps, graphs, tables, KPI, Neighbour Analysis, Voice Quality Analysis
- A base site database is included allowing display of base site icons on the map
- Map icons may be coloured by: Speed, Altitude, Serving Cell RSSI, C1, LAC, Best Neighbour RSSI, C2, LAC, Call Setup Time, Handover Time, Network Registration Time, MER, RDLC, Slot No., Modulation, Number of Neighbour Cells, PESQ raw (P.862), PESQ MOS-LQO (P.862.1), Audio Level
- Map Square KM analysis mode, calculates performance statistics for each square km and colours them Pass/Fail
- Maps include support for data from Google Maps, Google Satellite, Google Terrain, Open Street Map
- Maps can be exported to kmz format for use in Google Earth
- Graph ‘Values’ mode: X Axis=Time; Y Axis= Serving Cell RSSI, C1, Best Neighbour RSSI, C2, Call Setup Time, Handover Time, Network Registration Time, PESQ raw (P.862), PESQ MOS-LQO (P.862.1), Audio Level, MER, RDLC, Slot No., Modulation
- Graph ’Summary’ mode: X Axis= Time, Time of Day, LAC, Probe ID, Area, Serving Site Frequency; Y Axis= RSSI min/avg/max, Call Setup Time min/avg/max, Grade of Service, PESQ raw (P.862) threshold, PESQ MOS-LQO (P.862.1) threshold, PESQ raw (P.862) summary, PESQ MOS-LQO (P.862.1) summary, Audio Level threshold, Audio Level summary, All Events total, All Fail Events total, Call Setup Fail total, Call Dropped total, No Service total, Handover total, Handover Time min/avg/max, Network Registration Time min/avg/max
- KPI Analysis: available KPI’s: Signal Level, Call Success, Calls Blocked, Calls Dropped, SMS Success, No Service, Network Type, Data Mode, UL Data Rate, DL Data Rate, Data Fail
- Neighbour Analysis: Missing Neighbour Cells, Unplanned Frequencies, Unused Frequencies, Possible Duplicate LAC, Incorrect Neighbour Frequency, Asymmetric Neighbour Cells, Adjacent Channel Analysis, Co-Channel Analysis, Unplanned Neighbours, Unused Neighbours, Same Frequency Neighbours
- KML polygons may be uploaded to be used as Areas in the analysis
- Warnings are sent by SMS and email when key parameters or KPIs exceed preset thresholds
- Logging and Analysis of Airtracer data requires a license dongle to be purchased from RSI
Aries Probe Controller App
The Aries Probe Controller App is available as an Android App and is FREE to Aries users. It allows the Aries probe to be controlled from an Android phone using a Bluetooth interface. The App can be downloaded from this link:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=rsi.aries.controller&hl=en&gl=US
See here for the App Privacy Policy:
